All about last night.

Monday, July 31, 2006

Conference : Directory For Cheap Conference Calling - Cutting Through The Hype

Directory For Cheap Conference Calling - Cutting Through The Hype


One other potential obstacle that you can face is what I like to call the marketing hype syndrome. Effectively, what happens is, while you're shopping around for the latest and greatest, or at least a decent technology for your company, You will invariably get plenty of sales promotions.

And you will have to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff or another words, you'll have to find out what is fact and what is fiction. There are ways to cut down on the amounts of BS that you'll have to cut through, the one thing you can do is read industry standard magazines, which provide independent and quality assessment on the latest technologies for business. Perhaps there is something that you read in a magazine last week that talked about a great entry-level costing teleconference system that may be perfect for you.

Over time, you will notice the same names and manufacturers or service providers come up at the tip of the big kahunas mouths - over and over again. This is the sign that these are probably the more prominent and trustworthy solutions that are available to anyone at any given time.

This is not to say that the underdogs of the market do not necessarily have the "goods", but may possess lesser advertising dollars, or marketing muscle in general. But in the fast-paced economy, you want make sure that you get to the meat, as soon as possible and stop wasting time with the little details.

One factor although not explicitly stated outright is definitely the size of your organization. A smaller organization will rely on different needs, as opposed to a larger organization which has more resources, larger staff, and perhaps have a more scattered staff around the world. It's important to be aware of these little nuances as you move from organization to organization.

http://www.totalteleconference.com contains a directory for cheap conference calling that you can refer to in addition to your other research for a good service.


Conference : Latest Conference Calling Technology News: Don't Just Reach Out, Connect

Latest Conference Calling Technology News: Don't Just Reach Out, Connect


Let's slip away from the verbal aspects of teleconferencing. Let us not forget that you can actually gain virtual access to entire resources from document repositories, including PowerPoint presentations, drawings or mind maps, Excel spreadsheets, and whatever else you can think of, you can do essentially through teleconferencing. It's really that simple.

Also, students who are on remedial leave for whatever reasons can actually play back on demand, lesson plans from their professors or from other professors and learn from the comfort of their own dorms and apartments. They can even catch up on old homework assignments from a remote location without missing out on the fun!

You don't even need any specialized equipment, the type of equipment that you'll need for the most basic of teleconferencing features are simply an Internet connection through a Mac or PC, as well as the basic setup of a keyboard and mouse and a nice quality monitor. Also you might want to have speakers and a microphone in case you want to enliven the experience of it with other types of communications.

Consider joining a party of more than five individuals on a teleconferencing line at any given time. The work load to the teleconferencing systems will be proportional to how many people and how active individuals are during the conferences. After you make sure that you have all the basic requirements as far as the system set up is concerned. You want to make sure that you have the appropriate software in general- every service for teleconferencing, uses their own proprietary connection software that allows you to connect to their specialized network.

The latest conference calling technology news will help you keep abreast of the new changes and applications within the teleconferencing industry to allow you to reach out to more customers with more of a human touch. This benefits your bottom line directly. For more please go to http://www.totalteleconference.com/ .


Conference : The Business Advantages of Conference Calling Using the Internet

The Business Advantages of Conference Calling Using the Internet


The Internet provides a practical venue for the conference call. With its low cost and ability to accomodate many listeners it is now practical to open a conference call to almost anyone (at least to listen). Many firms now do. For example, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal related how IOMEGA does this as an efficient way to control the irresponsible babble on Internet bulletin boards. People posting idle chatter now attract accurate responces from others who have heard the actual story on a conference call. As a result, the irresponsible postings are controlled. Naturally, investment professionals complain that this allows the novice to access raw information that needs interpretation by someone more knowledgable - namely such a professional.

However, companies like the ability to make one public statement, and then be free from goverment limitations on how investment information must be released. And individual investors like it too, as access to this information gets them access to information that once only slowly reached the average investor. Even Chairman Levitt of the SEC sides with the theory of greater access for the masses. According to an article in the 24 May 1999 issue of the Wall Street Journal, the NASDAQ has even funded a pilot program to pay for public access to conference calls. Firms such as DELL and Cosco are early participants.

Using the Internet has many advantages besides the instantaneous international release that results. It is possible to save the audio files so that the call can be accessed later at a more convenient time. Plus it would be possible to edit out meaningless portions to provide sort of a "Cliff Notes" of each conference. Naturally, there are some limitations. If everyone could ask a question, real brawls could result as the conferences became uncontrolled. So most Internet systems limit who can ask a question. An outstanding advantage for the average investor is to witness directly a firm's management in action. While the information might be the same, an investor gains confidence in management that presents a virtuoso performane over one that is defensive, hesitant, and obfuscative. The details aside, the speed of responce and other items that don’t get incorporated in an analyst's report can add a lot to one's understanding. Previously, a small investor's only such access might have been at a company's annual meeting.

Several firms have opened to provide investment-related conference-call services in one form or another over the Internet. Some require membership and user fees, but the trend seems to be toward company funding of the low cost service, and free or very low cost access by the public. According to the WSJ article mentioned above, firms now providing some for of access include: Vcall (Philadelphia), broadcast.com (Dallas), c-call.com (Street Fusion, (San Fransisco), and CCBN.com (Boston). Expect that more and more firms will offer the public Internet conference call. Encourage firms you are interested in to do so. This form of communication is yet another form of ultimate corporate democracy.

Matt Tong owns and maintains a website that is dedicated to sourcing the best Conference Call Companies http://www.conferencecall-services.info
Matt tong also owns http://www.germany-2006-world cup.com


Conference : Directory For Cheap Conference Calling: Don't Be Greedy!

Directory For Cheap Conference Calling: Don't Be Greedy!


The most basic form of the teleconference, and one that is probably shared by at least 90% no more of all the teleconferencing services on the market today incorporate some degree of audio and the main delineation would probably be the quality of the audio.

The quality of the audio as well as the capacity for how many numbers of individuals It can support at any given time is dependent on the quality of the connection settings of the conference call members. For instance, if someone has a T1 line, versus someone who uses a 28.8 baud modem- there will be inconsistencies in the quality relative to each of the conference calling members.

However with the latest developments in the telecommunications industry, and more specifically with and teleconferencing supplies and equipment, this issue is being addressed more and more so that there can be more uniformity as well as an overall increase in noticeable audio quality across all the conference services.

Okay so now that you have a bit of background on the types of basic teleconferencing technologies available. Let's play with some scenarios. Okay, so let's say that you have made a decision to go with something more audio or graphic in nature. In that case, you might want to decide and check out to see if you have the appropriate third-party software such as PowerPoint and other types of word processing and document processing software packages.

Once you've determined whether you have that you must decide whether your employees or your executives will actually spend the time to actually use audio graphic presentations in the lions share of their teleconference sessions because if you think about it if you aren't going to use a lot of the audio graphic type tools like PowerPoint, and things of that nature than what's the point really if all you want to do is just touch base once in a while just to check on progress?

A directory for cheap conference calling will help you shop around (http://www.totalteleconference.com/) and find out what features you need and what you can save up on.


Conference : What You Need To Know About Conferencing

What You Need To Know About Conferencing


Globalization and the integration of the world economy have now made it possible for people and companies to tap into new markets around the globe. This means that in their search for new clients, people in business need to travel to as many places as they can. However, the search for new clients does not stop at the initial business meeting, as constant communication needs to be maintained between businesses as they enter into a business relationship.

Given this, businesses that are located in between long distances need an effective way by which they can communicate with each other without having to spend too much money on business trips. Fortunately, recent developments in communications technology have now made it possible for businesses to do so. One of these developments includes conferencing, which is a form of technology that allows people to have a “business meeting” even if they are separated by very long distances.

Types of conferencing solutions

Today, there are three conferencing solutions that businesses can use for their communications needs. One of these is Audio Conferencing, which utilizes PBX systems that bridges two speakerphones wherein the participants of the conference can hold the meeting right at their respective conference rooms. Among all the types of conferencing technologies, audio conferencing has been around the longest and it utilizes comparatively simple technology.

Another type of conferencing solution is Video Conferencing, wherein an added feature of having video technology is added to the conference call. Although these types of conference calls are a little more expensive than audio conferencing, most businesses still use them as it can greatly enhance the conferencing experience. The most modern among these technologies is Web Conferencing, wherein desktop computers that are hooked to the Internet are used to hold the conference. This option is becoming very popular as it provides additional features at very low costs.

To meet the need for businesses to maintain constant communications with their clients worldwide, there are a number of conferencing technologies that businesses can utilize. These include audio conferencing, video conferencing, and web conferencing, which all have features that can enhance not only the conferencing experience but the business relationship as well.

Conferencing provides detailed information on Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Audio Conferencing, Video Conferencing and more. Conferencing is affiliated with Online Conference Centers.


Conference : Pointers on Looking for a Good Conference Call Provider

Pointers on Looking for a Good Conference Call Provider


If you want to find the best conference call provider to suit your needs, you have to know how to do some research. Online is of course a good place to start. Look for a viable conference call provider online, because chances are this outfit will also use the Internet to route and market its product.

Providers of VoIP - or voice over Internet protocol - are often sought for their conferencing software. VoIP technology offers a much cheaper alternative to traditional phone conferencing, which has to deal with bad reception, long distance charges, and other major inconveniences. Chances are even after you've done your research, you'll still find that the most affordable and viable conference call provider for you is a VoIP-enabled one.

VoIP technology is quite similar to traditional phone calls, actually - only it uses Internet lines to send sound packets instantaneously from one computer terminal to another. As with phone calls, distance may affect the integrity of the signal, and if the provider is not quite reliable, you may find the personal information you used to sign up for VoIP services distributed over the Web.

VoIP is largely untapped territory in the global telecom industry, and in a free trade environment, your options are virtually limitless. Regulation of VoIP use is still ongoing in all developed countries. You can opt for the free (or conditionally free) Web-based communication services like Skype, Tapioca or GoogleTalk... but since many of such services are built on open source codes, you may be in danger of having your transactions hacked into, interrupted or downright blocked. Some free services, such as amiciPhone, claim to be secure, however.

And as for "conditionally free," we mean services that have been around for some time, such as Skype and Vonage, have already started charging for their services in certain parts of the globe. If you want audio chat services that are bound to stay free for a while, GoogleTalk, Yahoo Messenger, AIM and other chat messenger software provide reasonable audio communication options. However, communication may suffer in quality, and users are normally restricted to just one-on-one chatting.

For more reliable alternatives, it would be best to look into paid, closed source alternatives. What you're paying for is not only convenience, but flexibility, ease of use, and absolute security. If you're lucky, you can find a good paid conference call provider who can customize an audio conferencing software package for reasonable rates.

Multipartycall.com provides you with information on conference call provider and much more. Come take a look!


Conference : How to Setup an Internet Conference Call

How to Setup an Internet Conference Call


It seems with the invention of the internet, everything is changing. The way we send information has been changed dramatically. People use to write a letter, stick it in an envelope, place the stamp on it, and mail it away. Now that letter has been turned into an instant telegram, compliments of your computer and the internet. Photos that took an hour or 2 to get developed, can now be transfered to you computer, digitally enhanced, and then printed with high quality, in a matter of minutes. It is no surprise that conference calls that were done over the phone, can now be done online.

An internet conference call is done via your computer. Luckily for you, you do not need a college "how to setup an internet conference call" course. Then again, you can't jump right in and be a professional at it either. First you are going to need software that allows you to conduct a conference call over the internet. This part is not very hard considering that there are a number of companies that have software that let you host a conference call at little or no cost to you. The software you have setup will have a different overall view, and may be more complicated or less complicated then others.

Here is a basic example of creating a conference call on the Skype software.

Bring up the skype user window and find the tools area and click on it.
Find "Create Conference"
Click on it a new box will open.
A new box has just appeared, titled "Start a Skype Conference Call" Type in the topic of the Call, in the box.
Select up to 4 people who you wish to participate in the conference call.
After having them selected click the add button.
Once all names are listed in the "conference Participants" box click the start button. The participants will join in a few seconds.
Discuss what ever you need to during the call.
If finished press end call button.
Confirm that you want to end the call.
As you can see, it is quite simple to set a call up over the internet. During the call you can share information, files, video, and audio. Each program is different. Some may restrict the amount of information you send, while others may have no barriers on such things. It is true that these types of programs are similar to chat rooms and such, but they offer many more features and the ability to share sound and video. The best thing to do is try a few, before settling down with a specific type. Although you may be happy with your current internet conference call setup, one may be just around the corner that could be even better.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of BestConferenceCallingServices.com He provides more information on how to setup an internet conference call, plus video, audio and web conference calling specials that you can research in your pajamas on his website.



Conference : Flat Rate Conference Call Services - The Hot Zone

Flat Rate Conference Call Services - The Hot Zone


Although it isn't necessary to buy the latest and greatest system, in general you really do not want to buy something based solely on one factor such as the price. Because if you had any experience at all in this free-market economy price does not always indicate quality.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but you get the idea. This tidbit is especially true if you're planning to implement this teleconferencing system within a hot zone. Or in other words, if you're planning to use it with real clients, supply chain partners, and stakeholders.

Then you have a vested interest to provide the best presence as well as sense of professionalism in front of these constituents. Otherwise it may be OK to go with a lesser costing system, if you're only planning to use it with some of your employees and those that you're managing within the organization. Anything used on an ad hoc or informal nature can be used on a free teleconferencing or cheap conferencing solution.

From that starting point you will at least have a point of reference to decide where you want to steer your communications strategy- by upgrading certain components on a needed basis. This gives you maximum flexibility.

Flat rate conference call services will get you up to speed quickly. http://www.totalteleconference.com has more information for you.


Conference : Internet Conferencing - Advantages

Internet Conferencing - Advantages


Nobody works in complete isolation. In virtually all lines of business, contact with other people will be required in some capacity. Whether it is meeting with clients or colleagues; presenting new ideas or products; or giving or receiving training, good communication is the key to running a successful business.

However, in the modern world of commerce, business takes place twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Large, international organizations have sites across the globe and thanks to the Internet, even small and medium sized companies have found themselves trading on an international scale.

International markets and twenty-four hour business undoubtedly provide great opportunities, but they are not without their difficulties. Trying to arrange a seminar for a large number of delegates based in different countries, for example, can be a logistical nightmare. Diaries need to be synchronized, flights booked, accommodation sourced and meeting facilities organized. It is a major undertaking, and one that takes a lot of time, money and effort.

No Need To Travel

In this instance, the advantages of web conferencing are easy to see - nobody needs to travel anywhere. From the comfort of their own office delegates can participate in meetings and seminars without having to travel a single extra mile.

For smaller organizations, web conferencing can open up whole new markets. Where before, perhaps there was not the man-power to spare for long periods out of the office, web conferencing reduces the need for travel to allow face to face meetings. Proposals can be pitched and new business won without the need for lengthy trips away from the office.

The reduced need for travel that web conferencing brings has other advantages; staff spend less time traveling and more time at home – that should make for a happier and more productive workforce; thousands of dollars spend on air fares, car hire and accommodation are saved and less time is spent sourcing flights and making hotel reservations. All these benefits, simply by reducing the need for travel with web conferencing.

Saving Your Company Time

There is no doubt that organizing a meeting takes time. Even the smallest meetings, if they involve delegates from different geographic locations, require a degree of effort. Whether it is down to the delegates themselves or if it is left to the secretary or personal assistant, someone is spending precious company time making the necessary arrangements. Flights, hotels, catering, diary management – they all take time to organize – time that could be spent far more productively.

Take away the need for travel, days or weeks out of the office and the requirement for overnight accommodation and suddenly organizing the meeting or seminar is not such a major task. Diaries will become much more easy to synchronize, a quick email or telephone call is all that is needed to set up a web conference. Hours of time are freed up for staff to concentrate on making money for the organization.

Saving Your Company Money

Saving money is something that every company strives to do. Nobody wants to spend more than they have to. Think for a moment how much you spend on travel. Even if you are simply driving to the other side of town, your company will be incurring costs – parking tolls, dead time spent driving to and fro the meeting – they all have an impact on your company’s bottom line.

Imagine reducing that pile of expense claim forms at the end of the month; the chances are you could be saving a significant amount of money. No organization, large or small, can afford to waste money and with web conferencing those costs are coming down.

The advantages of web conferencing to any business are clear; you can save time, you have a more productive workforce and, most importantly of all, you can save money.

Diane Parker is a freelance writer and technology enthusiast providing valuable information including: web conferencing software, choosing a web conferencing tool and internet conferencing.


Conference : Conference Call Providers

Conference Call Providers


Conference call providers are the ones who enable the basic service for conference calls, either on web conferencing software or on a comparative low cost audio conferencing solution for online conference call meetings. They provide advanced teleconferencing platforms for customers to place international phone calls to anywhere in the world. With these features and calling flexibility, the telecom costs can be easily reduced by 90% over the traditional phone companies. This helps businesses to save money on international phone bills.

An organization can have up to 50 people connected on a single call through a conference caller, and be billed the same rate as a regular phone call. They don’t have to pay those high per-minute rates from other telecom companies. Conference call providers use the latest digital routing and switching equipment. Nowadays, conference call providers use full fiber-optic cabling throughout the network, providing callers with the finest quality service available, with a good bandwidth and less noise and transmission errors. There are multiple options to connect to a conference call provider. You can dial into a local toll-free access number, enter your conference code and get connected.

For conference call providers, with Conference Caller Web Dial Out, the calls are initiated via the Internet, are able to be received at any time of the day, 7 days a week. The fully automated system acts as a 24-hour operator, connecting organizations to their international partners and clients.

A lot of these providers are full-service conference call companies offering quality service and low-cost options. These companies provide personalized service for all of your conferencing needs. Affordable conference call provider rates, obviously, are preferred by most businesses. Reasonable pricing is the growing trend in the conferencing industry. Conference call providers are battling for their share of the marketplace. One must be sure to discuss and negotiate the best deals from their providers.

One should note that many providers offer a limited selection of conferencing services. Most of the companies specialize in one or two services, like audio, video, web, or data. Web collaboration software, video equipment, and conferencing phones are also offered by some companies.
Conference Call provides detailed information on Conference Call, Conference Call Services, Audio Conference Call, Conference Call Providers and more. Conference Call is affiliated with Cheap Conference Calling.


Conference : Conference Call Services

Conference Call Services


Businesses today are growing at an exponential rate, and business operations have become global. There is a pressing need for you to stay in constant touch at all times. Conference calling is one such revolution in the communications industry. Through conferencing, participants can share live, two-way exchange of information. Conference calling services connects people without investing in expensive equipment.

There are essentially two types of conference calling services available: reservationless service and operator-assisted service. Reservationless service is idyllic for your everyday business needs. It provides conferencing 24-7 without making a reservation or depending upon the operator. It’s a toll-free, pay-per-use conferencing service. It’s easy and quick; just give the invitees the date, time, toll-free call-in number and entry codes. Many pre-selected services offered by the conference call company are used by an operator-assisted conference call. Operator-assisted conferencing can come in handy when your company needs extra help to manage large or important conference calls. It provides fully assisted conference support for large-scale conference calls of up to 2,500 participants.

These services help you better manage your conferencing budget. Many advanced features such as global dial-out, record and playback, security pass-codes, conference lock, group mute/unmute, roll call and more are available. Along with these regular services, conference call providers also provide various value added services like toll-free dial-in numbers, toll-free customer support, priority scheduling, recording, telephone playback of recorded conferences, download of recorded conferences, and conference transcription.

Conferencing services are affordable, as conference calling is generally priced per minute, per person. A 6-person, 45-minute call will typically run about $125. Customers with high calling volume can benefit from the flat rate monthly pricing offered by some services. Generally reasonably priced, conference calling services are available in pre-paid and by-the-minute rates. As the rates may vary greatly, check with different service providers to select one.

Such advances in communications and transportation have facilitated this move and have enabled companies to operate all over the world. Now, company representatives can travel equipped with business proposals and make connections from remote places.

Conference Call provides detailed information on Conference Call, Conference Call Services, Audio Conference Call, Conference Call Providers and more. Conference Call is affiliated with Cheap Conference Calling.