Voxwire vs Webex and Placeware

I attend an online meeting at least once a week - I find I can do it pretty well in Second Life with a headset and because I know the avatars around me. Leave that to one side. Although SL is growing in popularity as an online meeting space (driven by the likes of IBM) it's the regular, PC-PC, phone-to-phone market that represents the core of the market.

Voxwire is making a pitch as the logical, reasonably priced contender in this market providing its customers with an integrated package.

People report positive experiences with Webex, the market leader in online meeting services but my own experience with them has been patchy. I've even had to reschedule when New York interviewees have been unable to connect with me just on a one-to-one (so why use Webex? - For them to show me their website's beta). I mention it solely to underline the benefits of integration.

When online meetings start to go wrong - when I can't access a secure area, when I can't see that beta site, everybody begins to look and feel a little stupid.

The problem with online meeting software is they can be highly functional but dependent on chance. I've rarely found it to work well though other people report total satisfaction. My instinct is that Voxwire would improve its position if it migrated some of its offer to a virtual environment.

Strange though it may seem, when I can see the avatar of the people I am meeting, I at least know they are there and that they are attentive. There is reduced uncertainty.

For now Voxwire's offer is web based and at under $6 per person for a three person room, under $4 for a 10 person room. I can think how to beat those prices for anyone with an SL Island but for me dealing with NY, unless I want to go Skype these are very good prices. Be interested in other viewpoints on this.