conference calling

CONFERENCE CALLS are an annoyance to entrepreneurs whose firms don't have advanced telephone systems that enable them to speak with multiple parties at once.

But with AT&T's new Click2Dial Conferencing , you use the Web to make these calls, entering the names and numbers of the people you want to call and when you want to call them. Click2Dial costs 15 cents per minute, per person.

At the scheduled time, AT&T automatically dials the listed parties. "All you need is one phone line and Internet access," says Janet Stone, a media relations director for AT&T. "The other people on the conference call don't even know you're using the Internet to call them."

Source:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DTI/is_4_27/ai_60036376

Web And Audio Conferencing

The technology boom in the 21st century has created wonders for the telecom industry in a tremendous manner. With the arrival of mobile phones and the Internet, communication is fast becoming a necessity. It is indeed a technological revolution.

The Benefits Of Web And Audio Conferencing

In this regard, web and audio conferencing have taken the IT boom to its next level of revolution. Today, equipped with the Internet technology, we are able to carry out conferences with people all over the world while sitting in our office. Web and audio conferencing has enabled the postmodern world in connecting with a virtual reality through the medium of cyber space.

With web and audio conferencing, large business organizations are able to deal with their clientele and other associates within seconds. The video aspect of the conference allows the maintaining of a physical aspect of the communication which is a part of virtual reality.

Some Basic Requirements Of Web And Audio Conferencing

To facilitate the Internet web and audio conferencing, you must have Windows, Java, Linux or Mac software and an internet connection of at least minimum 128kbps. For video conference, VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) is mandatory and a camera which will help in receiving and sending the analog digital message in the form of audio and video.

This is the cheapest medium of communication which saves a lot of money and time as it can be established almost instantly and does not require a huge amount of investment in comparison of the expenses on traveling for business and personal use. It is the easiest medium of maintaining one-to-one conference which can be highly efficient in running a business. Thus, web and audio conferencing is the new technological revolution, which enables the IT revolution to move to the next level.
Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Web-And-Audio-Conferencing

10 Essential Steps to Organizing a Conference Call

Conferencing calls are a boon to businesses and families. More that two people can talk to one another at the same time. There are today many kinds of conference calls:

• Audio conference calls.
• Video conference calls.
• Webconference calls.

A conference call saves money as well as time and enables people to take decisions on the spot. There are what are known as conference call providers who offer conference calling services and charge their clients on a per hour or per minute basis. Once you subscribe you will be given a toll free pin number. This must be sent to all the people who will participate in the conference call.

The 10 essential steps of organizing a conference call are:

1. Decide on a convenient date and time. Be sure to inform all persons concerned.

2. Contact a conference call service provider and pay the subscription.

3. Send all the participants the toll free number and pin number well in advance.

4. Book a time slot to avoid confusion.

5. On the date of the conference call meeting all the participants must dial the toll free number and enter the pin. Once they have done that the conference call can proceed. All participants will be able to ask questions, provide answers and communicate with one another just as they would in a face to face meeting.

6. The host or person who has paid the subscription will control the conference. And if the host terminates the call the conference call will end unless arrangements are made to continue the call.

7. If you need to share data or illustrations then you would need to make arrangements for a web conference.

8. Always arrange for the conference call to be recorded.

9. Ask about the billing system. Most conference call providers bill by the minute and have a 30 day billing cycle.

10. Before you sign up check up on reliability of service and whether the conference call service provider uses digital lines.

These days, conference calls have become affordable as there is fierce competition in the market. And an account can be activated within the hour of subscribing. And calls can accommodate as many as 200 participants.

On your part you can ensure that you are using a phone with no static. During the call ensure that all other devices like music systems or televisions are switched off. Memorize all the buttons on your phone. Accustom yourself to using a head set. Make notes during the call and assign one person to record the minutes of the conference call. Create an agenda for the conference call and send it out to all participants. Conduct the meeting in an orderly fashion so that no time is wasted. It is a good idea to request all participants to introduce themselves when they speak.

A conference call can ease business meetings and save money on travel.

Always find out what services are offered by the conference call providers. Find out about rates and discounts. It is a competitive field so you will always benefit by comparison shopping. Select a provider who provides good service and is yet affordable.
Source:http://pr-gb.com

FreeConference plan to combine services

The technology behind a browser-based Web conferencing tool called Vyew will be wedded with software from FreeConference, an audio conference call service, according to makers of the two products.

The partnership, to be announced later this month, is designed to deliver the first free, integrated conference calling and Web conferencing service, according a spokesman for Vyew, a start-up of University of California, Berkeley, graduates that was recently called Simulat Inc. Simulat is still listed as the official company name on the Vyew Web site but will be changed, the spokesman said.

Each company plans to embed the other's service into its own, according to the spokesman. Vyew subscriberswho want conference calling while collaborating online will be able to choose "Free conference call" in Vyew for quick access to Free Conference reservationless call service.

There are already some free Web conferencing services from Yahoo Mail and Google Mail, although they offer limited functionality, said Robert Mahowald, an IDC analyst who has seen an early version of the joint product. He said he was impressed by the resulting "good mix of features" similar to those seen in more complex Web conferencing systems from IBM, Cisco Systems Inc. and Citrix Systems Inc.

Even though Vyew is used by some large companies, Mahowald predicted that it will primarily serve small and midsize business users, or even small homebound businesses since larger companies tend to rely on systems administered and installed by their IT departments.

Free Conference will offer users a new service called SharePlus desktop sharing based on Vyew's technology. SharePlus will allow document sharing and application sharing in real time during a teleconference with the activation of a single click.

Source:http://www.computerworld.com/

Verizon Introduces Three New Fixed-Mobile Convergence Services to Enhance Business Mobility

To make it easier for businesses and government agencies to enhance employee mobility and productivity, Verizon is introducing three new fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) services. The services help on-the-go professionals seamlessly bridge wireline and wireless networks.

The services, unveiled today at the NXTcomm trade show in Chicago, are: Wireless Office, PBX Mobile Extension and Mobile Conference Connection.

Features include: a single phone number that simultaneously rings to an office, home and cell phone; a unified mailbox that consolidates voicemail from multiple devices; and instant conference calls that can be organized and initiated with just a few clicks on any Research in Motion BlackBerry or Microsoft Windows Mobile smart phone or PDA.

The new services are part of Verizon's overall mobility strategy, which builds on the power of the company's expansive, world-class wireline and wireless networks and advanced collaboration techniques.

The services are also the latest additions to Verizon's comprehensive suite of Mobility offerings, which enable professionals to seamlessly and securely conduct business while away from the office. The offerings include: wireless voice and data, managed wireless LAN, and Secure Gateway, which provides mobile users with access to their company's virtual private network.

In addition, the Mobility services feature Verizon's advanced collaboration tools including conferencing services (audio conference service, Web conference service and video conference service), secure instant messaging and managed e-mail.

"Now, more than ever, busy professionals are demanding new tools to help stay on top of their business, both in and out of the office," said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon. "By bridging its world-class wired and wireless networks, Verizon is helping to enhance mobility and productivity in today's fast-paced, mobile work environment."

According to Forrester Research, 23 percent of large-business professionals are frequent travelers who spend significant time away from their offices and conduct increasing amounts of business on the move. As a result, businesses each year are spending more on mobile devices while also focusing greater attention on asset management and liability.

With Wireless Office and PBX Mobile Extension, Employees' Offices Can Follow Where They Go

Wireless Office and PBX Mobile Extension provide wireless phone users with the same capabilities available on an office phone.

Wireless Office, powered by the Verizon Wireless network, is immediately available for U.S. businesses. It delivers a network-based solution for small and mid-sized businesses to merge their fixed and wireless voice communications by extending common private branch exchange (PBX) calling features - such as abbreviated dialing, closed user groups and call control - to wireless devices.

The features enable small and mid-sized businesses to respond more quickly to their customers and make their communications more cost-efficient. As a result, these businesses can compete more effectively with their larger rivals. The service includes two different pricing options for either "on campus" wireless calling or on-net calling for calls that originate from a wireless handset to corporate office extensions.

PBX Mobile Extension enables a large corporate campus or large numbers of mobile workers - including executives, sales personnel or field service technicians - to answer calls and respond quickly. This service works with a company's existing PBX system to provide a single phone number that simultaneously rings on a user's cell phone, home phone or any pre-selected phone number. If a user can't answer the call, PBX Mobile Extension uses a company's existing voice mail system to provide a unified voice mailbox, eliminating the inefficiencies of multiple voice mail systems.

In addition to making it easier for callers to reach a company's workforce, the service enhances calling for employees. Outbound calls by employees using cell phones show the caller's office phone number via caller ID. Cell phone callers also can use other PBX functions such as call-transfer, park, hold and more.

With PBX Mobile Extension, workers can also move seamlessly between their cell phone and a desk phone to complete a call in progress, conduct quick and secure conference calls, and initiate mass notifications enabling companies to quickly respond to planned or unplanned situations. The service will be available in the United States starting next month, and Verizon plans to roll it out internationally in 2008.

On-the-Go Virtual Meetings Take New Shape With Mobile Conference Connection

Mobile Conference conference calling Connection helps busy workers quickly and easily coordinate spontaneous meetings and boost productivity away from the office. This new offering, targeted for launch this summer, provides road warriors with tools right at their fingertips to initiate or join a conference call with a few clicks on any Research in Motion BlackBerry or Microsoft Windows Mobile smart phone or PDA. For example, Mobile Conference Connection allows Instant Meeting leaders in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America to enter their Instant Meeting Subscription information on their mobile device. This enables the meeting leaders to initiate and schedule spontaneous meetings, send e-mail meeting invitations, start meetings, and add participants to conference calls via a link embedded in an e-mail invitation that participants receive via their mobile registered device. In addition, participants or leaders can join audio calls by having a conference call bridge "dial out'' to contact them.

Users of Verizon's Global BlackBerry 8830 service can use Mobile Conference Connection to initiate or participate in conference calls from 150 countries worldwide. In addition, Global Blackberry users benefit from e-mail and Internet connections in 90 countries.

More Mobility Services Planned

"Today's announcements enhance our existing Mobility portfolio with new, simple and secure ways for workers to stay connected to the office," said Stratton. "We will continue to aggressively roll out products and services that best meet the needs of business customers round the world."

Additional new services Verizon plans to launch this year and next include:

1. Satellite access in Europe and Asia to enable companies without terrestrial access to remain connected to corporate resources.

2.Additional automatic wireless primary and backup access options to help enable companies to remain up and running.

3.Mobile satellite access where users can access their network in hard-to-reach areas such as mountainous regions.

4.Integrated VoIP offerings to support mobile workers.

5.Managed Wireless backup to Private IP.

source:http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/803849/3280