Conferencing with delayed sound

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When videoconferencing over ISDN, IP and other networks, although echoes can be reduced to a manageable level delays on the sound or “Latency” remains. This introduces an unnatural element into a videoconference that participants need to be aware of. All participants have to learn to conference within the limitations of the time delay, and so interaction is less spontaneous than with a face to face meeting. As most conferences are voice switched, sharp interjections will cause the conference to switch automatically to that site; this may clip another site’s presentation. All participants have to be patient and let other sites finish their point before responding. Videoconferencing with latency encourages participants to wait until others finish before responding, which after all is how meetings should be conducted in any case, but seldom are.