Video Conferencing

Video conferencing has been a critical tool used for teaching, learning, and working remotely during the global pandemic and will continue to be an important resource going forward. Our primary video conferencing options on campus include Google Hangouts Meet and Zoom, view the comparison table below to see which option is best for you. Does your department need help ordering audio visual equipment? Get equipment recommendations and guidance here.

Whichever option you choose, here are some helpful resources for hosting remote or hybrid events:

Be sure to practice good video conferencing etiquette;
Follow best practices for hosting accessible remote meetings;
Take privacy considerations into account;
Decide when to host a fully remote vs. hybrid meeting.

Compare Options

Feature	Zoom	Google Meet
Account eligibility	Zoom Licensed accounts UC Berkeley faculty, and other academic titles, including Emeriti, Registered students Staff UC Path Affiliates (except Staff Retirees) Special Purpose Accounts Zoom Basic accounts Not-registered students Former members of the campus community, in their Grace Period.	UC Berkeley faculty, and other academic titles, including Emeriti, All students Staff UC Path Affiliates, including Staff Retirees Alumni who have registered for the @Cal alumni email service Special Purpose Accounts
Host an online meeting	Licensed accounts: Host up to 300 people for up to 24 hours >300 people available as add-on: view pricing Basic accounts: Host up to 100 people for up to 40 minutes. Attend all meetings, regardless of duration.	Up to 100 people standard
Host a large event/seminar	Instructors should book a consultation Departments/individuals should purchase add-ons for large events: view pricing ne time large events: Zoom Shared Webinar Service	Feature not available
Dial-in phone number for attendees	Toll dial-in number included; toll-free number with additional charge for host. Staff can purchase add-on for dial-in. view pricing	Every meeting automatically includes its own dial-in number and dial-out capability.
Accessibility	Zoom accessibility \| Hosting accessible Zoom events	Google Meet accessibility
Recording meetings	Recording sharing and storage options \| Recording hosting policy	Not available
Additional key features	Breakout rooms, screen sharing, whiteboard and annotation Polling Remote control option	Fully integrated with G Suite, easily add a Meet in bCal Option to use auto-captioning in your meeting Pin or mute participants
Cost	Zoom Licensed accounts are funded by the Productivity Suite tax and Student Tech fee; additional license add-ons can be purchased through the Telecom Catalog System.	Google Meet is covered under the Productivity Suite tax as part of our G Suite for Education offering.
Securing your online meetings	Any online meeting cannot be made fully secure by settings alone. Your actions are also critically important to prevent disruptions to your meetings. Key tips and best practices include: Never post the connection details for a videoconference on a public site or social media (instead, distribute the details privately to people who RSVP). Do not override the default security settings for Zoom and Meet. But if you have the need to switch back and forth between settings, consider using Zoom meeting templates. Consider adding a Zoom waiting room as an extra layer of security. Make sure you know who a participant is before allowing them to share their screen. Review additional recommendations from Information Security Office: Settings for Securing Zoom and Office of Ethics: Privacy Considerations When Using Zoom.
Resources for remote Academics and Work during COVID-19	Faculty: Keep Teaching Staff: Telecommuting Resources Students: Undergraduate \| Graduate
Learn more, training resources	Setup Getting Started Self-Help FAQs Learn how to use Zoom Support Center Updates to Zoom Recent & Upcoming Changes	Setup Get started with Hangouts Meet View Service Info Self-Help FAQs Use captions in a video meeting
Contact the service provider	Contact Support Faculty: zoom-help@berkeley.edu Staff: telecom-zoom@berkeley.edu Students: sts-help@berkeley.edu Report disruptive behavior in a UC Berkeley Zoom session: zoom-misuse@berkeley.edu	Contact Support bconnected@berkeley.edu