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Teleconferencing is becoming the wave of the future as more and more people are busy working from home or running their own home business. With less of us communing in one locale at a given time, communication needs have demanded sophisticated solutions.
This has increased popularity and availability of conferencing products. You may have never given teleconferences a single thought before, but find yourself now looking into available options.
It is the means by which two or more people can exchange live information through a telephone. A phone or web conference allows people from thousands of miles apart to connect.
Common uses include: participating in a work conference call from home or holding your own conferencing call with many people.
How Does Teleconferencing Work?
There are different methods; you can choose either to purchase your own equipment or pay for the use of equipment through a service provider. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options, but either way, you will be able to contact anywhere from two other people to thousands at the same time depending on your service.
A simple three-way calling service is available through most local phone companies. Sound quality may not be the best and limitations apply. Most likely you are not able to include oversees numbers and are limited to a certain regional or national locations.
Chances are that if you are interested in a teleconference system you want to include more than two other people. The following is a list of common services that are available through many conferencing providers:
Pay Per Use Conference Call Pricing
Teleconferencing companies offer this service for users who calling needs vary from month to month. With “Pay Per Use” plans you are able to get a low per/minute rate as long as you only use a specified amount of minutes each month. Something to keep in mind is if you fail to use all of your minutes you may be charged for the full amount anyway.
“Minutes” Conference Call Pricing
This plan is comparable to the “Pay Per Use” plan, but the rate per/minute is different than with a “Pay Per Use” plan. Different providers offer different rates, but they are usually lower than with the “Pay Per Use” plan and offer plans that range from 500 to 12,000 monthly minutes. If you exceed your limit, you will be charged extra.
Flat Rate Conference Call Pricing
Each month you are charged a “flat rate” regardless of minutes used. If you hold many conference calls or have many callers on with you, a flat rate plan may be the best choice. Of course, with any contract, remember to read the fine print.
Now that you have a better overview of possible conference services, a simple pros and cons summary will make your choice even easier:
Pros
- Easy communication over long distances
- Ability to relay information to many people at one time
- No need to fly oversees to address a business partner or hold a meeting
- Take control over your business needs
Cons
- No face to face contact
- Service can be lacking if with the wrong provider
- Fees can be substantial
Are you operating a large business that has extensive telecommunication needs? You may want to look at purchasing the equipment and software needed to host your own teleconferencing. You will have greater control over teleconferencing needs and options.
Do you run a home business that has weekly or nightly meetings via the telephone? Most likely you will not want to purchase equipment since you are responsible for servicing it also.
A few things to keep in mind are:
Are participants coming from different countries?
Do you need help moderating the call with an operator?
Look at plan specifics with the company you are interested in and make sure that you read the fine print!
With many companies growing in size or becoming more multinational you will find a greater need for conference calls. A teleconference can be an effective means of sharing information when used properly. It can allow an individual to call into a large meeting and provide updates and field questions from attendees at a convention or stockholders meeting.
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