GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting
Name	GoToMeeting
Developer	LogMeIn
Released	2004
Operating system	Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Genre	videotelephony, collaboration software, web conferencing

GoToMeeting is a proprietary videotelephony and web conferencing application developed originally by Citrix Systems's spin-off and later acquired by LogMeIn. It provides online meeting, desktop sharing, and video conferencing functionality aimed at small businesses, enterprise applications, and remote work scenarios. The service has been used across sectors including healthcare, finance, education and legal profession.

History

GoToMeeting traces to product lines created in the early 2000s amid expansion by Citrix Systems and the rise of VoIP and broadband internet adoption. In the mid-2000s, the product competed with offerings from WebEx, Microsoft and Adobe Systems as enterprises shifted toward hosted software as a service. In 2016, LogMeIn acquired several collaboration assets, consolidating market share alongside Zoom Video Communications, BlueJeans Network, and Cisco Systems. Throughout the 2010s and 2020s the product evolved in response to shifts driven by events such as the COVID-19 pandemic which accelerated remote conferencing adoption and regulatory scrutiny from bodies like the Federal Communications Commission and privacy advocates in the European Union.

Features

GoToMeeting offers scheduled and ad hoc meetings with features comparable to contemporaries such as Zoom Video Communications and Microsoft Teams. Core capabilities include screen sharing, audio conferencing, high-definition video, integrated chat, meeting recording and transcription workflows used by organizations like IBM, Dell Technologies, HP Inc. and Salesforce. Advanced features have included calendar integrations with Google services and Microsoft Exchange/Microsoft Outlook, integration with Slack and APIs enabling extensions for Atlassian products and Zendesk. The product also supports breakout sessions and webinar modes competing with platforms such as WebinarJam and On24.

Technology and Architecture

Architecturally, the platform has leveraged client-server models and cloud-hosted media relays, similar to architectures used by Akamai Technologies and Amazon Web Services. Implementations have included native clients for Microsoft Windows and macOS and mobile clients for Android and iOS; browser-based access has relied on standards and plugins comparable to WebRTC and legacy Adobe Flash alternatives. Underpinning components have included codecs and streaming protocols akin to H.264, Opus and RTP/RTCP stacks used by Skype and WhatsApp for real-time media. For enterprise deployments, integration patterns echo those of VMware virtual desktop infrastructure and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.

Security and Privacy

Security practices for the service have paralleled industry norms championed by organizations such as NIST and regulatory frameworks like the General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union and guidance from the Federal Trade Commission. Measures have included transport encryption, meeting access controls, and administrative audit logs used by compliance-focused customers including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America. Critiques and vendor responses have mirrored conversations around privacy involving companies like Zoom Video Communications and Facebook about data retention, meeting access, and encryption terminology. Enterprise editions emphasize single sign-on integration with Okta and Microsoft Azure Active Directory for identity and access management.

Platforms and Integration

The product supports cross-platform connectivity across Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux clients and mobile devices running Android and iOS. Calendar integrations include Google Calendar and Microsoft Exchange while communications integrations include Slack and Salesforce. APIs and SDKs enable embedding within workflows like Atlassian Jira incident collaboration, ServiceNow IT operations, and HubSpot marketing. Third-party telephony and PSTN interoperability use gateways similar to services from Twilio and legacy carriers such as AT&T.

Business Model and Licensing

The vendor has offered tiered subscription plans targeting small teams, mid-market and enterprise customers, following a software-as-a-service pricing strategy like Salesforce and Adobe Creative Cloud. Licensing models include per-user and per-organizer subscriptions with optional add-ons for extended cloud recording, transcription, and large-attendee webinars often contracted under enterprise agreements alongside services from Accenture and Deloitte. Channel distribution has used reseller networks and OEM partnerships in line with strategies deployed by Microsoft and Cisco Systems.

Reception and Impact

Reception has been mixed, with praise for reliability in enterprise settings and criticism when compared on price or feature parity to offerings from Zoom Video Communications, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Analysts from firms such as Gartner and Forrester Research have positioned the product within competitive quadrants for unified communications alongside vendors like Cisco Systems and Avaya. The platform influenced workplace practices across organizations including Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, and academic institutions like Harvard University and Stanford University by enabling remote collaboration and shifting norms in telecommuting adoption.

Category:Proprietary software