Zoom Video Communications Inc. said that it launched a hardware subscription service, seeking to make its teleconferencing app more accessible to users by allowing them to choose subscription options for phones and meeting rooms.

According to Zoom’s website the plans for Zoom Phone have been priced between $5.99 and $60 per month, based on the device users opt for, while the cost for hardware services for Zoom Rooms is in the range of $75 to $200 per month.

Zoom has partnered with third-party hardware manufacturers such as DTEN, Neat, Poly, and Yealink for the phone and meeting room devices. The company’s teleconferencing platform, which has seen a surge in users as the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions around the world to stay indoors, has faced backlash over privacy and security issues, prompting it to roll out major upgrades.

The launch comes nearly a week after Zoom said it has made significant progress in a transparency report that details information related to requests it receives for data, records, or content, adding that the report will be out later this year.

President of product and engineering at Zoom, Velchamy Sankarlingam explained in a press release how its new subscription service will make it easier for businesses to access the latest hardware, saying that “Amazing hardware partnerships are a key part of Zoom’s ecosystem. With many people globally coping with today’s unique challenges, easy access to hardware is critical for offices, distance learning, telehealth, and more. Zoom Hardware as a Service will help users adapt to new work-from-anywhere environments by making it easier than ever before to get access to the latest and greatest hardware for Zoom Rooms and Zoom Phone.”

By giving businesses and organizations the option to sign up for a hardware subscription service, Zoom can help make low-quality video calls on its platform a thing of the past. Signing up for Zoom HaaS has a number of benefits for organizations including low upfront costs and predictable budgets, streamlined purchasing, scalability and managed support options.

While all of the company's HaaS solutions will be supported through Zoom, IT teams will also have the option to add professional and managed services for installation and enhanced end-to-end management through ServiceNow's Customer Service Management.

Source- Reuters