Which video conferencing type uses the internet directly but may sacrifice quality compared with downloaded software?

Prepare for the Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider Test. Enhance your skills with multiple choice questions and flashcards. Each question includes explanations and hints. Master your exam!

Real-Time Communication (RTC) refers to video conferencing that runs directly over the internet, typically in a browser or light web-based client, without needing a full software install. This approach lets you start a call quickly, but the trade-off is that video and audio quality can be more sensitive to network conditions, browser support, and device capabilities. In contrast, downloaded software often drives higher and more consistent quality because it can leverage optimized codecs, hardware acceleration, and dedicated buffering and error-control strategies. The other options aren’t video-conferencing types that run over the internet in a browser without installation—software programs are installed apps, APIs are interfaces for building features, and downtime is a service-availability issue.