This document summarizes a presentation on the evolution of the Vscene videoconferencing service. It discusses: 1. The history of Vscene and its use by universities, schools, and content providers. 2. Plans to develop Vscene into a commercial product through a new partnership between Jisc and Ajenta. Ajenta will develop Vscene 2.0 and introduce charges in 2018. 3. An introduction to Ajenta, the new commercial partner, and next steps which involve further developing Vscene and transitioning it to a fully commercial service run by Ajenta.

1. Parallel session L:
Communications services
Chair:Tim Boundy
SPONSORED BY

2. Please switch your mobile phones to silent
12:45
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alarm, please follow directions of NCC staff
Networkshop closes.
Light lunch (including ‘grab bag’ option)

3. Broadcast Contributions -
Showcasing your experts
around the world
Emma Smith, Jisc

4. Aim
To enable universities to make real time video contributions
to television broadcasters
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5. Broadcasters and experts
› For an interview:
– Broadcasters send a truck
– Interviewees travel to the studio
› Is possible to do this over IP
now with a good enough
network
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6. Benefits
› Benefits: Universities
–Increased exposure for
the University and its
experts
–National & International
coverage
–Reduced time demands
on academics
› Benefits: Broadcasters
–Access to experts
–Reliable connection
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7. Phase 1
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8. › In 2011 there was a small pilot
–Leeds University
–Linked to ITN
› Used:
–Quicklink software
–Sony HVR-Z7 Camera
› Success!
–ITN described as “by far surpasses normal connection methods”
–Some other universities started to approach us
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9. 13/04/2017 Broadcast Contributions - Showcasing your experts around the world

10. Globelynx
› Fully managed
› Link to national and
international broadcasters
› On-call support
› Directory/Booking service
› Installation and repair for HD
on site equipment, if required
–Training available too
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11. Phase 2
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12. › 1Gbit Fibre connection between
Globelynx andTelehouse North
› Installed trial equipment at
universities
– Used Fujitsu IP-920 encoders
– HD resolution/bitrate roughly 15Mbps
– Standards based h.264, UDP/RTMP
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13. Trial sites
“It worked instantly”
Leighton Kitson, Durham
University.
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14. International use
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15. Feedback
› “Simple procedure” – easy to use and train others
› Overcame geographical barriers
› Benefits included:
–Reduced time demands on academics
–Increased potential news coverage for the University and its
experts
–Training
› The major barrier is initial cost
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16. Phase 3
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17. Broadcast hubs
› 3 sites
› Potential to act as hubs
› Geographically dispersed
–Will allow access for other Janet connected sites to use the
equipment
–Cover all costs (beyond our initial seed funding) for 3 years
–Maintain system, space and connections
–Marketing
–Usage reports
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18. Chosen sites
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19. Just in the first 6 months…
13/04/2017 Broadcast Contributions - Showcasing your experts around the world
68 interviews booked

20. jisc.ac.uk
Emma Smith
Media services development manager
Emma.Smith@jisc.ac.uk
01235 822343
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21. Globelynx: A user’s tale
Hannah Baldwin,
Head of Corporate Communications

22. Some facts

23. Some stats

24. Our location

25. Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2016
© Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
How news consumption is changing

26. Our research suggests that even
in the era of social media and
atomised media, news
organisations and traditional news
brands still matter enormously
Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2016
© Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
“
”

27. How we’re responding

28. A solution to (some of) our problems

29. The Loughborough Broadcast Studio

30. The results

31. The Russian athletics doping scandal
BBC News The Victoria Derbyshire programme, BBC2

32. What next?

33. Thank you
Hannah Baldwin
h.e.baldwin@lboro.ac.uk
@hannahbaldwin3

34. An evolution ofVscene
Tim Boundy, Jisc
JohnWilson, Ajenta
Dr Christian Killow,
Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA)

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1. History of JanetVideoconferencing toVscene
2. Major features (and the new browser interface)
3. New aims forVscene
4. New Partnership
5. Introducing Ajenta
6. Vscene and the Jisc subscription

36. JVCS /Vscene 1994 to 2017
» Developed and managed by Janet.
» Delivered and supported by Edinburgh University.
» Used by HE, Schools, Local authorities, FE, Content providers
» The most heavily used NREN videoconferencing service
» No charge to Jisc subscribers or schools (DfE funding)
» Re-launched asVscene in July 2014
Janet / Jisc Service
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37. > >Slide

38. Who is usingVscene…
RegisteredVC systems by Sector (December 2016 ,Total 3230)
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Higher education, 2013, 62%
Schools, 571, 18%
Content providers, 46, 1%
Public sector, 190, 6%
NHS, 11, 0%
Further education, 182, 6%
Research council, 209, 6%
Commercial, 43, 1%

39. …and what are they doing with it?
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Lecture, 7%
Tutorial, 12%
Teaching, 14%
Research, 3%
Admin/Management meeting, 42%
Event participation, 2%
Training event/Demo, 2%
Interview, 2%
QA tests, 7%
System testing, 9%

40. Content providers
» Cosford RAF Museum
» Killhope Lead Mine
» Beamish Open Air Museum
» Education Direct
» Wolverhampton Art Gallery
» National Museums of Liverpool
» V&A -Theatre Museum
» The Deep
» National Coal Mining Museum
» BovingtonTank Museum
» Chiltern Open Air Museum
» National Football Museum
» Holocaust Centre
» Chambers of Justice
» MB Learning Solutions
» National Space Centre
» HMTower of London & RoyalArmouries
» London Symphony Orchestra
» TheWordsworthTrust
» The Beacon Museum,Whitehaven
» HelmshoreTextiles Museum
» Lancashire Conservation
» Judge’s Lodgings
» Virtually University
» National Archives
» National Maritime Museum
» National Portrait Gallery
» Natural History Museum
» Global Leap
» BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
» Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
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41. Vscene features

42. Connection options
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43. New interface
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44. Vscene features
» Scheduled conferences (lecture series)
» Virtual rooms (ad hoc meetings)
» Recording and streaming
» Join by RoomVC system, browser or
phone
» Live control panel
» Invite guests
» Live operators inVscene support centre
» Management by local admins
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45. New Aims forVscene 2016
1. Reduce costs or generate income
2. Produce a product to compete commercially
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46. A new partnership
» Jisc conducted a competitive dialogue “procurement” process
» Searching for a company willing to take on the costs, assets and opportunity of Vscene
» Looking for a longer term commercial partner
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» The service infrastructure
» Access to the existing base of users
» Rights to IP of theVscene website
» The option to charge for the service
» Endorsement (if it meets certain criteria)
Jisc provides
» Service support
» Responsibility for the infrastructure
» Ongoing development
» Route to market(s) and
sales infrastructure
» Revenue share with Jisc
Commercial partner to provide

47. The next steps
March 2017 to March 2018
»Vscene is a Jisc service, include
for Jisc subscribed institutions
»Jisc funds the support service
(provided by Ajenta) for
12 months
»Ajenta develops betaVscene
2.0 and a commercial model
Phase 1 - Further development
March 2018 onwards
»Vscene no longer included
within the Jisc Subscription
»Fully Ajenta run service
charged to institutions
»Jisc endorsement
Phase 2 - Commercial product
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48. Introducing Ajenta

49. Take home messages
»For users, nothing changes this year (except the support number)
»All scheduled conferences will happen as planned
»Ajenta will invite institutions to joinVscene 2.0
»Charges will be introduced in March 2018
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50. jisc.ac.uk
Evolution ofVscene
Tim Boundy
Media services group manager
tim.boundy@jisc.ac.uk
13/04/2017 Vscene features

51. Ajenta
JohnWilson, Ajenta
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