‘Zoom’ leads video calls for remote work in Ecuador
Teleworking came into effect once the coronavirus pandemic ( covid-19 ) forced the governments of the affected countries to implement this method of working from home , to prevent the spread of the virus . This implies that the physical meetings became virtual.
Public and private institutions make incursions and continue with their obligations , but through a computer, laptop, tablet or cell phone.
With regard to the media, the newspaper EL TELÉGRAFO, which is part of the public media holding company , also took advantage of this type of virtual meetings for the coordination and planning of topics and news of the day, using the Zoom app .
Christian Espinoza, from Digital Coverage l, through a sample, indicates that Zoom leads the downloads in Ecuador, followed by TikTok, Parchisi STAR Online, Microsoft Teams, Netflix , among others.
The expert, who has been researching the digital subject for 20 years , stresses that this is unpublished data , since the main Facebook applications ( WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger ), for the first time, are dethroned . “More than 10 years ago, Facebook was above all networks and, in recent years, WhatsApp began to lead the list in Ecuador of the most downloaded applications.”
However, he emphasizes that in the past two weeks, a leap has been made that has never occurred. ” Instragram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger have come out of the top five places and now Zoom is first.”
In addition, Espinosa points out that something that attracts a lot of attention is TikTok , which began to displace Facebook from the first places of the most downloaded applications in Ecuador, “now it remains in second place”. And not only that, other apps appear, because, as indicated, the situation today requires being connected in real time via video call.
In this sense, Espinosa affirms that the apps that lead its use in Ecuador are Zoom, TikTok, Microsoft Team , among others. “It seems to me that the strength of Zoom is that it is a very friendly application; It allows not only to connect for work issues but for friends meetings ”.
The versatility of the mobile application -explains- allows you to share the screen from the cell phone and allows some options in free mode , which is what has allowed it to take that leap.
He mentions that Netflix was not in the top 10 of the top and now its consumption has increased. “In addition to other entertainment applications to get out of the coronavirus monotheme.” Even, he adds, families communicate with video calls and friends organize parties in apps.
Trend
Felipe Cornejo , from Devsu Pymes Tecnología , says that the current circumstances in the country, due to the health emergency, have forced many companies to make the decision to telework . “This provides flexibility for employees and there are many companies that, if that practice was not common, now they can do it with their equipment remotely .”
So – he says – you see tools from companies such as Microsoft, Google and Zoom (the latter in late 2019 became a public company on the United States stock exchange) and its popularity has grown a lot .
Cornejo mentions that Zoom is a very good tool, but that there are also alternatives such as Microsoft’s Team or TeamViewer , which is a classic tool.
Cite that there are others like Slap to communicate through chat and, the task boards. “I think this abrupt and forced change will create a new trend in the way we work because many companies have seen that it is possible and, in some cases, even more efficient, ” he adds.
For the sociologist Javier Gutiérrez , this forced change in the organization of work occurs worldwide to fulfill our responsibilities. Society – he highlights – is caught off guard. “Ecuador has not been a country that has been organized in terms of promoting remote work . It has been organized by gathering in a physical space, where we exercise the division of labor as it is known in sociology . ”
The sociologist mentions that this obligation to reorganize ourselves will challenge us and the country will enter an intensive phase , in a modality that was almost exclusive to certain professions. “It will give social value to teleworking .”
Skype, Discord and Houseparty, other options
Zoom, Skype, Discord and Houseparty apps lead downloads and use in other countries, according to a note by BBC News World .
Of course there are also popular instant messaging tools like Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp or Telegram , which also offer video calls. However, the number of participants is usually a limitation, so its use can be strictly personal.
As telecommuting has expanded and more have to stay home, the need for more flexible and powerful programs has grown. Some free apps help keep in touch with family and friends or maximize business performance if they telecommute.
The Skype app , one of the best known video calls , has a limit of 25 participants, with high definition and good sound quality . In this sense, the Zoom app is not only limited to the business environment. Several educational centers use this tool for virtual classes.
According to an article in the British newspaper Financial Times , Zoom’s stock value tripled in early March, in an environment where ” opportunistic investors are looking for businesses that can benefit from global health fear .”
The company was founded in 2011 and is based in the Californian city of San José , in Silicon Valley . According to some of its users, Zoom’s simplicity and speed to organize meetings is one of its strengths.
https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/tecnologia/1/zoom-videollamadas-teletrabajo-ecuador