Cisco and Microsoft Battle Over Web Conferencing
The battle between network giant Cisco and software colossus Microsoft over
video and Web conferencing has been brewing for a while. Last fall, for instance,
Microsoft announced plans to build a mobile video conferencing device. That
same week Cisco jumped in, announcing a product that increases the frame rates
of Web video so we won't get a headache watching herky-jerky video.
Now Cisco is really getting serious, vastly overpaying for the privilege
of owning WebEx, which competes with Microsoft's Live Meeting.
WebEx made less than $50 million in profit last year, but somehow the math
whizzes at Cisco reckon the company is worth north of $3 billion.
That's, what, 60 times earnings? I hope WebEx has some hot stuff in its labs!
Which do you like better, WebEx or Live Meeting? Let us know at dbarney@redmondmag.com.
Posted by Doug Barney on March 19, 2007 at 11:52 AM