Safaricom, Microsoft in videoconference deal - VIDEO

What you need to know:

The business-to-business product, Revmeet, follows a month and a half pilot where eight facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa were used for hosting parallel groups attending the same meeting.
Microsoft representatives said its virtual product was encrypted to provide a secure platform for one-on-one interactions for specific meetings.
Safaricom is tasked with providing reliable internet bandwidth across Kenya and to other networks globally.
Revmeet costs Sh10,000 for up to a two-hour session, Sh15,000 for up to five-hour session and Sh20,000 for a day-long virtual session.

Listed telco Safaricom #ticker:SCOM and IT giant Microsoft yesterday launched a virtual conferencing facility that enables hotels to host meetings.

The business-to-business product, Revmeet, follows a month and a half pilot where eight facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa were used for hosting parallel groups attending the same meeting.

Microsoft representatives said its virtual product was encrypted to provide a secure platform for one-on-one interactions for specific meetings.

Safaricom is tasked with providing reliable internet bandwidth across Kenya and to other networks globally.

Revmeet costs Sh10,000 for up to a two-hour session, Sh15,000 for up to five-hour session and Sh20,000 for a day-long virtual session.

Safaricom, Microsoft launch virtual conferencing facility

PrideInn’s founder and group managing director Hasnain Noorani welcomed the development saying it creates an avenue for the hospitality industry to host small groups of people attending such meetings.

"Concentration is high when one is with like-minded attendees of such meetings. We did host 350 people in Nairobi and Mombasa during meetings addressed by speakers from Spain and Canada," he said.

Mr Noorani said a blend of virtual and real meetings was crucial for business and innovations to thrive.

He said such events were crucial to improving footfall within hotels as they have a ripple effect on other unrelated businesses that rely on selling goods and providing services to hotels.

Mr Noorani said companies annual general meetings as well as training sessions can now be held across Kenya via the Revmeet platform with attendees being booked in hotels that have invested in IT platforms that support virtual conferencing.

Naivasha's Enaishipai Lodge, Serena and Sarova have also invested in similar IT facilities enabling virtual meetings.