As more organizations settle into remote working environments, collaborative tools and communication platforms become more instrumental to business teams.

Teleconferencing apps became overnight darlings of the work-from-home scene, instantly becoming ‘celebrities’ in the world of enterprise tech solutions. One application that received a significant boost in adoption rate more than the others is Zoom.

According to Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, his company saw a huge spike in users, going from about 10 million in December 2019 to over 200 million individuals per day by March 2020. Though it was an impressive feat, such a huge growth in its user-base also shined an unflattering spotlight in the apps security deficiencies and encryption shortcomings.

“We recognize that we have fallen short of the community’s and our own privacy and security expectations,” Yuan said in a blog post. “For that, I am deeply sorry, and I want to share what we are doing about it.”

Unfortunately, what seemed to shortsightedness in an program with a relatively small user pool soon revealed itself to be as a massive streak and series of information security lapses. Multiple organizations and government bodies ended up issuing a ban on the use of Zoom and began using other platforms that were more secure.

High-profile comments like those by New York’s Attorney General Letitia James certainly didn’t help. Questioning the apps core infrastructure, she added that she was “concerned that Zoom’s existing security practices might not be sufficient to adapt to the recent and sudden surge in both the volume and sensitivity of data being passed through its network.”

Fueled by the recent leak of Zoom video conferencing recordings, businesses are more noticeably aware and alert than ever. Choosing a new product requires digging thorough market research, and looking at product analysis can help businesses make better decisions.

To make the processes a little easier for CIOs, CISOs or IT team leaders scouting for reliable teleconferencing ware, here are some alternatives available in the market:

To sustain remote operations

Organizations that need to host meetings with large numbers of participants and anticipate basing these communications heavily by using teleconferencing should definitely go for wares that are specifically designed to support these needs.

Solutions like GoToMeeting, TeamViewer, Blue Jeans, Jabber, and Cisco Webex Meetings are readily available in the market, with some available for free or for purchase but with a welcome caveat of long free trial periods.

Given the current climate of uncertainty, more of these companies are actively offering their products for free or putting forward the paid version during the trial period. These wares are not only limited to meeting-hosting functions, as they can also guarantee secure file exchange and data sharing environments.

In terms of security, Webex Meetings has end-to-end encryption, meaning meetings and calls will be protected and private. Again, if teleconferencing is a necessity — and it will be for many enterprises that are expected to shift to remote working permanently — it is worth looking into paid wares that can offer you efficiency, security, and ease of access.

To guarantee safety and security

Signal has come up repeatedly when it comes to looking for a teleconferencing application that has enterprise-grade security. With guaranteed end-to-end encryption, plenty of organizations have relied on Signal for an all-inclusive collaboration solution.

According to Bruce Scheiner, a security technologist, he is most impressed by the “thought and care put into both the security and the usability of the app” and trusts it when it comes to encrypted conversation.

Microsoft Teams took to its blog to address its security features amid the Zoom chaos. On April 6, it said: “In Teams, we encrypt data in transit and at rest, storing your data in our secure network of data centers and using Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) for video, audio, and desktop sharing.”

It also went on to address that it won’t snitch of users who aren’t “paying attention” to their meeting nor will they report on individuals who are multi-tasking activities – something that Zoom has been accused of being ‘guilty’ of.

With an abundance of options available on the market at some very competitive prices, enterprises will not have a hard time choosing a communication means that can best support their business’ operational model. Now, what remains is for CIOs, CISOs and IT leaders to think about how to best boost productivity using these solutions.