Vidtel announced Tuesday the launch of Vidtel Gateway, an industry-first solution that adds Skype and GoogleTalk support to video conferencing multipoint control units (MCUs) and bridges.

Vidtel Gateway is an add-on service that enables businesses to include telecommuters, customers and suppliers who are using Skype and GoogleTalk on their desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones and tablets on video conferences.

Many enterprises and video service providers have invested heavily in video bridges, and they dont want to hear that they have to rip and replace that infrastructure just to add Skype and GoogleTalk functionality,” said Ira M. Weinstein, senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research. Vidtel Gateway provides a graceful alternative: a straightforward, cost-effective add-on that enhances their existing infrastructure instead of rendering it obsolete. This is an MCU enhancer, not an MCU killer.”

VARs can upsell Skype and GoogleTalk interoperability to their existing enterprise customers with MCUs.

Vidtel Gateway is expanding our market and revenue opportunities. We now can offer our customers a convenient, cost-effective way to use Skype and GoogleTalk without any additional hardware or bridging investment,” said Brad Johnston, COO of Solutionz Inc., a video conferencing solutions provider and a new partner for Vidtel. That augmentation strategy is particularly valuable when selling to enterprises with tight budgets. This solution enhances the value of the video conferencing infrastructure that weve provided them without adding a lot of expense.”