Medium & Large Business

1. What is the difference between webcasting and streaming?

   "Webcasting" covers the whole process, referring collectively to all the steps in producing a webcast event from capture and encoding of content, to web development to create players and other tools, through to delivery to the audience.

   "Streaming" refers specifically to the technical process of delivering the webcast to the user's desktop player program. The word reflects how the technology works: content is not downloaded and stored on the user's computer. Rather, it just "streams" through in real time, vanishing as it goes.

2. What kinds of companies use webcasts?

   Any company that has a website could likely benefit from webcasting. The range of business applications is virtually limitless. Some companies webcast annual general meetings and quarterly earnings calls, product launches, important announcements to shareholders, internal conferences, and training sessions.

   We use the same audio and visual professionals and technology that radio and television stations use to insure broadcasting excellence. Also, we realize that this can be a new experience for some of our clients, and our staff is trained to guide clients through the dos and don’ts of broadcasting. Most clients quickly become as enthusiastic about webcasting as we are.

   Basically, you leave everything to us. Our professional team usually plugs into an already-scheduled event and oversees the webcasting element from top to bottom.

   It really depends on your individual needs. If you have a single speaker and a lower-profile event, an audio webcast may be the best option for you. If you want your business partners, the media, or clients to be able to view the event live, then you will choose the video webcast option. One of the wonderful things about webcasting is its unparalleled flexibility.

3. How do you guarantee that your clients will look and sound good on the Internet?

   We use the same audio and visual professionals and technology that radio and television stations use to insure broadcasting excellence. Also, we realize that this can be a new experience for some of our clients, and our staff is trained to guide clients through the dos and don’ts of broadcasting. Most clients quickly become as enthusiastic about webcasting as we are.

4. How much extra time will my staff need to spend working on a webcast?

   Basically, you leave everything to us. Our professional team usually plugs into an already-scheduled event and oversees the webcasting element from top to bottom.

5. How do I choose between an audio or visual webcast?

   It really depends on your individual needs. If you have a single speaker and a lower-profile event, an audio webcast may be the best option for you. If you want your business partners, the media, or clients to be able to view the event live, then you will choose the video webcast option. One of the wonderful things about webcasting is its unparalleled flexibility.

6. Which website does the audience log into - their client's or the service provider's?

   Viewers access the webcast through your website and are automatically linked to our advanced edge servers. So although they are not "on" your website to view the webcast, they'll never know it because TELUS’ identity is completely invisible to your viewers.

7. What is a player?

   A player enables you to view a webcast. It's the interface between your computer and the webcast content. Think of a webcast player as a machine, such as a VCR or CD player, that looks like a computer window.

   At TELUS,  we specialize in designing branded players that look and feel just like your website. Our players may be enhanced in a number of ways for an advanced user experience. (And TELUS’ identity is never visible to your audience on the players we create for you - it's your webcast, so your player ought to communicate your identity.)

   See our Showcase for player examples.

8. What do I need to know to plan a successful webcast?

   Simply apply the rules of good business communication:

   Plan well in advance, so all the challenges (including technical ones) can be identified and addressed smoothly.

   Clearly target your audience, understand its characteristics, and focus your communication goals and strategies accordingly.

   Hone your message presentation to maximum clarity visually and orally.

   Measure and evaluate your success.

   Of course, you must also ensure you choose a webcast supplier whose capabilities match your needs and expectations.

   Click here for a webcast checklist for your event.

9. How much time before an event do we need to book a webcast?

   We pride ourselves on our flexibility. For an audio webcast, we need three hours notice, and for a video webcast, about ten days.

10. What are the major variables affecting cost?

    Service option: will your event be live or served on-demand after the event, or both?Complexity: will content be captured from one source sequentially or from multiple sources simultaneously, such as several speakers in event break-out rooms?

    Format: do you want audience to have a choice of viewing in RealPlayer or Windows Real Media? (Our packages offer one format, your choice.)

    Duration: will your event run 1 hour, 4 hours, or multiple days?

    Size: how big is the webcast file to be stored and transferred to users?

    Packaging: how much development is needed to encode and "package" your presentation for the web?

    Options: do you need Registration & Log In? Question & Answer Manager for live interactivity? Ad insertions? E-commerce linkage? See Webcast Options for a complete list of options.  

11. How do we measure the success of a webcast?

    With webcasting, measurement is so easy and refreshingly precise. Every webcast we produce includes a statistical report: number of visitors and unique visitors, when they visited, duration of viewing/listening, and sources of visitor traffic and, if you elect to have Registration as well, email addresses and company names of your visitors.

12. What do I need on my computer to experience a webcast?

    The vast majority of late-model computers come equipped with everything you need: at least a Pentium processor, a sound card, and a Player program downloaded free from the internet.

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