In brief: Citrix online announces free trial

Citrix Online, a new division of Citrix Systems formed when it acquired ExpertCity, recently announced a free 15-day trial of its new online meeting service. GoToMeeting offers screen sharing, integration with e-mail and instant-messaging applications, and free audio conferencing. Connections are 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard encrypted. The service costs $49 per month or $468 per year for unlimited use.

Half the firms in a new Sage Research study spend between $500 and $5,000 per year, per teleworker, on IT support. Of the 104 firms with more than 100 employees surveyed, only 4% said they spend nothing on teleworkers, and only 9% spend between $5,000 and $10,000 per teleworker. Twenty-six percent spend between $2,500 and $4,999, and 26% spend between $500 and $999.

A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Professionals of 459 HR managers found employers have maintained or slightly increased most employee benefits. Thirty-six percent of respondents offer part-time telecommuting and 19% offer full-time telecommuting, both up by 2% from last year.

WildBlue, a start-up satellite broadband provider gearing service to rural communities and small cities underserved by DSL and cable, recently launched its Telesat Anik F2 satellite. The satellite uses Ku- and Ka-band transponders, and modems built on the DOCSIS standard, which WildBlue says will keep equipment costs low. Service is expected to launch early next year. Pricing has not been released.

The International Telework Association and Council will hold its annual conference Sept. 20-21 in Silver Spring, Md. The theme is "Mainstreaming Telework for Organizational Excellence." Topics include workforce trends and an update on laws affecting teleworkers.