WebTrain

Infobox_Company
company_name = WebTrain Communications
company_type = Private
company_logo =
foundation = January 1999
location = Kelowna, British Columbia
services = Web Conferencing Provider
products = English and French
industry = Telecommunication
homepage = [http://www.webtrain.com/default.asp www.webtrain.com]

WebTrain Communications provides web conferencing services for educational training, business meetings, presentation webinars and live auctions. WebTrain is a privately-held Canadian company established in 1999.cite web | url=http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/cgi-bin/sc_mrksv/corpdir/dataOnline/corpns_re?company_select=3578682 |title=Canadian Federal Incorporation Registry |date=Jan 22, 2002 |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=Government of Canada]

History

The WebTrain concept was developed in 1998 by Gary Campbell for the purpose of reducing training costs for off-site business clients. [cite web |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=22338296 |title=WebTrain founder business concept |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=Business Week] The idea was expanded to include additional communication services. Six different communication products were released after two years of initial development. Each of the software products provided a specific set of features related to its intended market. There was a call alert monitor, a free PC-PC telephone application, a virtual business meetings application, a webinar presentation application, a virtual conference center application, and a web based virtual classroom application. All products were VoIP based.

After releasing the different products in 2001, it was found that clients wanted a single product that provided all of the features offered by each of the separate applications and services. In 2003, WebTrain released version 1 of their Communicator product, merging the feature sets of the separate applications into a single hosted application. Version 2 was released Feb 11, 2003.cite web | url=http://www.masternewmedia.org/reports/webconferencing/guide/ |title=Web Conferencing - Independent Enterprise System Reviews - October 2005 |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=http://www.masternewmedia.org |author=Robin Good] Version 3 of the Communicator was released August 6, 2006. The v3 French and English version release was a complete rewrite of the existing product, utilizing .NET for the back end meeting services. Web service API's for back end integration and OEM white labeling were also provided in the v3 release. A link to their pending V4 release is provided on their current website. [cite web |url=http://www.webtrain.com |title=V4 Pending Release |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=WebTrain]

Dr. Doug Hallett is the CEO and Chairman of WebTrain. cite web |url=http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/cgi-bin/sc_mrksv/corpdir/dataOnline/corpns_re?company_select=3578682 |title=Canadian Federal Incorporation Registry |date=Jan 22, 2001 |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=Government of Canada] Hallett's more notable achievements include receiving a medal from the United Nations [cite web |url=http://www.pollutionprobe.org/Reports/niagara.pdf |title=Niagara: A River to Save |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=Pollution Probe|quote = In December 1985, Hallett, who the year before received a medal from the United Nations for his research on toxic contaminants in the Great Lakes, decided ... (page 19)] relating to his research and discovery of dioxins in the Great Lakes. He was senior scientific advisor to Environment Canada Ontario region [cite web |url=http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-75-1390-8683/science_technology/great_lakes_pollution/clip7 |title=Troubled Waters: Pollution in the Great Lakes |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=CBC Radio |author=Host: Jay Ingram |date=Dec 1, 1984] , holds numerous patents of his inventions (PBC destructor [cite web |url=http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/programs/3354e26.pdf |title=A gas-phase chemical reduction process |publisher=Ontario Ministry of the Environment |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008] [cite web |url=http://www.epa.gov/tio/download/partner/nato.pdf |title=NATO/CCMS Pilot Study |publisher=NATO |accessdate=2008-06-19 |author=North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) |date=May, 1995] [cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1995_Feb_7/ai_16424627 |title=New Canadian Technology Is To Be Utilized At General Motors Of Canada |publisher=BNet |accessdate=2008-06-19 |date=Feb 7, 1995] , UV Water Disinfector [cite web |url=http://www.google.com/patents?id=TC8RAAAAEBAJ&dq=doug+hallett |title=Ultraviolet Treatment for Aqueous Liquids |publisher=Google Patent search |date:2004-08-10 |accessyear=2008] ) and took ELI Eco Logic public as CEO. [cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5974/is_199502/ai_n24139402 |title=ELI Eco Logic completes rights offering |publisher=BNet |accessdate=2008-06-19 |date=Feb 1995]

On November 20th, 2000, Raystar Enterprises Ltd. announced their intentions of a reverse takeover transaction. [cite web | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5559/is_200011/ai_n22598668 |title=Raystar (Trading Symbol RYA) Reverse takover |accessdate=2008-06-19 |date=Nov 20, 2000 |publisher=BNET Business Network |author=Highbeam Research] [cite web | url=http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=455441&k= |title=Raystar Enterprises Ltd. Announcement Update |accessdate=2008-06-19 |date=Dec 12, 2001 |publisher=Marketwire |author=CCNMatthews] The transaction failed as the Internet tech bubble burst during the transaction period.

WebTrain was recognized by PC Magazine in 2002 as a contender to major web conferencing providers. [cite web | url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,38685,00.asp |title=Top 100 (undiscovered) Web Sites - Online Applications - Reviews |date=Feb 26, 2002 |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=PC Magazine |author=Sarah Pike] Their product has been compared to 39 other vendors by Wainhouse Platinum Research [cite web |title=Comparison Matrix - Desktop Client / Server Conferencing Solutions |publisher=Wainhouse Research |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |author=Ira M. Weinstein |date=April 26, 2006 |url=http://www.wrplatinum.com/Content.aspx?CID=5530 ] and mentioned in the 2006 Frost and Sullivan World Web Event Services Markets report. [World Web Event Services Markets - N100-64, Frost and Sullivan, page 23, 2006]

In 2006, WebTrain was present at the BCTIA Technology Impact awards ceremony being nominated as one of the three most successful technology startup companies in British Columbia. [cite web | url=http://www.bctia.org/files/PDF/impact_2006_handbook.pdf |title=2006 Technology Impact Awards Handbook |date=June 15, 2006 |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=British Columbia Technology Industry Association] [cite web |url=https://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=595564&k= |title=Marketwire BCTIA article |date=May 18, 2006 |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=Marketwire |author=Catherine Ducharme] 700 technology companies were represented at the awards ceremony. [cite web |url=http://www.bctia.org/files/PDF/annualreview_07.pdf
title=Annual BCTIA Review |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=BCTIA]

Business Models

WebTrain prvoides 11 cite web | url=http://www.webtrain.com/web-conferencing-pricing.asp |title=Web Conferencing Pricing and Business Models |date=Oct 6, 2008 |accessmonthday=October 6 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=WebTrain.com] different types of hosted business models. The business models are:
* Free Plan
* 10 Seat Plan
* 20 Seat Plan
* Single Host Plan
* Webcast Event Day Plan
* Small Business Plan
* Corporate Plan
* College and University Plan
* Non Profit Charity Plan
* Reseller Plan
* Pay-As-You-Go Plan

All plans (including the free plan) provide all software features and website services.cite web | url=http://www.webtrain.com/web-conferencing-pricing.asp |title=Web Conferencing Pricing and Business Models |date=Oct 6, 2008 |accessmonthday=October 6 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=WebTrain.com] WebTrain also licenses in-house servers based upon concurrent users.

Software

"WebTrain" is a single conferencing product (the same product is used by meeting hosts, presenters and participants) for varying uses (meetings, training, education, webinars, etc.) The product is developed for Windows, and embedded in Internet Explorer, FireFox, Netscape 8 or Opera. Because their Voice-over-IP is low bandwidth (6300b/sec), a high bandwidth connection is not required. cite web |url=http://www.masternewmedia.org/reports/webconferencing/guide/ |title=Web Conferencing - Independent Enterprise System Reviews - October 2005 |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=http://www.masternewmedia.org |author=Robin Good] A persistent outbound SSL connection is required by client software while in a meeting. The service is hosted at the MCI Worldcom colo location in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The Saskatchewan Government (Ministry of Education - Technology Supported Learning) provides this statement as to what WebTrain is: "WebTrain is a powerful and exciting technology that enables students and teachers to communicate visually and verbally in an online, virtual classroom". [cite web |url=http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/branches/elearning/tsl/services/web_train/what_is_webtrain.shtml |title=What is WebTrain |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=Government of Saskatchewan - Technology Supported Learning]

Security

Meetings are SSL based; non-secure meetings are not supported. A paid security review was performed by IBM security.cite web |url=http://www.webtrain.com/communicator-software.asp |title=WebTrain Security Document |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=WebTrain] The McAfee Automated Web Safety Testing Results site reports no security concerns relating to the software. [cite web |url=http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/webtrain.com |title=McAfee Automated Web Safety Testing Results |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=McAfee Security] The software is distributed as a Windows MSI with a VeriSign software developers certificate.cite web |url=http://www.webtrain.com/communicator-software.asp |title=WebTrain Security Document |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |publisher=WebTrain]

Use

The product is used by different types of organizations in different ways for different purposes.

* Engineers Without Borders uses WebTrain to communicate using VoIP with members from different chapters at the same time. [cite web |url=http://polymtl.ewb.ca/documents/toolbox_eng.pdf |accessmonthday=June 19 |accessyear=2008 |title=EWB - WebTrain - page 52 |publisher=Engineers without Borders]
* The Military Order of the Purple Heart Foundation uses the product to provide virtual VoIP based training to war veterans to help them re-enter the workforce. [cite web |url=http://www.purpleheartfoundation.org/readnews.asp?fseq=48 |title=Purple Hearts News Room |date=Nov 30, 2006 2:11:55 |accessdate=2008-06-27 |publisher=Purple Heats Foundation]
* John Hopkins University uses the product for assisting the visually and speech impaired. [cite web |url=http://www.aerbvi.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=912 |title=Johns Hopkins Low Vision Rehabilitation |date=Oct 3, 2006 |accessdate=2008-06-27 |publisher=Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)]
* The University of Regina uses the product to teach French. [cite web | url=http://www.uregina.ca/arts/artsminds/flash/ArtsAndMinds03_2006.swf |title=Faculty of the Arts |date=2006-03-15 |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=University of Regina |author=Thomas Chase - Dean of Arts]
* Auction companies utilize a unique apsect of their product to broadcast live auctions (real estate foreclosures, heavy equipment, land auctions) enabling virtual Internet bidders to hear the live auctioneer (VoIP) while bidding against the floor (and each other) using a real time java bidding applet. [cite web |url=http://www.euroauctionslive.com/html/livehardware.jsp |title=Euro Auctions UK Ltd - Industrial and Heavy Equipment Auctions |accessdate=2008-06-19] [cite web |url=https://www.redclive.com/ |title=REDC Auctions - Housing Foreclosure Auctions |accessdate=2008-06-19]
* Health Canada uses the product for internal meetings and various health issues such as best practice health workshops. [cite web |url=http://www.caccf.ca/PDF/Nov10-06/earl-intervention.pdf |title=Health Canada - Outreach program for women with substance use problems |accessdate=2008-06-19 |publisher=Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Foundation]

References

External links

* [http://www.webtrain.com/default.asp WebTrain VoIP Web Conferencing website]
* [http://www.webtrain.com/web-conferencing-solutions.asp WebTrain Solutions Summary]