Conference Calls Reduce Energy Consumption and Help Businesses Save Money

With the condition of today's economy and the current energy crisis, most businesses are looking for cost effective and environmentally sound ways to conduct operations.

One way businesses have been able to significantly cut costs and help save the environment is through teleconferencing.

With teleconferencing, conference calls take place between colleagues, partners, customers and others regardless of where each contact is located in the world.

This not only saves wasted time and money on traveling to central a location for the company, but it also helps reduce the amount of CO2 emitted into the air, in a bid to stop global warming.

As gas prices continue to rise today, consumers as well as businesses are feeling the strain. Using a conference call to conduct communications cuts on the need to travel and amount of gas needed, again saving time, money and the environment.

Teleconferencing can be used for other collaborations as well, including training, presentations, meetings, and a host of other uses that provide new and innovative ways for today's competitive business environments and organizations around the world to get the most of their meetings.

Eagle Teleconferencing, a part of EagleNet companies, provides facility-based teleconferencing services and specializes in conferencing, IVR and voicemail services with a capacity of over ten (10) billion minutes annually. The company has operations in the U.S., Italy, the U.K., France, Germany, and India.

source:http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/conference-call/articles/34909-conference-calls-reduce-energy-consumption-help-businesses-save.htm

Be in touch with a minimum rate-Toll free conference calling

Toll free conference calling program let people be connected with various groups and individuals simultaneously. This calling program comes with a host of advantages. In this article, a basic discussion on such a program has been penned in.

A few years back, it was quite tough for businessmen and other people to contact various people of different places at a time. But now, the introduction of conference calling facility has paved their ways. Conference calling helps people to be connected with other people simultaneously. If you are interested in availing such facility without exceeding your budget, opting for toll-free conference calling could be the best option for you.

The uniqueness of toll free conference callings is that it is absolutely free for the participants. In such cases, partakers need to dial a toll-free number that they can get from conference calling providers. Furthermore, toll free conference calling can be done instantly and for that no reservation is required.

In addition, users can enjoy some more benefits while using toll free conference calling services. Such benefits are like,

• No additional charges
• International conference calling facility
• 24 hours access facility without any reservation
• call recording facility
• No monthly fee is charged for toll free conference calling.
• Fiber optic lines and so on.

In this context, it is necessary to mention that such facilities vary from one service provider to others.

The availability of a

http://www.conferencecallings.net/

program isn’t a big deal. Various service providers offer this conference calling program. Don’t think that you need to visit such companies in case you want to opt for such conference callings facilities. You can avail this facility over the internet too! Many conference callings service providers , nowadays, offer toll free conference calling program online that is web conference calling. So, one can easily go for that option. But it is advisable to individuals that a bit comparison of various deals will enable them to get the best toll free conference calling program.

So, if you want to connect a host of people through a cost effective way, toll-free conference calling program could be your first choice.

source:http://www.1888articles.com/be-in-touch-with-a-minimum-rate-toll-free-conference-calling-0d81840cof.html

Conference Call Services - Money Saving Tips

Conference call services have become one of the most advanced ways to make business conference with the help of internet. Nowadays there are several businesses which seek the help of conference call providers to set up conference call services to their current infrastructure. Conference call services can vary from simple audio conferencing to video conference calling and web conference calling. Let us see how one can avail conference call services in the most economic way possible.

Generally, the cost of conference call services is quite affordable, mainly when compared with the expenses of a business travel and hotel accommodations. Setting up conference call services is the most effective way to arrange a trans-continental business meeting.

In a web conference call services people can take questions and give answers, which can be recorded and later used for further interaction. With web conference calling, all the meetings which were conducted in the conference hall can now be conduced in individual offices. This helps to save both time as well as money.

Nowadays there are several companies offering cheap conference call services. This helps the users to buy minutes in bulk. Majority of these conference call service providers offer large volume discounts. This helps the customer to purchase more monthly minutes and save large amount of money by getting the services at a cheaper or discounted per minute rate.

Another cost saving factor with conference calling services is that the customers need not have to purchase any additional equipment other than a conventional telephone system. Using conference calling, a customer can arrange conferences for two to 200 people.

Selecting the ideal type of conference call according to your needs can save money. If you need to transfer illustrations and other data then web conference calling is the best choice.

These days there are several companies offering online conference call services. The rates and the schemes offered by one conference call provider vary from the other. Therefore, it is advisable to compare various conference call providers a before selecting any conference call provider for your service. This helps you to select the best deal available in the market. Selecting a good web conference call service provider will help you to get conference business conference calling service at affordable rates.

source:http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Conference-Call-Services---Money-Saving-Tips&id=493313

Commentary: AMD's Ruiz finally finds his calling

It's going to be a really long goodbye for Hector J. de Ruiz.

When industry executives hand over the reins of power to a successor, they might stay on briefly as chairman of the board of directors before relinquishing even that position to enjoy their retirement. Ruiz, until Thursday (July 18) chairman, president and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. , is taking a different approach.

In a sign that the battle for domination in the microprocessor world has become deeply personal for Ruiz, the long-term industry executive is staying on as executive chairman at AMD with one major goal in mind: dismantling what he described as Intel Corp.'s "illegal monopoly" of the MPU market.

Even the most pro-Intel observer of the microprocessor market must agree that AMD under Ruiz 's leadership has already cracked Intel's armor.

Several regulatory authorities globally from Japan to Korea, the European Union and the United States are either investigating or bringing actions against Intel for allegedly violating anti-trust laws through its marketing practices and contracts with PC manufacturers.

In the latest action, the European Commission this week informed Intel it had expanded its ongoing investigation of the Santa Clara, Calif., company's marketing practices based on new evidence purportedly showing the chip maker induced an OEM to sell only Intel-based PCs. Other actions have been instituted or concluded in Japan and South Korea.

source:http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209101192

How to Make a Conference Call in the United States

Holding conference calls has become pretty routine in our world today. Still, there are people out there who do not know how to make a conference call. Here are some basic tips.

If your need is simply to connect one or two other parties with yourself, you may consider utilizing the conference feature provided with your local phone service. Typically, the charges are rather high, but if you have a one-time need, this quick and easy solution will usually fill the bill. For instructions on how to make a conference call using your local phone service, contact your local service provider.

Some office phone systems also have a limited capability to create a conference call. The typical PBX will allow a combination of in office and outside connections, usually number no more than a six to eight lines. Instructions in how to make a conference call using your office system can usually be found in the instruction booklets supplied by the manufacturer. If they are not, a call to the manufacturer will usually end with an offer to send you instructions on how to make a conference call via an email or a fax.

Long distance providers are also a source of conference services. Your long distance carrier most likely would be happy to tell you how to make a conference call utilizing their services. One word of warning on this option: unless you have a volume agreement in place for telecommunications services, the pricing may be high. You would most help yourself to check around for something less costly.

If circumstances dictate that you go through a conference vendor, you will find quite a few choices these days. Most conference call providers will be happy to help you select the type of conference service you want and issue you specific instructions on how to make a conference call using their service platform. Among the selections they will assist you with are determining what type of conference call you need, help in setting up your account, booking the conference call and then step by step instructions in how to make a conference call.

Once you have determined whether you will conduct the conference through your local phone company, an office phone system or with the aid of a conference call vendor, you can then contact everyone who needs to attend the conference. Included in your notification should be specific instructions, if any, concerning how the party is expected to be connected to the conference call. Do not skip over basic instructions. Many parties do not know how to make a conference call, or at least may be unfamiliar with the style of call you have chosen. Make sure your instructions on how to make a conference call are easy to understand, and always provide some sort of means for each party to get assistance should they become confused.

Just as it is imperative to provide your attendees with specifics on how to connect with the conference, make sure you have a clear understanding of how to make a conference call using the type of service you have selected. Go over the process you will need to follow in connecting with the conference and make sure you understand exactly what to do. This is especially true with dial-in formats that utilize passcodes. If you fail to enter the passcode assigned to the host, the conference will not begin. If you have any doubts about what you are to do, call your provider and go over the process of how to make a conference call with the service you have established.

It is also important that as you learn how to make a conference call with your vendor of choice that you be aware of any service options at your disposal during the actual conference. As an example, many services allow the host to mute all attendees, which is great if you want to deliver a lecture as part of the meeting. If there is a service option available that you think may be helpful, but you are not sure how to utilize it, ask for suggestions from your vendor. Part of their job is to make sure you understand how to make a conference call using any of the service options they make available to their customers.

One last critical feature to investigate when learning how to make a conference call with your vendor of choice is how the call will end. Some vendors set the conference to automatically end when the host hangs up. Others will allow the conference to continue until the last line in the call releases. Make sure you know how your service is set to work.

Knowing how to make a conference call has gone from being a special perk of corporate executives in large companies to being a basic skill that persons in all walks of life should become familiar with. If you do not currently use conference call services, check around with friends and acquaintances. Chances are you know several people who know how to make a conference call; they can put you on the path to mastering this very useful business practice.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/how-to-make-a-conference-call-in-the-united-states-37569.html

Conference Call Services - Meeting Your Communication Needs

With the onset of globalisation, the need for reaching out to every country is a necessity. No business can run successfully without effective communication. For communicating effectively, a business unit needs conference call services. It is the service through which, the business head can control every operations of the business spread all over the globe.

Whether you need to communicate something to your workforce or give a presentation to a multi-million dollar client in some other place, conference call services can deliver you the ease at which you make your presentation. There are scores of business entities, which deliver conference call services around the world. However, to find the one which suits you the best is an uphill task.

For finding the best-suited conference call services, online search is a good option. The online search lets a user take up a conference call service by comparing various deals. Different conference call services have different deals. It could vary by the number of participants, duration of the conference, toll-free dialling facility, and conference recording etc.

Take you pick of conference call services only after knowing in and out of such services. Before you take your pick, get detailed information on what kind of services a particular deal will be having. Some conference call services providers also have the facility of recording your conference so that you are able to take reference of the conference whenever you need.

Power of conference call services provided these days have grown manifold. With such dependence on effective communication for running a business, the usage of conference call services is going to increase more in future. Some conference call services also have the facility of sending emails to the participants of the conference call before hand. This facility lets the conference to be held as per schedule.

However, If you availing any conference call services UK, it is important that a user ask the participants whether they would be able to attend the conference. In addition, password related to the conference callings and other passwords, schedule and topic to be discussed during the conference should be told to the expected participants beforehand.

Get your choice of conference call services today online. The online method of securing this service allows you to find deals that suit you best. Apart from that, you are also enabled to avail a number of discounts and rebates on such deals.

source:http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Conference-Call-Services---Meeting-Your-Communication-Needs&id=610741

Cheap Conference Calls, Are They Any Good?

Conference calls have been an alternative way of gathering people together in a business seminars or meetings. It can save everyone the hassle of traveling from one place to another just to attend a business gathering. Not only that, it can also relatively lower down company expenses because all you really need is a telephone system and you are good to go. Technology has really gone a long way and has helped the business sector in making cost-effective solutions that fits their needs.

You may think that setting up a call conference may be costly. Actually it need not be. There are a number of conference call service providers in the market that are offering affordable call conferencing packages which are available for everyone.

How come some cheap conference call providers can reduce their rates that low?

Firstly, offering cheap rates is their marketing strategy to get more people to commission their service. Second, cheap conference calls are often service providers themselves and have their very own network that they use during conference calls. This way, there are actually no or at least very minimal overhead cost. Without these additional costs, they can easily lower down their rates.

How do cheap conference calls work?
Providers usually would give their costumer a unique toll free number. The participants of the conference call will then dial-in the given number. The host would simply call the toll number and can easily conduct the conference right there and then.

Advantages of cheap conference calls

Reservation-less conferencing
Cheap conference call does not need reservations for a person to join the conference. A client can call a conference anytime he needs one without making prior reservations.

Call management system
Cheap conference calls also provide their own call management system. Just be sure to check with your provider other services and additional features that come with the package you paid for. Call management system would ensure that you have a smooth-flowing conference at all times.

Operator assisted
Cheap conference calls also provide live operators upon request but you would usually be required to pay additional cost for this. Since cheap conference calls are committed to provide the most cost-effective solution possible for their costumers they usually use automated system instead of live operators to cut down the cost of the service you have to pay for.

Easy setup
You might think that you need extra tools to set up conferencing, but this is actually not the case. There are no additional equipments that you need to have to make a conference call. All you need to have is a simple telephone system that you would use during the conference.

Get in touch with hundreds of people
The primary use of a conference call is to get two or more people together. But with a cheap call conference, it gets even better. You can converse and connect to one person or to one hundred people all at the same time.

Who would benefit from cheap call conferences?
Call conferencing is not exclusive for business use. It could also be used for medical consultations and for small organization's staff meetings.

Start-up companies would greatly benefit from cheap call conferencing. They would give your company the professionalism it needs without you shelling out a big fortune. Cheap call conferencing would perfectly fit your budget.

Small organizations and charity institutions can also use cheap conference calls. This way, they can get in touch with their staff wherever they are in the world. You do not need to pay for high cellphone bills anymore or to travel far just to talk to your staff. Cheap conference makes it easier for you.

Cheap conference calls, are they any good? In conclusion, they are! They offer cost-effective solutions to suits your needs without paying for high fees. They are very economical compared to traveling to different places just to meet with certain people whether it is for your business or for your organization.

Apart from being affordable, cheap conference calls are not short when in comes to technical advantage. They can offer the same service most high-priced providers offer. What you really have to do is to evaluate your provider's services and ask them about what they can offer you. It would be a good idea to compare providers and choose what you think is best suited for your cause.

Communication is very vital in a thriving company. With cheap conference calls, you can create seamless communication with your people and still save up a little of your budget.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/cheap-conference-calls-are-they-any-good-100801.html

Know More About Free Web Conference Calling

The advancement of the Internet has brought a drastic change in the communication world. Free web conference calling facility is another boon of the revolution. No matter whether you want to make conference calling for the sake of your business or for personal purposes, free web conference calling will let you contact anyone across the globe.

Briefly, it can be said that web conference calling is the means of arranging a group meeting or presentation over the internet. With such a facility, individuals from various locations can involve in a meeting or discussion at the same time. These days, various companies, families and educational institutions are opting for this mode of communication.

A free web conference calling facility is depended on a few types of software. Yes, installing such software is necessary for making a free web conference call. With the software, users can get various facilities including PowerPoint, slide presentation, spreadsheet and file share, text message, voice conference, polls, survey etc.

Now let’s highlight how it works. Usually, VoIP or voice over Internet protocol system operates web conference calling. Such a telecom system enables computer cables to convey sound in data packets forms. Since, these forms follow other routes; hence, they minimize long distance fees.

How can you avail free web conference calling facility? Very easy it is. First opt for the subscription of a VOIP service. Many service providers offer their service over the internet. So, by clicking the mouse, one can get information about that. Do a bit comparison; it will enable you to choose the best conference calling service. Once you will avail the service, you will get web conference calling software that you need to install in order to access VOIP service.

So, opt for free web conference calling service and enjoy conference calling at a minimal rate.

resourcr:www.articledashboard.com

Conference Call Services - Video Teleconferencing

Conference calling works like a telephone call, which allows the calling-party to have more than one called-party to listen or to communicate. Conference calling can be customized as per requirements: the called-party can be allowed to speak or just make to listen to the audio portion of the calling-party. Conference calling has been a great asset to the business world, and it is also known as Audio Teleconferencing among the corporate professionals. Though conference calling has been used for quite a long-time, but some latest additions to its technology and infrastructure have rendered a new image to it, and have boosted its use in many other sectors apart from the business.

A conference call service certainly has advantages over conventional systems and methods for any business. The competition among the conference call service providers is increasing, and more and more features are emerging to assist the business. Some companies offer global dial-out, record and playback, security pass-codes, conference lock, group mute/un-mute, and roll call, etc., as specialized features of conference call services. It is clear that you can manage your budget better through these services, though the outcomes of these conferences are as effective as it had been with the conventional systems.

Well, with the advancement in technology and also the competition in the market, there are many services offered by companies. However if your conference includes some old managers, corporate professionals, and people who are not too used to the system of audio conference calls, it may not be a smooth process as you would have imagined! So, make sure that all participants for the conference are aware about the system that you are going to use.

Video teleconferencing, as clear from the name itself, is a technology that allows two or more locations or parties to interact through two-way video and audio transmissions, simultaneously. Video teleconferencing is one of the most advanced forms of conference calls, and has a tremendous effect on almost all aspects of business. Video teleconferencing is a relatively new technique and requires a lot of infrastructural setup, software, and network. However, with the advent of Internet, it has been made quite easy and economic, as more efficient video compression technologies were developed that permit desktop-based video teleconferencing

Resource: www.articledashboard.com

Audio Conference Calling: Makes For Better Efficiency And Lower Costs

Great many businesses are taking advantage of greater efficiency and lower costs through the use of audio conference calling. With technology making it possible to share different media methods it is also possible to have a computer’s web browser have software that allows it to interact through audio conference and, make it possible for people to share files, comments on presentations as well as send drawings, movies, documents, graphics etc. and thus improve productivity.

Anywhere In The World, At Any Time

Audio conference calling services can be used anywhere in the world and at any time and, are most popular for everyday, weekly as well as formal meetings and other uses. There are different plans available that provide value for money and suit individual budgets. Audio conference calling is easy to use and with discounted pricing, provides a solution for every conferencing needs. Using audio conference calling services, one can save on costly equipment, travel expenses, as well as get reliable service with crystal clear audio.

With a host of audio conference calling sources, one can conduct business with colleagues that are thousands of miles away. Latest audio conference calling technology allows for more reliable service and with features such as noise cancellation, it gives the user a better quality conferencing experience. When searching for an audio conference calling service provider, one should look for features such as echo cancellation as well as other advanced audio equipment to be sure of getting the best solution for the business conferencing needs.

The audio conference calling process requires the very best in audio conference calling packages that may differ according to the number of participants. Audio conferencing is a means of connecting whereby more than two people can be participating on the same phone call and, choosing the correct method of placing the conference call requires choosing a plan that accommodates the required number of participants.

There are some companies that provide on-demand audio conferencing in which the user gets pre-established calling accounts for each user and, is able to create or participate in conferences without needing to give advance notice. Some of the salient features of a good audio conferencing system should include dial out to new participants, lock conference to future participants as well as attendance/roll call to hear who is on the call, one-touch operator assistance as well as many more individual features that assist in making the calling experience more user-friendly.

Resource: www.refresharticles.com

Business Solutions – Affordable Conference Calling

In a day and age where expenses are going up everyday it is the responsibility of the individual to try and save money wherever they can. In business this means finding solutions that are not only cost-effective, but also make sure that the reputation of the business is not compromised. That is why affordable conference calling is the way forward for conducting meetings professionally and on time with various clients who need the same information.

Solutions For The Small Business

Small businesses will be looking out for affordable conference calling as they will need to minimise their expenses as much as possible. By having clients or employees spread far and wide travel expenses can needlessly take a lot out of the budget. With technological advances there is no reason for meetings not to be conducted professionally and in a timely manner.

Hotels and Conference Centres can provide affordable conference calling facilities should you not be able to afford the outlay of this type of equipment. These places will offer great comfort and privacy for all of your needs on the day as well as friendly staff to assist to take the added stress out of other problems, such as catering, that you do not need to worry about.

Some conference calling companies have also introduced the ‘Pay as you Go’ system which is perfect for the smaller business. In this way you can conduct your meetings when you need to and are not locked into any contracts that may be unnecessary for your needs. These more affordable conference calling rates are available on request or should be easy to locate on most companies websites.

Solutions For The Big Businesses

Big businesses will normally have more people they need to communicate with at the same time, depending on the project at hand. This can be expensive for them and the time taken to relay the same information to several different groups of people is costly and unnecessary. The much more affordable conference calling facilities that are now on offer mean that in most cases you will not have to leave the office. Information can be conveyed quickly and effectively with the simple use of the telephone or Internet.

Affordable conference calling means that large volumes of information can be quickly and easily shared with large groups of people and take the hassle of travelling from client to client out of the equation.

Source : http://www.refresharticles.com/

MS/Yahoo deal: conference call, Yahoo responds

Microsoft has been discussing the possibility of buying out Yahoo for a year and a half, the company has confirmed during a conference call discussing its proposed $44.6 billion deal. Confirming longstanding rumors, company PSD president Kevin Johnson says that Microsoft has been in an "off and on" discussion with Yahoo for 18 months. The search engine giant simply said roughly a year ago that it was not a good time to discuss an acquisition, Microsoft claims. The latter says it continues to believe a deal would be important to boosting the importance of search and expanding social platforms. Search is not just about "ten blue links" anymore, Johnson explains. Notably, Microsoft has recently invested in Facebook as part of these efforts.

However, the call also made apparent Microsoft's predominant concern in the deal, which is to undermine Google's perceived control of the web ad market. Johnson stressed that advertising was "key" to commercializing web services and warned that the industry was "dominated by one player," deliberately withholding Google's name from the discussion. Acquiring Yahoo is said to provide both it and Microsoft an opportunity to scale upwards at the rate necessary for the business, particularly in server software and other areas which Microsoft has historically been successful.

Microsoft also believes there to be incidental benefits for Yahoo outside of search and advertising, such as advanced research and development for Yahoo's mobile platform as well as its video services.

Despite the Microsoft claims, Yahoo has responded with caution to the deal, according to a brief company statement. The Bay Area company appears to contradict Microsoft's assertion of long-running talks and describes the deal as "unsolicited." Yahoo has not rejected the deal out of hand but says it will determine its answer "carefully and promptly" to ensure that a takeover by Microsoft is in its best interests.

Source : http://www.electronista.com/

multi channel video conferencing over internet

A leading IP based managed video services provider, and The Whitlock Group, a systems integration firm, announced that they will be providing managed multi point conferencing services and
Glowpoint’s IP subs services to one of the largest, real estate development firms, with nearly 30,000 acres of land currently under development in Florida, South Carolina, and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The Glowpoint services add a new dimension to the solutions we provide to our customers,” said Kévin Thompson, President of The Whitlock Group. “We are looking to increase our services revenue, making the video equipment a smaller component of the solution. Most of our sales offices migrated to Glowpoint earlier this year which was the catalyst that helped educate our sales force regarding the added value Glowpoint brings to the overall video solution.”

Initially, the real estate company piloted the combined offering, which included Glowpoint’s managed video services at five locations. The successful pilot led to a formalized deal to expand to approximately 20 office locations. In addition to utilizing Glowpoint’s quality IP video services, the customer will use Glowpoint to host a multipoint conference unit as well as providing fully managed call launching services.

“The Whitlock Group represents a new breed of integration partners who understand the value of services and the residual revenue model it represents,” said Michael Brandofino, Glowpoint’s president and CEO. “In 2006, we have been focusing on trying to improve the productivity of our channel. Deals like this show we have been making some good progress. In fact, since May, approximately 40 percent of our closed deals have come through the channel, compared to less than 10 percent prior to May.”

Glowpoint offers a full range of managed video services including, IP connectivity, multi-point video conferencing services, video hosting services and endpoint management to customers around the globe by leveraging the Glowpoint network and bridges that are deployed in the U.S. and Europe. Glowpoint offers a variety of multi-point conferencing services - from fully-managed to unassisted “bridging on demand” - using Glowpoint’s own internally developed web-based scheduling tool called “Quickbridge”.

About Glowpoint

Glowpoint, Inc. (OTC: GLOW.PK) is a world-leading broadcast-quality, IP-based video managed services provider. Glowpoint offers videoconferencing, bridging, technology hosting, and IP broadcasting services to enterprises, SOHOs, broadcasters, and consumers worldwide. The Glowpoint network carries an average of more than 60,000 video calls per month worldwide. Glowpoint is headquartered in Hillside, New Jersey. To learn more about Glowpoint, visit www.glowpoint.com.

About The Whitlock Group

The Whitlock Group is a systems integration firm focused on the design, procurement, engineering, installation, and service of audiovisual, videoconferencing, video-streaming, digital signage, video-production, and broadcast solutions. As a systems integration firm, The Whitlock Group delivers complete solutions that seamlessly integrate the audio, video, display and system controls to create unique and compelling multimedia solutions.

Source : http://www.newsaboutav.com/

How To Select An Ideal Web Conferencing Service

Web conferencing is here to stay. There are so many options and choices. The internet has many websites devoted to video conferencing. And companies in the conferencing business have a variety of options for customers. Web conferencing facilitates conducting live meetings over the internet.

Choosing a web conferencing service is not easy. What you need to do is first read about web conferencing and determine your individual need. Then weigh the pros and cons of different offers. Experts recommend that you undertake a comparison shopping exercise. Compare the packages on offer from leaders in the field like WebEx, PlaceWare, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and more.

Learn about the standards set for web conferencing by XCON: Centralized Conferencing Working Group. And choose a web conference provider with care.

Tips:

• Experts recommend avoiding the “price/use” formula. Choose a flat rate for a specified number of users. The ideal choice is one that allows you to meet as often as you need over the internet without paying for time used.

• Make an informed choice and insist on VoIP. Only this allows real-time meetings with presentations and so on. Telephone based web conferences are cumbersome.

• Choose a service that has IM, file sharing, and secure storage. Think future requirements not just the present. Choose a web conferencing provider who keeps abreast with the latest innovations in technology.

• Determine the actual global reach of the web conferencing vendor. Check facts for yourself and never depend on hearsay or brochures. Does the vendor have localized operations in far away countries like India, Japan, China, and Korea and so on or is he just US based.

• Choose a web conferencing vendor who is established in the business and has great user-friendly documentations. A web conferencing vendor must have 24/7 world wide customer service as well as trouble shooting facilities.

Never sign a contract before a trial. Ask for a free trial and determine how user friendly and efficient the service is. Be sure to check the features offered: VoIP, file sharing, instant messaging, dedicated technical and customer support, online FAQs, blogs, and forum for sharing problems and finding out solutions. Experts and the Macromedia whitepaper recommend that a web conferencing solution should: fit your budget, be compatible with your office computer and internet systems, and the conferencing tools must be user friendly. An ideal web conferencing company will not just push their product but make honest efforts to determine your needs before suggesting solutions. The bottom line should be not just a sale but a long term commitment to sustained service.

Make a market survey, take recommendations and quotes from at least three providers. Check for yourself the references they give. Make a list of questions and seek answers to them. Do in depth background checks on the web conferencing online services before you sign any contracts. Before you sign or make payments ensure that the web conferencing service is truly suitable to your company’s needs.


Source : http://www.free-articles-zone.com/

Save Money With Web Conference Calling

We live in a consumer based economy, and big businesses are on the rise. With all of the expansions in the business world, there is money to be made. But it takes money to make money. In order to have unimaginable success in your company, you need to bring in more money than you are spending. Fortunately, other companies are over flowing with new and innovative ways to save you money within your company.

One of the largest costs a company will incur is communication and travel expense. These are unavoidable during company expansion and even during routine business for most companies. But fortunately, these types of charges can be bypassed or minimalized by using a web conference calling service.

Web conference calling makes meetings more convenient and a lot less expensive. It offers an opportunity to talk to clients in a different state or country, and show them your slideshows and other business material while having a virtual meeting online. Web conference calling is a quick and easy way to bridge communication gaps between your sister companies or even long distance clients. Let’s not forget there is no better way to convey your confidence in yourself and your business than face to face. It is the long distance hand-shake of the future. For a small company to impress a larger client, what better way than with cutting edge technology that shows you are not only serious about your business, but on the leading edge of technology.

Where To Find It

Web conference calling can be set up completely online, at your convenience. Places like SBC, ATT, and Verizon offer conference calling to companies at competitive rates. . These types of services are offered for as low as a quarter a minute! It requires no travel, virtually no prep time, and can usually be set up in minutes and is ready to go in about an hour. Web conference calling is a useful alternative to flying all over the country to meet clients in airport conference rooms, or even a clever way to have meetings between colleagues while staying in the comfort of your own home. Ultimately, Web conference calling can save your company thousands of dollars by allowing you to virtually meet, and show slideshows, calendars, and other important information without ever having to leave your computer. This is an unparalleled commodity to any company.

Source : http://www.refresharticles.com/

What Makes a Good Audio Conference Call?

When making conference calls, it's important to make sure first of all that everyone is seeing eye to eye on the technology that's going to be used.

Sometimes, more traditional investors and older corporate managers may have a problem with appreciating new technology, so when using high-tech conferencing software, you may find yourself using the audio conference call features most frequently.

Remember back when teleconferencing was still new and corporate entities were still adjusting to it? You may come across that sort of psychological resistance when trying out new Web conferencing software. At any rate, your job is to make sure your audio conference call proceeds without a hitch!

A good audio conference relies foremost on the integrity of your connection. Are you and the other members of the conference all using fast connections to hook up to the Internet? Fortunately, a lot of audio conferencing software can adjust to the speed of the linkup of each individual user, so that even if the connection is relatively slow, he or she can still avoid missing out on key parts of the exchange.

The integrity of the software itself is also important. Do you have reliable, flexible software that doesn't crash or conflict with certain business-central programs? Does your software operate across a variety of platforms, and are there any restrictions on usage? In certain cases, enterprise-level conferencing software is paid for via subscription, which means you can't use your software anymore once the license you have purchased has expired. You have to renew the license, or seek another provider.

Audio conferencing isn't exactly outdated, given today's advancements in messaging technology; it still has its distinct advantages. For one thing, it's lightweight, so that a large number of people can connect to the central server via their software, without putting a strain on either the server or their computers. For another, software made purely for audio conferencing is inexpensive!

In some cases, it can actually be free! Modern chat messengers such as AIM, MSN and Yahoo allow free VoIP calls via headsets, and all you and the other person need to have is the same version of the free downloadable software. This works especially well for small groups, or one-on-one discussions. However, there are some security concerns. Free audio chat clients are generally insecure and if any important information is to be transferred online, they might get lost or hijacked along the way. For high-profile conferencing needs, purchasing professionally made enterprise-level Web-based audio conference call software is still the best option.

Source : http://www.webpronews.com/

A Professional Conference Call sold to N.Y. company

Conference calling services firm AT Conference Inc. has bought privately held A Professional Conference Call of Duluth, Ga., for an undisclosed amount.

"The acquisition of A Professional Conference Call represents AT Conference's commitment to diversifying and expanding our service offering," said David Jannetti, founder and CEO of Southampton, N.Y.-based AT Conference. "A Professional Conference Call customers will inherit access to an expanded customer support group capable of handling larger operator-assisted conference calls. In return, AT Conference customers gain access to WebTalk, a web-based portal that enables customers to directly control their own conferences using a dashboard interface."

AT Conference said the deal will help it maintain its position as one of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. It expects its revenue to jump 250 percent in 2008 compared with 2006.

Source : http://www.bizjournals.com/

Secured Web Conferencing - The Cost Effective Way

In due course, web conferencing has proved its worth over traditional audio or video conferencing. In those situations, where the basic meeting format is that of back and forth information flows, web conferencing is just second to face to face meeting.

However, security has always been a major concern with web conferencing. Mere SSL or AES encryption protocol cannot guarantee you complete access security though they are well known as industry standards. Corporate houses cannot ignore this viable communication media and at the same time cannot entirely depend on it for this very reason.

There are so many other problems in traditional web conferencing. The attendees who needed to deal with 3D CAD design, flash graphic design, and other similar collaborations of image based applications, had to fight hard to make the meeting effective up to the minimum level.

Another big problem with traditional web conferencing had been that the attendees had to download and install meeting client software. That is not all. The attendees needed to download Java, flash installations and others to support the client software. The whole process was tedious, time consuming and expensive (in some cases you need to pay monthly usage charges for your meeting client software).

Even after ignoring all these problems, you can not be sure that your meeting is held in a 100% secured atmosphere.

What next?

Here comes "on premise web conferencing appliances", a secured and easy to use conferencing tool for corporate communication. Just install the appliance and you are ready to start the conference - round the clock.

With these appliances you do not need to pay any monthly fee or you do not need constant IT support. To add to this there is no way that a firewall, proxy server or anti virus can block it. And thus you get a hustle free and smooth conference.

This appliance is supported by all the platforms like Mac, UNIX, Linux or Windows. To add to this, you can attend the conference using your iPhone too - thus you can stay connected even while you are on the move.

The best thing about "on premise web conferencing appliances" is that you can use your firewall to protect access security of web conferencing attendees. Alongside, with some of these appliances, you get the facility to Remotely Access your computer.

To sum up, "on premise web conferencing appliance for web meeting" provides you a simple, easy to use, cost effective and secured conferencing tool for internal and external meetings.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?

Conference calls: Cutting the cord

While most of us here on planet small business have been sweating fancy productivity tools such as remote e-mail and the broadband Internet, old-school conference calling has quietly undergone a revolution. New online conferencing tools are cheaper and more powerful than ever. And they can add real value to your business.

Conference calling was strictly a high-end option until the mid-1990s, when digital telephony made the mandatory human operator obsolete. Today the Internet has spawned a veritable tidal wave of new multi-user communications tools. Audio-, Web-, and video-conferencing has grown to a $3.5-billion-a-year global industry. So-called reservationless conferencing accounts for roughly 95 percent of that market, according to research by Vapps (vapps.com), a Hoboken, N.J., provider of IP-based conferencing solutions.

Traditional carriers offer reliable automated conferencing, but they face rising competition from cheaper Web-based services such as WebEx (webex.com) - which will soon be acquired by Cisco Systems (Charts, Fortune 500) - and GoToMeeting (gotomeeting.com).

Skype, the IP-based free and low-cost phone service, is offering a new Skype for Business product that builds conferencing into a full suite of communications tools. Voice-over-Internet Protocol companies such as Vonage (Charts) (vonage.com) offer multiline conferencing as part of their service. One company, Accutalk (accutalk.net), even kicks in American Airlines reward miles with its conferencing packages. (But wasn't the idea of conference calling to skip the trip in the first place?)

Do these free or low-cost conference-calling products really work? Some discount services, such as WebEx and GoTo Meeting, are easy to set up and use - assuming call participants are at least a little bit Web savvy. Others, such as Skype, demand a fairly high degree of technological literacy.

The best bet for the weekly conference call in advance of my radio show, Strange New World (snwradio.com), turned out to be Skype for Business. Once you get it set up, the calling is easy, and integration of Internet and traditional phones is smooth. That's not to say that getting there was easy. While setting up Skype, we shared a number of exchanges such as "No, the pink wire goes in the other small hole." And more than once we had to make toll calls on real phones to get our "free" Skype conference call to work.

"This is turning into a major pain in my #%$," said "Ninja" Bob Fitzgerald, "head engineer guy" (his real title) at Hothead Studios, the New York City facility that produces the program. We also had occasional sound-quality issues. But in the end, Skype works. And there's no beating the price: Calls among Skype users are free, and calls outside the Skype network cost fractions of a cent per minute.

Mogistic (mogistic.com), a six-person custom-software developer based in Allentown, Pa., uses WebEx, which has emerged as a leading supplier of online teleconference, videoconference and meeting services. Mogistic's main product, Teamtivity, is a collaborative project-management tool that companies can use to organize and track their assets on the Web. After surveying the online conferencing landscape, Mogistic chose WebEx because it integrated well with Teamtivity, which the company uses to manage its own operations.

Each session, which includes voice and graphics, costs $1 a minute with no per-person charges. Mogistic spent about $2,000 last year for roughly 2,000 minutes spread over about 30 conference calls. Managing director Lawrence Wolfe says that he saves about $7,000 in travel costs for each client he can serve by teleconference. "We have 30 clients," says Wolfe. "That's roughly $200,000 per year in savings" - about 20 percent of Mogistic's total sales. Concludes Wolfe: "We simply could not be in business without the service."

So how to find the right option for your business? Comparison-shop and bargain. "Bundle up all your usage, find out exactly what it is you use, and then you have the ammunition to go shopping," says Ira Weinstein of Wainhouse Research, a Boston-based teleconferencing advisory firm. "Then you can save yourself a ton of money."

Source : http://www.openforum.com/

Verizon To Open Nework to Outside Devices

ADAPTING TO A SHIFTING MOBILE landscape, Verizon Wireless said Tuesday that it will allow customers to connect to its network with any device or application that meets minimal technical standards starting next year.

The move comes only weeks after Google announced an alliance with a group of wireless carriers and handset manufacturers, including Sprint and T-Mobile, to create a new mobile platform that will be open to third-party developers.

During a conference call, Verizon Wireless CEO and President Lowell McAdam said the decision to open up its network was driven by a rapidly expanding universe of options for mobile consumers. "We're constantly monitoring market forces, and have seen the accelerated pace of innovation and expanding degree of customer demand for multiple business models," McAdam says.

McAdam and other Verizon executives emphasized that its "Any Apps, Any Device" initiative would not change its existing "walled garden" business model. "We believe most customers still want the full-service model that exists today," McAdam says. "This will complement, not replace, our successful full-service model."

But he acknowledged that subscribers increasingly want more choices as cell phones turn into mini-multimedia players. "What this separate and distinct model does is really tap into those customers looking for complete control of their device," McAdam says.

Through its V Cast data service, Verizon already offers subscribers a variety of content from music to video clips to mobile TV at an additional charge. But the major carriers' own media offerings compete with a growing selection of "off deck" applications provided by outside companies and developers.

The largest U.S. wireless carrier plans to unveil open access nationwide by the end of 2008. Early next year, it will publish technical standards that allow outside developers to create mobile products that will run on Verizon's CDMA-based network. Any device meeting the criteria will be approved for use, and will allow consumers to run any application they choose.

Customers will be able to activate devices either online or by calling an 800 number set up by Verizon. Otherwise, responsibility for troubleshooting problems with devices or applications will rest with device makers themselves.

Verizon intends to host a conference early next year to explain standards and receive input from the development community on how best to meet consumer needs. In seeking to attract developers to create new devices and applications for its network, Verizon will be competing with Google's planned Android platform.

Google has already begun offering cash prizes to developers who come up with applications that are included its own mobile platform. The first Android-powered phone is scheduled to come out in the latter half of 2008 from T-Mobile.

During the conference call, John Stratton, chief marketing officer for Verizon Communications, said the company's move toward open access has no bearing on whether it will join Google's Open Handset Alliance of more than 30 carriers and device makers. But he added that any devices or applications created for the Android platform would not necessarily be precluded from using them on Verizon's network.

Some mobile analysts speculated yesterday that Verizon's initiative was prompted--at least in part--by the open access rules built into the upcoming auction of 700MHz wireless spectrum. The rules are intended to increase consumer choice on devices and applications used on the new spectrum. Google and various activist groups pushed for adoption of open access rules by the Federal Communications Commission.

But McAdam denies that regulatory pressure had any influence over its decision to open up its network. "What goes on Capitol Hill or what's being discussed about potential 700MHz rules really doesn't play into this," he says. "It's really focused on meeting customers' needs."

Analysts said the move could position Verizon well to expand its offerings while maintaining its traditional closed network. "Verizon Wireless' upside is that it will sell services to users that it wouldn't have had access to in its more traditional development and distribution model," said William Ho, a wireless analyst for technology research firm Current Analysis.

But they say questions still remain about how Verizon will monetize its open access business model and what impact it will have on quality of network service. "More devices mean more network usage, which means degradation of quality," wrote Om Malik, founder of the popular GigaOm technology blog. "Will Verizon keep investing ginormous amounts of money to keep the moniker, "America's most reliable network"?

Source:http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=71669