How International Conference Calls works?

International Conference Calls-

International conference calls are an integral part of business communications. For whatever purposes, they are used for. And just like any other form of communication, they are also used to great effect and can be quite beneficial when used properly.

But when it comes to international conference calls, there are certain guidelines or rules, which one has to observe in order to avoid any mishaps or misunderstandings. So here are some points that you should always remember regarding international conference calls:

There are two standard elements which determine how much you pay for international conference calls: the calling rates and the per minute calling rates. The calling rates are the amount that you are charged for every call. The per minute calling rates is the number of minutes that you are allowed to talk on the phone for each call. These are basically the charges which you need to consider when it comes to choosing the right international conferencing service provider. For instance, you may opt for a service provider who charges extra per minute in case you exceed the fixed maximum number of call made in a single call.

You will have to provide information about your participants before you start the conference. This is actually an important point, which will help you decide on various things. For instance, you should ask your participants about their direct dialing or non-dialing numbers. You will also have to know their access code or password. Some international conference calls do not allow unauthorized participants to dial an access code number. In such cases, the access code should be checked with the call operator prior to the start of the conference.

Many companies provide audio conferencing solutions to their customers in order to enable them to conduct international meetings at lower cost. The audio conferencing services include allowing participants to dial telephone access numbers and then be able to connect with each other through audio data. Sometimes, the audio conferencing calls also enable the users to select particular participants for speaking to them. The availability of these audio conference call features depends mainly on the software that has been installed on the computer of the attendee.

How do international conference calls work? Basically, there are two kinds of conference calls: local and toll free. If you are using toll-free calling plans, the number of participants is limited and they can dial no more than three toll free numbers. So if you are a business firm, you can connect up to three members of the company to a common phone line. On the other hand, if you use local phone numbers, then there might be ten or fifteen participants in your call.

Another option available for dial-in conference calling is the conference call option of the company. Here, by logging into the company’s website, the attendees can sign-up for the call. In this case, the company would charge its customers for making use of this option.

Conference calls can be conducted using toll free or local toll-free numbers. A typical plan provided by many companies allows the user to make use of both long-distance and short-distance calling options. The plans generally include three or five long-distance and two or three short-distance numbers. Companies providing international conference calls also provide a local toll-free number that can be dialed to connect the participants to the call.

As far as features are concerned, most of the international conference calling plans are similar to the basic ones. However, some companies provide additional features like voice mail so that the attending participants can send greetings to each other. Some of the additional features also include the option for recording the proceedings of the call and storing them for future reference. Also, additional options like text messaging the Internet connection of the participants and sending email to the attendees are also provided.