There are many uses for video conferencing.  The most obvious is business.  B2B (business to business) video conferencing is quickly rising in popularity, especially as communication lines become faster.  Also, video conferencing combined with whiteboard and file sharing allows fast collaboration between workers and customers.

A new use for video conferencing is actually education.  One way in which it used is to provide a good education for less.  For example, a foreign language class can have a guess visitor from a foreign country without the cost of airfare.  Experts in most any field can give lectures on their area of expertise using the multipoint/room system of video conferencing.

Other applications include:

• Telemedicine:  This is basically when a doctor helps to diagnosis a patient by video conferencing with the local doctor and patient.  This is especially useful in rural areas, where a specialist in the city can help with a patient who is far from the needed specialized care.

 
• Telecommunicating: Although not extremely popular as of yet, it is an appealing thought to be able to work without ever going to work.  As of now, it is more useful for the occasional day when one cannot or does not go to work.

 
• Courtroom: The most useful application of video conferencing in the courtroom is for "video arraignments".  In this case, prisoners (especially dangerous ones) never have to leave the jailhouse.

 
• Laboratory Work: Video conferencing can be extremely cost-effective due to the high cost of most advanced lab equipment.  Also, it can bring together, similiar to classroom conferencing, the experts in their field together for a single experiment.