The Conference Call And Options Explained
The conference call is a telephone call which has revolutionised the way we communicate. Allowing three or more people to speak simultaneously or allow a larger number of people to listen in at the same time from different locations.
Conference calls work by connecting the calls through a conference bridge which is pretty much a server which behaves like a telephone would and answers the multiple calls at the same time. Software advances adds other features to conference calling and allows for the multiple users to connect together.
A company could have its own bridge or may contract out to a conference call hosting provider. These conference call services come in different forms and often add features such as recording facilities and international calling.
Conference calling options
Flat Rate Conferencing
There is conference calling services that will offer unlimited access to a conference bridge for a fixed monthly fee. This was proving a popular option for many businesses who conducted a frequent number of calls.
Prepaid conference calls
Prepaid conference calls were marketed online allowing businesses and individuals to book calls on a pay-as-you-go basis. Services allow you to call almost any country and became cheaper to run since computers, mobile phones or landlines can be used as opposed to expensive hardware intended solely for conferencing.
Free conference calling
One of the newest models is free conference calls, where the customer pays only for the cost of the call to the telephone provider, which in the UK will at the moment can cost as little as 5p per minute. These models have significantly reduced the cost for businesses which is hugely beneficial at any time however with companies looking to cut costs during this economic downturn, it is definitely welcome.
Premium services
Many of the free meeting call providers offer additional services so if you switch providers then you don’t have to miss out on these services. Such as branded welcome person messages, secure recording, reporting and unlimited chairperson access PINs.
Conference call providers offer many services with free conference call providers driving down the costs allowing business to make huge cost savings and operate more efficiently.