WebRTC relates to a set of APIs that provide web browsers, and potentially other technologies such as mobile devices, with real time communications (RTC) capabilities via simple web-based APIs.

It enables devices to connect directly via a web application – circumventing traditional approaches to communications, which require a subscription to some kind of signalling network, such as telephony or SIP-based VoIP networks.

This enables voice and video calls, and data communications, via any WebRTC-enabled web application, without the need to subscribe to the underlying network services.

The main benefit of WebRTC is device independence. In theory at least, every web browser becomes a communications device, and communications become possible without the need to install any software. This should, in turn, decrease deployment costs. An additional benefit is that it provides a single media platform, so that users of web-based applications (found on websites, ecommerce sites, and so on) can communicate directly from the browser without switching devices.

The use cases are myriad. An obvious one is providing communications for visitors using a company website, which can then be enabled with WebRTC to allow customers to press a ‘Call me’ button, for example. Previously, this would have involved a ‘media break’ – changing to another device to dial a number, or being called back, again on another device. Now, thanks to WebRTC the visitor can start a real time voice or video call directly from within the browser, with no change of device required.

But there are also some less obvious ones. For example, saving costs in deployment of contact centres. Recently, jtel deployed a WebRTC-based call center, in which the agents use WebRTC, instead of the callers. Because the provisioning of all of the software involved is purely web based, no installation was required on agent machines. Agents just start up a web browser in order to gain access to the PBX system and the ACD system, as well as the CRM system. This means less deployment and management costs, as local PC-based software does not need to be maintained. Simply using a WebRTC capable browser is enough.

Of course, some challenges remains. For example, not all browsers support WebRTC – Internet Explorer does not (although Microsoft have signalled that the Edge browser will support a newer version of WebRTC soon), and Apple has not positioned itself at all, so currently only Firefox and Chrome work reliably.

So what’s the way forward? When VoIP appeared about 15 years ago, the initial response was that it would revolutionise communications in a short period of time. However, that did not transpire, and only today is VoIP really gaining traction above all other forms of communications networks. WebRTC is likely to follow the same path – a bit like a new reservoir filling up. At first, it isn’t very noticeable. But soon, there are significant pools of water, and by the end only a couple of ‘islands’ remain.