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Phone Conference Call Blog

  • Phone Conference Call Services for Every Need and Budget

    Submitted by xpedite on Thu, 2010-12-30 22:56

    Author: Lee Simonson

    If you are looking for a high quality phone conference call service that will help you save money and improve communications at the same time, we have several plans available:

    Flat / Fixed Rate Conferencing offers you unlimited 24 hour access.  You can talk as along as you want, anytime you want, and you only pay one flat fee per month.  No long term contract and no set up fee.

    Pay As You Go Conference Calling is just that -- you only pay for what you use, no more and no less.  We offer both toll free and non-toll free service and are proud to offer some of the lowest rates in the industry.  Reliable and available on demand -- no reservations necessary.

    Toll Free Supersaver is perfect for larger users who have a good idea of how many conference minutes they use every month.  You get a discounted rate and the plan is structured like a typical cell phone where you buy a certain number of minutes every month.  Again, no long term contract and you can adjust it every month as your plans change.

    Operator Managed Conference Calls provide the highest level of professionalism.  We can call out to your conference participants and place them into the conference for you.  We can also offer you professional Q&A services and other moderator functions to enable you to focus on your message.

    Local Meet Me Conference Call Service is brand new!  This new service offers local number access in over 84 United States cities -- perfect for churches, local organizations and other firms that need a conference bridge for local callers.  Give us a call at 877-254-2424 and we'll tell you all about it.  The per-minute rates are also exceptionally low!

     

     

  • How to Fix Bad or Poor Quality Conference Calls -- Some Common Issues and Remedies

    Submitted by lees on Fri, 2013-05-10 12:12

    Author: Lee Simonson

     

    Here are several easy fixes to remedy poor quality conference calls.
     
    1)  The biggest culprit these days involves VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone connections.  If you are using an Internet provider to give you phone service, that could be the problem.  Here's the fix:  Ask your Internet provider to boost your QoS (Quality of Service) setting to allocate additional bandwidth to your phones.  While digital and analog technologies are completely different, the higher the bandwidth setting on your phones, the better they will be able to match the quality of your landlines and cell phone connections.  However, please remember that it will be a long time before VOIP connections will be able to provide you the same quality as an old-fashioned fiber-optic landline connection.  VOIP service is less costly, but with telecommunications, you get what you pay for.
     
    2)  Having a hard time getting into the conference because your passcodes aren't accepted?  That usually happens for two reasons.  First, you are inputting your passcode on a speaker phone.  Or again, you are on a low bandwidth VOIP connection.  The conference bridge is unable to detect the slightly different DTMF (tones) that it normally hears from a landline phone.  Increasing your bandwidth and boosting your QoS settings usually resolves the issue.
     
    3)  If you are experiencing echoes in your call, makes sure that you eliminate "feedback" by having each caller in a separate room or location.  Another issue could be using a conference speaker phone that "hears" itself from another nearby phone.  99% of the time, echoes or weird noises are not the fault of the conference bridge.  The problem is with the signals the conference bridge is receiving from those who are calling in.
     
    4)  Are you hearing static?  It could happen when your lines get physically wet after a rain storm.  Or it could be a loose phone cord somewhere and an issue with a cordless phone.  Believe it or not, there was situation where a squirrel has started chewing through some outside phone lines and caused considerable static.  A call to your phone service provider might be necessary to check your lines.
     
    5)  There are times when a conference participant will have a bad cell phone connection.  They could be in a bad reception area, or get cut off if traveling through a deadzone.   A conference bridge will only pass along what it hears, and if there is a bad connection, a moderator can "mute" the call so that it doesn't contaminate the entire conference.  The highest quality can be achieved when all your hosts, or moderators, use landlines and then the conference is placed in "lecture mode."  That will instantly silence all your of your participants and any background noise that they are inadvertently passing along to the whole conference.  Your hosts will be able to converse while your participants listen.  Of course, you can toggle out of lecture mode anytime you want to enable everyone in the conference to participate in the discussion. 
     
    At 24Conference.com, we continue to strive to provide you the highest quality conference calls available.  We use the latest technology and are constantly upgrading and improving our systems to bring you reliable, steady and dependable service.  If you are having conference quality problems, give us a call at 877-254-2424 and we'll do our best to help you.  You have nothing to lose by trying us out, and maybe you'll discover what a conference call SHOULD sound like.

  • Conference Call with Operator Help

    Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-04-30 12:27

    Author: Lee Simonson

     

    Setting up an conference call with the help of an operator is easy.  While most people who use conferencing services don't require any operator assistance, there are many times when using the services of a professional operator comes in handy.  Namely, important high-level calls that require more protocol and structure such as investor relation calls, legal and deposition conferences, and important sales calls.  International calls are also an ideal application.
     
    Generally speaking, this is how it all works:
     
    1)  You get an account set up at no cost.  (You can click on the Operator Conference link here or at the top of this page.)
     
    2)  Once your account is set up, you will get an email confirmation.  Then, we will call or email you and ask for the names and phone numbers of the people you want us to call to place into the conference.  Also, don't forget you need to know the exact time you want us to call everyone.
     
    4)  At the appointed time, our experienced and professionally trained operators will dial-out to each of your participants and place them into the conference.
     
    It's that simple.  Moreover, if you need to collect information about each participate -- for example, their name, where they are from, and an email address -- you can let us know and we can gather that data from them before placing them into your conference.
     
    Also, you may want to have a Question & Answer session organized as part of your conference.  When your participants dial *1 (Star+1) they are immediately placed in the question queue and will wait for the operator to open their line so they can ask a question.
     
    Overall, conference calls that have the help of an operator are the most convenient way to collaborate with colleagues and associates.  In fact, the participation in your call will be well attended because no one has to remember to call-in at a certain time.  Your participants just have to answer the phone.
     
    If you are looking to conduct business over the phone, an operator managed call is the way to go.  Give us a call at 877-254-2424 to set started or click here for more information: http://www.24conference.com/operator_conference_call

  • Conference Bridge Hosting: Tips on Getting Started

    Submitted by lees on Sun, 2013-04-21 13:29

    Author: Lee Simonson

     

    The bottom line on conferencing:  You can hire a conference hosting service for far less than what it would cost you to buy and maintain your own conference bridge equipment and hardware.  Here are some rules of thumb:
     
    1)  If you are small to medium size company or association (less than 500 employees/members), your best bet is to retain the services of a reliable provider (like us) to give you secured access to one of our conference bridges.
     
    2)  If you are a large enterprise and do a lot of conferencing, then yes, you should look into renting or buying your own conference call hardware.  (We can help you with that, too.)  However, when you consider telecommunication line costs, staff time, and maintenance, chances are you'll find outsourcing your conferencing is still less expensive.  It boils down to how you want to use your staff resources.  More often than not, you'll want your staff and associates spending their time on your business, and not trying to manage being in the conference call business.
     
    Getting started to retaining the services of an conference bridge hosting service is easy and only takes a few minutes.  For the sake of example, let's say you wanted to retain our services here at 24Conference.com.
     
    Here is the process:
     
    -- Decide what kind of conference service you want?  Pay as You Go, or Flat Rate Unlimited?  Toll-free access, or non-toll free access?  Reservationless (you can conference on-demand, anytime) or Operator Managed (we call your participants for you and place them into the conference call.)  You can research all the alternatives, rates and features, by checking out the links at the top of this page.
     
    -- Once you decide, you can call us at 877-254-2424, or you can fill out the online order forms.  There is no set up charge and no long term contracts.  You use your service month-to-month, and we charge your credit card accordingly.
     
    -- When your order is received, we will set you up, usually within 30 minutes.  You will get an email with your conference call-in number, along with a set of two passcodes -- one for the host/moderator and the other for your guests/conferees.  You'll also receive simple instructions and control functions.  You can start using your conference service immediately once you receive your email.  Just have all your guests call the access number and use their passcode when prompted.  Remember, everyone has to use the # sign after inputting their 7-digit passcode.
     
    It's that simple, so don't think that conferencing is complicated or confusing.  Let us know how we can help you enjoy the benefits of phone conferencing and collaboration by using our conference bridge hosting service.
     

  • How to Keep Your Conference Calls Confidential and Secure

    Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-04-16 11:38

    Author: Lee Simonson

    Here are the top ways we try to help our clients keep their conference calls confidential:

    1)  We use long 7-digit passcodes followed by the # sign.  7-digit codes are much harder to hack than traditional 4-6 digit codes.

    2)  While you can use the same passcodes over and over again, it's not a bad idea to change them every now and then.  We are happy to give you new codes on request at no charge.  (We provide you a host/moderator passcode, and a separate guest/conferee passcode, and send you reports on the usage of all the passcodes in your account.)

    3)  Be careful giving access to your host/moderator passcodes.  If you think there has been a breach of security, just give us a call at Customer Service at 888-239-3969.

    4)  The best way to keep a conference call confidential is to not have any passcodes at all.  By using our top-of-the-line operator service, we can call each of your participants directly and put them into the conference.  It is virtually impossible for an outsider to gain access to that private call, because the only people who can enter are the people we call.

    Maintaining a confidential and secure environment has more to do with common sense than anything else.  Chances are you know the people you can trust with your passcodes.  Be careful and vigilant with the others.

  • Where is the # Sign on a Blackberry?

    Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-04-16 11:21

    Author: Lee Simonson

     

    Quick Answer:  Alt + Q = #

    If you are using a BlackBerry to dial into a conference call (using our system) you'll need to enter a 7-digit passcode followed by the # sign, also known as the pound sign, or number sign.  Problem is, the # symbol is difficult to find on a BlackBerry.

    However, you can easily find # by hitting the ALT key at the same time as the letter Q.

    You'll be in your conference call lickity-split!

     

     

  • Business Conference Calls: Choosing the Best Service

    Submitted by lees on Thu, 2013-03-21 15:02

    Author: Lee Simonson

     

    You have several alternatives to consider when determining the best way to manage your business conference calls.  Obviously, you first want to choose a reliable service such as 24Conference.com, but then you'll need to decide which of the various plans works best for your particular needs.  Here some of the most popular conference calling plans for business and corporations:
     
    This is the easiest and most popular program that businesses use to conference.  There is no hardware or special equipment you need and no up-front costs.  We provide you a toll free number that gives you on-demand 24 hour access, along with as many sets of passcodes as you need.  That way, you can give each of your staff, departments or divisions their own separate passcodes and monitor the usage of each for compliance or billing purposes.  A set of passcodes consists of a host/moderator code, along with a guest/participant code.  As the host(s), you have various controls such as muting any or all of the guests to eliminate background noise.  Offering customers and/or prospects a toll free call in number is considered a professional convenience and is appreciated by everyone.
     
    If you are looking to cut business expenses, then the fastest and easiest way is to use a phone conference service that offers unlimited usage.  In other words, there are NO per minute costs.  You pay one flat rate every month and get to use the conference service anytime you want, for as long as you want.  There is only one little catch -- it is not a toll free service, so everyone dials a 212, 605 or 614 area code number to access the conference.  However, since there is no long distance charges on cell phones, and many businesses have free long distance bundled with their local service, calling a long distance number is no longer an issue.  Getting a flat rate conference service is an ideal solution for companies that are heavy and consistent conference users.  Some businesses have cut their conferencing costs up to 90% by switching to a fixed monthly rate.
     
    This top-of-the-line service is the highest level of conferencing available.  You and your guests are called by our professionally trained operators and placed into the conference call.  If you would like us to introduce each caller when they join the conference, just let us know.  This is the preferred solution for high-level and important sales calls, investor relation calls, legal conferences with judges or depositions, international conference calls, or any other calls that require top-flight attention and professional management.  We appreciate 24 hour advance notice.  Just give us the names and numbers of each of your parties and the time you want your conference to start, and let us take care of the rest.
     
    You don't need to spend tens of thousands of dollars for equipment and fancy conference centers to take advantage of the latest video technology.  You only need a $25 webcam and a user name and password to access the easy-to-use Start Video program that enables you to enjoy streaming video among several people at once.  It's also a great way to share PowerPoint slides and other collaborative materials.  Let us provide you a free week so you can see for yourself how this technology could change the way you do business.
     
    Keep in mind that you can set up an account at no cost and there are no set-up fees.  You also have your choice of free features such as music on hold, beeps entering and exiting the conference, and auto-hang up which disconnects everyone when the last host hangs up.  Give us a call today and let us help you design the best business conferencing program for your particular needs.
     

  • 24-7 Conference Call Services Are Available on Demand

    Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-03-12 08:29

    Author: Lee Simonson

     

    On demand, 24-7 conference call service is offered by nearly all conference vendors in various formats to fit budget conscience users. With the advent of global communications, and with business contacts and associates scattered throughout the world, the availability for 24-7 access has become ubiquitous.
     
    Regardless of the time of day, conference users can access conference bridges on-demand to conduct business with no need to make reservations. When you sign up for a conference service you will be provided a call-in number and passcodes to enable you to begin your conference call at any time with any number of participants. You will either dial a toll free number, or a regular local number to get into your conference. Regarding costs, you can choose to pay a per minute cost or a monthly flat rate that provides you unlimited usage.
     
    24-7 phone conference calling is gaining in popularity because it is cost effective and convenient. No matter where your contacts are in the world and no matter what time zone they are in, everyone can easily pick of the phone to stay connected. Maybe it's a software development project you are advancing in India. Or a manufacturing deal in China. Your contacts can collaborate and share ideas easily over the phone.
     
    Scheduling is easy and is usually done with email notices sent out to all the participants, usually a couple of days before the conference call. Reminder email notices are sent closer to the actually start time.
     
    Of course, all of this contrasts with the "the olden days" when the only conferences were provided by AT&T and you need to reserve an operator's assistance ahead of time. Conferencing was expensive back then but was not available on demand. Not only that, but many places in the world were not even wired for telephones. Today, nearly every corner of the world has access to wired or wireless phone technology. That fact itself has accelerated the use of conferencing as an important and essential business toll in a world economy that never sleeps.
     
    Even in the event of disaster, most conference bridge service providers have redundant systems and back up plans to transparently re-route conference traffic. As a customer, you would never know the difference if you were using another back up bridge.
     
    So whether the sun is rising or setting wherever you are, rest assured that the conference bridges you use never take a break.
     
    Click here to get more information on 24-7 conference call services: http://www.24conference.com/flatrateteleconference

  • Outsourcing Conference Call Services

    Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-03-12 08:25

    Author: Lee Simonson

    For businesses and organizations who want to focus on their core mission and responsibilities, and have no interest in getting into their own conference call business, outsourcing is the logical choice. There is stiff competition in the conferencing field which have caused rates to fall. Moreover, there are deals out there that can offer you unlimited conferencing for one low flat rate a month, with no long term contracts.

    Phone conference call companies can easily provide outsourced services that can save you a substantial amount of money.

    In fact, if you spend less than $1000 a month on telephone conferencing services, you are way ahead by using the services of a professional conference call company. If you spend more than $1000 a month, you can still save by outsourcing, but you should also look at leasing or buying your own conference equipment. It all depends on your usage, what you anticipate your needs will be in the future, and if you want to go to the expense of maintaining the hardware and software.

     
    When shopping for a phone conference company, here are some of the things that should be included in your checklist:
     
    1) No long term contract. Don't tie yourself into a contract unless you are absolutely sure that the conference company can offer you high quality and good customer service. Use the service for a couple of months and get a hands on experience using the system.
     
    2) Good customer service. Does someone answer the phone when you call?
     
    3) Testimonials are good. See if their website has comments from customers.
     
    4) A variety of plans and options. Do you want toll free or non-toll free service? Do you want to pay-as-you-go with a per minute account, or use the flat/fixed rate conferencing service? Do you need professional operators on the call to help you manage the conference or to call up the participants and put them into the call for you?
     
    5) No set up fee. Most conference call companies do not require you to pay an upfront cost to set up an account.
     
    Overall, telephone conference call services are saving organizations a substantial amount of money and time by enabling convenient discussions among colleagues and contractors without the need for additional hardware or software. The outsourced conferencing services are easily accessed and participants can schedule meetings over the phone at anytime. Companies, large and small are realizing substantial savings in reducing travel and meeting costs.
     
    Businesses and non-profits can choose from several types of phone conferencing formats and features that can fit any particular budget. The bottom line is that conference services can benefit almost any organization that needs to improve communications within and among internal and external people and groups.
     
    You can get more valuable information about phone conference companies here: http://www.24conference.com

  • Law Firm Conference for Legal Depositions and Attorney Conference Calls

    Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-03-12 08:21

    Author: Lee Simonson

    In an effort to save time, more law firm conference and depositions are being conducted over the phone. Teleconferencing is proving to be a boom in expediting legal processes that used to tie up manpower and office staff. In other words, more cases can be handled in less time.

     
    There are many applications and reasons why law firms are adopting this technology. But primarily, attorneys are finding that depositions, or conferences with judges, are ideal purposes for using audio conferencing.
     
    Law firms have the choice of getting their own conference hardware and software which can be quite expensive to set up and maintain. However, the vast majority find that is much less trouble to just outsource the conferencing service. There are no up front costs, no set up fees, no equipment to buy or maintain, no long term contracts, and you are only charged for what you use -- avoiding all overhead costs. Better yet, you can get invoices from the conference vendor that can be coded to specific cases so accounting can have a much each job of allocating expenses.
     
    Law firm administrators who used to be forced to divide the costs of legal conference calls among the various participants and opposing law firms, are relieved to find out that those days are long gone. Law firm conference services can bill each party separately, thus saving additional aggravation and streamlining back office operations.
     
    The biggest advantage to outsourcing law firm conferences is the having being managed by a professional operator. Operator conference calls constitute the highest level of service available and involve full time operators who call each participating party and put them into a conference call. Quite simply, a list of the participant names and phone numbers is emailed to the phone conference call company, along with the schedule and time of the conference, and whatever billing codes the law firm assigns the case. At the designated time, operators will call out to each participant and begin the conference call. This is very convenient and there is no requirement for you to call into the conference yourself. If requested, an operator will be on the call to handle any technical issues that may arise.
     
    Another service option is to have all the parties call a toll free conference number themselves, with an operator who greets each caller and collects the billing code information. This works, but since it's generally the same per minute rate as the operator dial out service, most law firms opt to have the operators call them. Transcription and translation services are also available for an additional fee.
     
    Court reporters can also resell or become agents and increase revenues for their firms by adding a value added service such as law firm conferencing to their menu of available services. They can simple outsource the service as well, without the need of hiring additional staff or worrying about equipment costs.
     
    Billing is pay-as-you-go, so you are never charged for more service than what you need or use. If there are some days, weeks or months the service isn't used, there are no costs levied and no monthly minimum usage. All in all, the adoption of teleconferencing to better manage depositions and increase law firm productivity is soaring in popularity.
     
    Give us a call today at 877-254-2424 and we'll be happy to help you get set up quickly and easily for your next legal conference call.