Online chat provides a mechanism for a web meeting participant to
communicate to the meeting organizer or presenter without interrupting the
meeting.
For example, during a meeting or conference, participants might want to
submit questions that can be addressed by the presenter at a suitable time.
Web conference participants can also use chat functionality to notify the
meeting organizer (or other meeting participant) or a technical problem
(e.g. person not speaking loud enough, poor video quality).
Participants that don't have a broadband Internet connection might be
unable to communicate verbally due to bandwidth limitations. In such
cases, chat can be used as an alternative.
Occasionally, meeting participants will have a need to refer others to a
website or email address. Rather than communicating this verbally,
sending the address via text chat will allow other participants to click
directly on the hyperlink.
Although "side conversations" are not normally a good thing during a
meeting or conference, text chat can provide a complementary communication
mechanism when used appropriately.
