Conference calling made simple

Detailed Conferencing Guide

 

What is reservationless conferencing?

 

Reservationless conferencing lets you have cost-effective, convenient conference calls on-demand, whenever you need to and without having to make a reservation in advance. This is perfect for management meetings, project updates, spur-of-the moment brainstorming sessions and staff meetings.

 

Our reservationless conferencing features include:

 

  • The most updated audio conferencing features
  • The ability to control your conference call's audio with convenient meeting controls (*) on your telephone keypad
  • A variety of dial-in numbers and personal secure pass codes for each conference call you host
  • 24/7 availability with no advance scheduling necessary

 

The Key Players Involved in Reservationless Conferencing

 

RoleDescriptions & Responsibilities
Moderator

The person responsible for coordinating and hosting the conference. The moderator is in charge of:

 

  • Setting up the time and date of the conference.
  • Inviting people to the conference call.
  • Initiating the conference via the moderator audio pass code.
  • Choosing the speaker(s).
  • Activating any conference features.
  • Concluding the conference call.
Speaker

This is someone who delivers the conference contents and can also be the moderator or the participant.
Participant

The participant is anyone attending the conference to listen to its content, who is not acting as the moderator or the speaker. The participant is in charge of:

 

  • Joining the conference using the participant pass codes
  • Verbally interacting when suitable.

 

How To Use Our Reservationless Conferencing Audio Features

 

Prior to your audio conference

 

When you register for reservationless conferencing you will be given a variety of dial in numbers.

 

To hold a conference call:

 

  1. Make sure each participant receives a pass code and the appropriate dial-in numbers prior to the conference call.
  2. Call your local dial-in number and use your personal moderator pass code to enter the call.
  3. Start the conference call.

 

Audio conference call features

 

Conference call meeting synopsis

 

To take advantage of all our features, simply press the * key on your telephone keypad, followed by the appropriate number. Below is a table containing all of the audio conference call controls.

 

  • The one-digit controls can be used by everyone in the conference call.
  • The two-digit controls can only be used by the moderator.

 

Conference support
*1 Help menu
*3 Conference configuration help menu
Volume
*4 Increase conference volume
*5 Increase your voice volume
*7 Decrease conference volume
*8 Decrease your voice volume
Mute
*6 Mute or "un-mute" your line
*96 Mute all participant lines
*97 "Un-mute" all participant lines
Conference Introduction
*32 Activate conference introduction:

 

  • 1 Record a conference introduction
  • 2 Delete a conference introduction
  • 3 Listen to your conference introduction
  • * Return to the conference
Security measures
*31 Enable/disable conference security code
*91 Hear a participant count
*92 Hear a roll call
*93 Disconnect all lines
*94 Lock or unlock conference
Subconferences
*21 Activate subconferencing

 

  • #1-9 Join a subconference
  • ## Return to the main conference
  • #0 Moderator returns all attendees to the main conference
Note: *Two-digit controls can only be used by the Moderator

 

Conference assistance

 

Should you require support at any time during your conference, you can use the following controls:

 

  • *1 To hear a detailed and concise help menu that will list the phone key combination you need to access conference features.
  • *2 Enhanced services help menu for enhanced moderator feature *21. This control can only be used by the moderator.
  • *3 Conference configuration help menu for enhanced moderator feature *31. This control can only be used by the moderator.

 

Moderator Features

 

As the moderator you have total control over your audio conference call. These features will help you manage and run the call successfully.

 

  • *91 To listen to the participant count. This includes the number of speakers and active participants on the call.
  • *92 To hear a roll call of participants. This is only offered when the participant name is recorded upon entry into the conference.
  • *93 To conclude all participant lines.
  • *94 To lock a conference. Once locked, this will stop any other callers from joining the conference by using the participant pass code. Press *94 again to unlock the conference.
  • *96 To mute all participant lines. (Note: participant can un-mute their individual lines by pressing *6).
  • *97 To un-mute all participant lines.

 

Enhanced Moderator Features

 

We have introduced new features to help you to customize your conference call preferences.

 

  • *21 To access subconferencing
  • *31 To activate a conference security code
  • *32 To activate conference introduction

 

For more information on these features please read below:

 

Subconferencing (*21)

 

You can now hold up to 9 additional subconferences within the main conference call and cover additional topics more efficiently. Participants and moderators can even move from one conference to another as the need arises. At the end of the conference, the moderator will then be able to pull everyone back into the main conference call and end the subconferencing feature.

 

Activate subconferencing (moderator)

 

  1. When ready, press *21 to activate subconferencing.
  2. Let your participants know which room(s) they need to join.
  3. Press # and the subconference room number (1-9) to enter yourself into a subconference.

 

Enter a room (Participants)

 

  1. The moderator will inform all participants of their assigned room, and press *21 to activate subconferencing.
  2. Participants will then hear "Subconferencing is now activated. Press hash (#), followed by a number from 1 through 9, to enter a room. Press hash, twice (# #) to rejoin the main conference. The moderator can terminate subconferencing by pressing hash zero (#0)".
  3. Press # and the subconference room number (1-9) to enter yourself into a subconference

 

Return to main conference (moderators and participants)

 

  1. Press # #. Participants and moderators of a subconference can return to the main conference by pressing ## at any time.
  2. Press #0. Moderators can disable the subconferencing feature and return all the participants back to the main conference by pressing #0.

 

Important Things to Remember When Using *21:

 

*Pressing *96 from the main conference will mute all lines in both the main conference and the subconference. However participants in the sub-conference will not hear the mute-all announcement. It is suggested that you bring participants back into the main conference before pressing *96.

 

Conference security code (*31)

 

This feature adds another level of security as an option to any conference. Once activated, this feature will ask a moderator to enter a conference specific security pass code at the start of each conference that must then be entered by all participants to access the conference. The moderator can choose to use (or not use) this feature on each conference.

 

  • The conference security code offers an elevated level of security; since only the moderator knows the code.
  • The moderator control (*31) allows the moderator to toggle this feature On or Off at the moderator's convenience.

 

To activate conference security code:

 

  1. The moderator must join the conference using the moderator pass code.
  2. Press *31 to activate the conference security code.
  3. The moderator hears the following prompt. "The conference security code option is now enabled. Please enter the conference security code followed by the hash key (#). Or press (*) to start the conference without a code".
  4. The conference security code is not "pre-set" and is determined by the moderator. If the moderator enters a conference security pass code and presses "#", a prompt will repeat the pass code and ask the moderator "If this is correct, press * to join your conference or enter a new conference security code followed by the hash key (#). Pressing (*) will activate the pass code and place the moderator into the conference. The code may include 1-10 numbers.
  5. All participants will be placed on hold until the moderator enters the conference. They will then enter the same conference security code as the moderator, or will automatically enter the conference if the moderator has pressed (*) and elected not to select a conference security pass code.
  6. To disable this feature, press *31 once more.
  7. To set another security pass code, press *31 to re-activate.

 

Important things to remember when using *31:

 

  • If the moderator plans on using this feature he or she will need to inform all participants of the conference security pass code before the start of the conference. SaveOnConferences support will be unable to supply this code to participants.
  • Once *31 has been activated, each time the moderator hosts a reservationless conferencing call he or she will be prompted to enter a security pass code for the conference, or press * to immediately enter the conference.
  • For first time use, it is suggested the moderator dial in early to his or her conference to activate the *31 conference security code.
  • Only participants with the conference security code will be able to enter the conference.
  • The moderator can choose to turn this feature off at any time by pressing *31. If turned off during a conference, new participants will not be prompted for the security code and will be able to automatically enter the conference.

 

Conference introduction (*32)

 

Set the tone for your conference call and record a personalized introduction for your attendees. Moderators are able to record an introduction to their conference by using the *32 control. This introduction is exclusive to a set of pass codes and will be played before the participant is authorized to enter the conference but after all other feature prompts. The moderator may re-record or disable this introduction at any time.

 

Benefits

 

  • A moderator can promptly record a conference introduction, and activate it without added support.
  • This special feature is offered to any SaveOnConferences moderator.
  • For moderators with multiple conferences and pass codes, a different introduction can be recorded for each conference.

 

How to use conference introduction

 

  1. To trigger this feature, you enter the conference using the moderator pass code and press *32. You will then hear the following prompt. "Press 1 to record your conference introduction, press 2 to delete your introduction, press 3 to listen to your introduction, or press * to return to the conference.
  2. To record the introduction, press 1, and you will hear the following: Please wait for the tone, then say your introduction and press the hash (#) key. After pressing the hash key, the recording will be played back to you for confirmation. The bridge will then ask you to press 1 to re-record the introduction or * to return to the conference.
  3. The conference introduction will then be enabled for this conference and for all future calls until the introduction is either re-recorded or disabled by the moderator.

 

Important things to remember when using *32:

 

  • If you have never used this feature, we recommend entering the conference 15 minutes prior to the start of the conference to record the introduction.
  • The conference introduction cannot be longer than 2 minutes.
  • You can only record one introduction for each conference call. For different introductions, the moderator must either create multiple conferences or record a new introduction for each call.
  • Participants who are already in the conference before this feature is enabled will not hear the introduction.