Web Conference Call Services Saves You Time And Money
Web conference call, as obvious from the name, is a process of holding meetings or live presentations using Internet as the platform. It should be noted that web conference calling is different from the discussion boards, as it involves the idea of real-time and live presentations; whereas, in discussion groups, only text messages are allowed. Though very recently, with the use of video cameras and other techniques, web conference calling is adopting almost whole of the video teleconferencing process, and sometimes experts refer to them as the same thing.
Any web conference calling requires some initial setup for each of the participants involved in it. Each one must have a computer, and every computer should be connected to other participants through a reliable Internet connection. A Web conference call involves the features of audio and video. The presenter or the calling party shares the screen of its computer with other participants so as to enable them to see what is on its screen. The audio part is accompanied to this screen through telephone equipments or VOIP . Though it is not mandatory to use audio part in web conferencing, and some parties do like to use text versions to convey their messages.
Sometimes conventional corporate professionals and people who are not versed in the advanced technologies find it very difficult to adapt to the new system of conferencing, which is gaining firm hold in the business world. The use of web conferencing is breaking the boundaries of corporate sector and entering new arenas also. Web conference calling provides economic arrangement of meetings, and eliminates the need of travelling for conventional face-to-face meetings. Web conference calling is quick in its operation and saves a lot of time, apart from the fact that web conference calls can be recorded for playback option at later times.
Web conference calls are also helpful in business sectors that are more dependent of IT tools and computers. Application and file sharing features of web conference calls make it a must for all IT-based businesses. So, we can well-judge that web conference calling offers new vistas for the technology-based business, and at the same time, saves a lot of time and money for the other types of business.
Source:http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Web-Conference-Call-Services-Saves-You-Time-And-Money/83482
How to best use conference calls
Sometimes when we hear the words conference call, we think of just a three way conversation between family members or just a few business associates. But now conference calls are being used much more than they were many years ago.Gone is the apprehension which was felt when learning of a forthcoming conference call. It is now a routine occurence.
Modern electronic advances have now made conference calls much easier to place not only by just acquaintances or business directors but also by the general public. The reason for the upsurge in conference calls is that it has become much cheaper than it used to be many years ago and conference calls have turned out to be very easy to access.Conference calls are now a recognized and poweful engine for sales and marketing efforts and campaigns.
One of the most effective use of conference calls is on the occasion when a complex product requiring the acquisition of new information is needed to be imparted to multiple people scattered in many areas. When this happens questions can be directed to the lead people and answered immediately. Conference calls are conducted in real time and thus detailed demonstrations and explanations can be resolved immediately.
Conference calls are now substantially enhanced by the use of the internet and on line systems. Basically conference calls are computer driven therefore a custom made program can be downloaded to all the participants and each once can view the details of the presentations on his or her screen. The software used in this type of conference calls allows voice communications between all participants thus clarifying difficult concepts.
When a conference calls is made as a sales call it is much more effective than the old fashioned impromptu visit to a potential client. With a conference call the presenter can instantly see who in the company he or she is targeted shows interest in the product and who is hostile. This is a tremendous advantage when the time comes to close the sale since thanks to the conference call most the ground work has been done.In additon if the presenter of the product has his or her own managers on the line as well, it can be determined which one has the most rapport with the client to be and which ones best follow the guide lines eastablished by the lead person.
One of the fall-out of the popularity of conference calls is that many consumer products have been manufactured at reasonable prices which in turn has increased everyone's familiarity with the concept of conference calls. Of course many new companies have been formed as specialists in providing conference calls and they offer full turn key operations and complete service back-ups.
Conference calling can also be used for social interactions among groups of people sharing a common affinity. During the conference calls people can virtually roam aroung the electronic meeting place and communicate with different people of similar interests.
Source:http://www.articlesuniverse.com/Article/How-to-best-use-conference-calls/27847
Conference Call Services - Easy, Cheap, Effective
Conference call services are service providers facilitating conference call facilities to all those who want to perform an audio or web conference at a short notice. The clients can avail their services for a definite fee - that may vary from service provider to provider - and the users in turn are offered the best of services and support all through the session. The costs of a session are generally affordable, especially when compared with the expenses of a business travel and hotel accommodations, but may vary from one provider to the other. But, irrespective of the service provider, at the end of the day, the user may find that conference call services are the most cost effective way to arrange a trans-continental business meeting.
The conference call services – as offered by the conference call service providers – vary from simple audio conferencing to web conferencing, and each comes with different schemes and special offers. Audio conference call services or audio conference calls are for those who want to communicate things verbally, the same way as one does in a round table meeting, without any visual data exchange. On the other hand, web conference calling involves not only talking, but the participants can also see each other and share a document or parts of a document online if wished so. Audio conference call services are usually charged on a per minute basis while online conference calls levies a fee on a per seat per month basis. It may be $100-150 for a web conference session on an average and $60 for audio conferencing. Concessional rates may be offered to those who are using these conference call services quite frequently.
The communication domain is a fast changing one and hence it is only a matter of time before newer and better technologies emerge and replace the existing ones. In other words, web and audio conferencing, as it exists now, may be substituted by newer technologies in the near future. But until that happens, business will continue to rely on conference call services for their mass business communication, as a cheaper alternative for the costlier business travels, since conference call services are easy, cheap, and effective.
Source:http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/5-18-2006-96545.asp
Free Conference Calls With Conference Call Rate Plan
A free conference call is a telephonic call or conversation in which the calling party wishes to have more than one called party listen in to the audio portion of the call. It means one call can be heard or dispersed among several other callers. Isn't it easy and also best way to disperse your message to various parties? A free conference call is designed in such a way that it allows the called party to participate during the call. Also the call can be set up so that the called party merely listens into the call and cannot speak. This is also known as ATC (Audio Tele-Conference).
A free conference call has emerged the best way wherein the calling party calls the other participants and adds them to the call. Also at times it has been seen that the participants are able call into the conference call themselves. This is basically done either by dialing into a conference bridge or by using a special telephone number set up for that purpose. A conference bridge is a specialized type of telephone that answers multiple calls. Seeing its popularity now you can also find a three-way calling but this facility is available for an extra charge however this option allows callers to add a second outgoing call to an already connected call.
Guide to Conference Calling
It is quite possible to set up a conference call in a number of different ways all of which achieving the same result but from different suppliers. Though there may be off supplies and services you can use to set up conference calls, in the main there are just three major suppliers and their various setups.
A system known as reservation less conference call may well be the most commonly used. This is one of the easiest types of conference call to setup.
The only information that is required at this stage is the detail of the number, access code and additional access codes from the other parties that you wish to join with you. It is very easy and straightforward to setup this call in that all you have to do is dial your prearranged number key the data in and get your other parties to do the same.
It is possible, for the more technically challenged amongst us to have “Operator assisted conference calls,” and as the phrase suggests this is when you have a right to a homeland to assist you with recording the conversation where necessary and trying to setup additional facilities if required.
This tends to be a bit more expensive, and requires reservations a certain time in advance. As is usual; the cost of this type of call varies from supplier to supplier.
Operator dialled set up conference calls allow for more interaction with the individual members of the conference call. The operator will dial out to each participant at your reserved time, and add them manually into the conference.
This is a great service for people who are not used to conference calls. Lastly if you require additional facilities at least you have direct contact with an operator immediately to facilitate these.
The above mentioned three techniques are not the only ones that are available certainly with new technologies becoming available daily. Web conferences are much more involved than any type of phone conference call, and requires you to know a great deal about the software it uses, or to have technical support on hand to help. There are also small scale conference calls between two or three people that business lines can handle. Just play around with the different options and you will see what is the most advantageous to your business.
As technology advances, the world of telecommunications gets easier and cheaper. Advances in technology quite naturally mean that communications get more advanced. Nowadays we no longer just have to use the phone for conference calls as we have the Internet to bring an added online dimension. "So, what’s the big deal?" Well, the big deal is that not only will you be able to talk to each other, but you will be able to do so much more in an online conference call.
Having an online conference call, or web conference, is not just about an extra video feature during the conference. Online Conference call services offer a number of things that a regular telephone based conference can not. The basic issue of one to one communication doesn't alter and sometimes this can be hard. However, if you were to illustrate your point, using pictures, videos, or presentations, the participants would understand your point more clearly.
It is possible using these types of online services to share more than just Audio information on now whole documents, PDF slideshows pictures etc. can be shared. Of course, video without any audio would not be very user friendly. Luckily, there is more than one means of communication with these online conference call services. Participants will usually have the choice to talk aloud via microphone/headset, or type via an IM, instant messaging or board.
Before you make your decision about a particular service provider, you should at least try a few out. You have nothing to lose by doing this as long as they offer a free trial.
Test the service to see how it works, cancel the trial and move to another service. it is a totally straightforward and instantly measurable exercise to check that online conferencing is superior to just audio conference calling. If you need to host a conference call, host an online conference call, you won't regret it.
Source: http://www.articlegold.com/Article/A-Simple-Guide-to-Conference-Calling-/7407
Know Easily about Audio Conference Calling
Audio conferencing is used to hold group meetings or live presentations through audio channels. The term has evolved to refer specifically to live or synchronous audio meetings. Audio conferencing can be conducted over telephones but, most often, an audio conferencing system or service is used. An audio conferencing system allows multiple, geographically separated parties to join a discussion anytime, anywhere. Expenses are greatly saved through this form of conferencing as people do not have to be at the same place in order for a meeting to be held. Furthermore, audio conferencing can also utilize personal computers to allow users to work on the same document or other software application at the same time. Whatever on one user’s screen will also show up on all of the other screens in the conference. With the use of a digital whiteboard and a special pen, users can even draw pictures and diagrams for each other to demonstrate visual ideas.
Audio conferencing uses one of two main types of oral communication tools: a regular telephone or a computer telephone. With regular telephones, each user dials in and everyone can hear each other on the line.
With computer telephones, special software called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is installed in the computer. The user dons a microphone-and-earphone headset that is plugged into the computer’s USB port. The user’s voice is carried along the Internet to the other users, and vice-versa, just as if it were a conventional telephone (but costing a fraction of the usual long-distance charges.)
Audio conference calling services are being used primarily by large companies, but are fast becoming an essential element in small businesses. By removing the need for expensive travel and time to manage the communications between groups and individuals, companies are able to increase their productivity and profitability. Audio conference calling services are reasonably priced, with the alternative of pre-paid or by the minute rates.
Source:http://www.articles-and-news.com/articles/Call-Conferencing/index.htm
RIM Unveils Wi-Fi Enabled BlackBerry 8820 Smartphone
The iPhone mania is sweeping all over the web, reason enough for competitors to come out with their own of offer. Research In Motion (RIM) recently announced the BlackBerry 8820 smartphone with built in Wi-Fi.
"The BlackBerry 8820 is an extraordinary business phone for people who really care about mobile communications and productivity. It features all the renowned power and usability of the BlackBerry platform with executive class styling and unprecedented connectivity features, including cellular, Wi-Fi and built-in GPS. The BlackBerry 8820 complements our carrier partners' cellular networks with the added ability to stay connected via Wi-Fi at home, through hotspots and corporate campuses." (Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM)
The new phone supports the 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards to enable data access over Wi-Fi connections in the enterprise, as well as through public hotspots and wireless home networks.
The BlackBerry 8820 list of features includes:
- Speaker Independent Voice Recognition for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), smart dialing, conference calling, speed dialing and call forwarding, as well as dedicated "send", "end" and "mute" keys. It features a high quality, low-distortion speakerphone and Bluetooth 2.0 for use with hands-free headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals. Support for polyphonic, mp3 and MIDI ringtones is also included.
- Built-in GPS – Through its built-in GPS, the BlackBerry 8820 can pinpoint its location and provide "out-of-the-box" support for a wide variety of location-based applications and services, including BlackBerry Maps.
- microSD / microSDHC Expansion Memory – The BlackBerry 8820 includes a microSD expansion memory slot that can support both microSD (up to 2GB) and microSDHC (4GB to 32GB) memory cards. 4GB memory cards are available today, and 8GB cards are expected to be available later this year.
- BlackBerry Services – The BlackBerry 8820 can operate with BlackBerry Internet Service, giving users the ability to manage up to 10 supported personal and corporate email accounts, as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Server, enabling advanced security and IT administration features within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments.
- Application Support – The BlackBerry wireless platform gives customers the capability to deploy a variety of applications. Thousands of applications and business solutions from third party software providers can further extend the BlackBerry platform to support business needs such as CRM, sales force automation, field services, business intelligence, supply chain management and continuity of operations, as well as a broad range of industry-specific applications for sectors including health care, law enforcement, government, financial services, insurance, pharmaceutical, professional services, real estate, manufacturing, wholesale and retail.
- Multimedia – The BlackBerry 8820 supports the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP) and comes with the most recent BlackBerry media player refinements, allowing users to play music and search by simply typing the title, genre, artist or album name. Videos can also be played in full screen mode. The BlackBerry 8820 comes with a new and powerful desktop media manager – the Roxio Media Manager for BlackBerry – which was developed with Sonic and based on the award-winning Roxio Easy Media Creator 9.
- Removable Battery – The BlackBerry 8820 comes with an ultra-thin, high-capacity, removable battery that further extends the exceptional battery life for which BlackBerry handsets are known.
The BlackBerry 8820 pack includes a headset, travel charger, USB cable and holster. According to RIM, it will be released worldwide in the coming. As far as the US customers are concerned, AT&T managed to get first in line once again and announced it would launch the BlackBerry 8820 later this summer.
Source:http://news.portalit.net/fullnews_RIM-Unveils-Wi-Fi-Enabled--BlackBerry-8820-Smartphone_2827.html
11 Things To Remember When Choosing A Conference Call Service
A conference call involves the communication between a calling party and more than one listener. There are numerous conference call services available, making it difficult to make a quick decision. The service that you choose will ultimately depend on the expectations and uses you wish get out of your conference calls. For some, only a few details matter, such as price, while others are in need of advanced services like on-the-spot technical support. Below are a few factors to consider when choosing the conference call service that is most compatible with your needs.
Business Conference Calls
When it comes time to report quarterly stats, many companies turn to conference calls. This allows them to communicate the ups and downs of their business to interested parties. A higher-level company executive, such as the CEO, often reads the company reports. Once the results are revealed, the call is then accessible for others to join in, namely stock analysts, who come with a slew of questions. Businesses may also use conference calls to promote their products or services. Seminar leaders may open a conference call to the public to share their marketing techniques or business strategies for free or a small price.
Entertainment-Based Conference Calls
Today, people are looking for more and more ways to make new friends or find the companion of their dreams. When bars and clubs get to be too much, the allure of chatting on a "party line" becomes increasingly appealing. Entertainment-based conference calls are used to provide a break from boredom, as well as a way to socialize with others. Participants call a phone number set aside for this purpose and are plugged into a whole new world of mingling and flirting.
Audio vs. Visual
Audio conference calls are less expensive and require less equipment than visual conferencing. Web conference calls also open up a host of potential problems, such as malfunctioning chat, instant message, and web cam services. Streaming video may also pose concerns. Although the capabilities of visual conference calls are vast and have a better way of getting the point across, depending on your intended audience, the concept might be too advanced.
To use visual conferencing as a business tool, you will also have to familiarize yourself with an assortment of software selections and other online options. Learning visual conferencing techniques is a process. For example, include too many large files and you may end up with a communication problem.
Conference Call Limitations
What kind of conference call do you want? Some services allow the called party to speak during a call, while other selections only allow called parties to listen to what is being said.
Conference Call Set-Up
Do you want to control how conference calls are received and made? Calling parties can place calls to desired participants or entrance to a call is gained by calling a special phone number.
Reservation vs Non-Reservation
When you choose a service offering reservation-less conference calls, you will enjoy more freedom. Calls can be placed at any time without speaking to an operator or setting up an appointment. Reservation services require you to schedule your call ahead of time.
Conference Call Commands
What sort of capabilities do calling parties have when choosing a service? Things to consider include the ability to get operator assistance, mute and unmute participants, alter ringing tones and record conversations.
Call Planning is Essential
Knowing how long your conference call will be allows you to shuffle along participants to meet time expectations. As a rule of thumb, a conference call centers on an hour or more. Larger groups demand longer time frames, but without the use of video, it is difficult to keep the interest of all participants.
Usually, about 1-3 minutes are given to each participant to voice his or her opinions. Often, an hour-long conversation handles about 1-2 topics. Another important factor pertaining to conference calls is to prepare for last-minute technical issues. Be aware of applicable time zones and schedule a conference call that will accommodate all of your desired participants. When choosing a service, make sure all customer and technical support will be handled in a timely manner.
Billing Plans
Accepting a variety of credit cards, some services offer per minute pricing plans. Once the conference call is completed, a call summary is emailed to you with all of the details. Applicable charges are then placed on your credit card. Additional plans include flat rate unlimited and monthly plans. Some companies offer a flat monthly rate of $60 for a maximum of five people that allows unlimited usage for the month.
Special Services
Will the conference call service you choose provide you with extra services? Depending on your needs, you may desire to have a taped recording of your conference call. Some services offer this luxury for a flat fee (around $25). Some charge an hourly rate if you wish to have a transcript of your call. Rebroadcasts are also offered through some services for a fee. For an extra charge, operator assistance might be available, which helps with the moderation of conference calls.
Several Conference Call Service Companies Reviewed
Accu Conference : This on-demand, fully automated toll-free service offers reservation-less service, free call recordings and live in-call web control for 9.9 cents per line. Operator service costs 13.9 cents. Unlimited use, flat-rate conferencing is offered, starting at $99 per month.
No Cost Conference : Offers free, reservation-less conference call capabilities, available 24 hours a day. You will receive a pin and dial-in phone number once a quick registration is completed. Free and cheap conference call services are good for short notice calls and limited budgets. With this option, reliability of service does become a concern.
WebEx : Offers conference call services, as well as helpful products, such as Meeting Center, Training Center, Support Center and Sales Center. They offer different solutions to better serve small, medium and large companies. They also offer decent live technical support and pay-per-use services.
OnConference : This service offers no set-up fee and has a listed price of 19 cents per minute per person with or without toll-free access.
Contact Call : Highly recommended for their operator-assisted services.
When you conduct careful comparisons and research on the many conference call services, you will be able to take advantage of a wealth of savings that regular phone services cannot provide.
Source:http://www.eioba.com/
Various TeleConferencing Calling Options
Teleconference services are remarkably similar in terms of their basic offerings. Because almost all teleconference services buy their equipment from one of a few manufacturers, there are very few differences in terms of features and connection quality. There are two basic types of audio teleconference available: reservationless and operator-assisted.
Reservationless conferencing
Reservationless conferencing is the most popular type of teleconference used today. With it, you can start a conference call immediately, any hour of the day or night. This type of calling is often used by salespeople to set up calls with prospects and by departments that need to hold meetings with other employees or vendors.
When you sign up, you receive a permanent, toll-free dial-in telephone number and two passcodes: one passcode for the teleconference host, and the other for participants. Participants simply need to dial in to be connected to the teleconference.
Because reservationless conferencing is mostly automated, rates are far lower than operator-assisted conferencing. However, reservationless conferencing offers a less comprehensive list of features than operator-assisted services.
Operator-assisted conferencing
On the high-end, operator-assisted conferencing provides the comprehensive support needed for important corporate phone calls like investor relations calls or upper level management meetings.
With this reservation-required service, an operator is on hand to place calls to participants and to help manage the conference call, from the beginning roll call to wrap-up reporting. While this can be overkill for small conference calls, when a call has dozens or even thousands of participants, having someone help manage the call logistics while you are speaking can be incredibly helpful.
The only drawbacks to operator-assisted conferencing are the higher cost and the need to make reservations up to a day in advance. For calls where advanced features or operator assistance is important, however, neither drawback is serious enough to avoid using this type of teleconference service.
Source:http://www.buyerzone.com/
Conference Calling – Meeting the Needs of the Modern Business
These days it seems business is becoming more and more complex and globalized. We are doing business with people everywhere in the US and in many instances, people in other countries. Due to the wide use of the Internet, the words "foreign country" doesn’t even seem to apply anymore.
The Internet has brought us all closer together in one aspect, but how does that affect investor relations, sales pitches, meetings, and group sessions? A lot of people now work closer with their computers than they do with co-workers and because of the Internet, many companies have people working for them from different parts of the world who have never even met each other.
Never before has conference calling been a more popular solution to the communication needs of companies and individuals all over the world. Conference calls are becoming increasingly popular as a method of bringing people together for meetings and discussions.
I will do my best to explain the advantages of conference calling for your business communication needs. Whether you are talking about meetings with investors, conference calls with your employees, making your sales presentation to groups, or simply needing several people in on the same discussion, conference calling is the most useful tool there is.
Chat rooms and message boards just don’t cut it. Message boards are impersonal, not real-time, and tend to get filled with useless information that isn’t directly related to your topic. Chat rooms are just that, chatty. You type in messages in real-time so it is better than a message board, but it again lacks the personal touches and insights conference calling provides.
Voice inflection, as many of you know is a great way to tell how someone feels about what you are saying. Simple typed messages do not give you that same advantage. When we hear our counterparts speak, we can tell how enthusiastic, positive, negative, or apathetic they are about what you say.
Conference calling is relational, while message boards and chat rooms are merely informational. That is the great difference in those options. You don’t make sales through information alone. You make sales by creating relationships.
You don’t encourage or motivate your employees or partners through information alone, you do it by creating relationships. You don’t instill confidence to your investors through providing just information, you do it by letting them hear how enthusiastic and positive you are about your proposal.
Only conference calling can provide the relationship solution when working with people who are too far away to physically attend meetings.
A simple search on your favorite search engine or just following the links in the footer of this article can provide you with many options for your specific conference calling needs.
What are some of the things that separate good conference calling services and bad ones? That is the question I get asked the most when discussing this topic. Here are some of the features you should look for;
High sound quality; The last thing you want to do is try to hold an important meeting through static, interrupted service, and low quality sound. The sound quality of your conference calls is far more important than the price or other features. If they cannot hear you speak clearly and you cannot hear them clearly, what is the use of a conference call at all?
Operators: While an operator assisted call is not necessary, having someone from your conference call service provider greeting each person as they are connected is a valuable service. They can tell the participants what to expect better than your own staff can, since they are familiar with the conference call software and service. In addition to that, the operator can and should monitor the entire call to make sure the sound quality maintains a high level of clarity. They will know what to do to fix it if a problem arises.
Recordings and Copies: If your conference call provider has the ability to record and provide playback of your conference call sessions, then you will want to take advantage of that feature. Some conference call providers can even provide it to you on CD afterwards. This is enormously helpful for you to be able to review your conference call sessions later. It may also serve as a record of agreements made during the conference call session.
Price: Last, but certainly not least, you have to consider price. You may be able to choose a conference call provider that gives you all of the features I mentioned above and more, or you may be on a tight budget and have to settle for less service. Whichever conference call service you use, do not sacrifice sound quality for price. That is the one feature you cannot afford to do without, no matter what the cost.
I hope this article on conference calling has been helpful to you. It was my goal to share with you what features I consider the most helpful to me in my business meetings.
Source:http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-26-2006-94510.asp