Business has gone global and there is no stopping it! 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 our diversity of locations, communication needs have demanded sophisticated solutions. This made teleconferencing products both more popular and more available. You may have never given teleconferences a thought before, but find yourself now looking into available options.



What is Teleconferencing?

Teleconferencing allows two or more people to talk live via a telephone. A teleconference allows people who are thousands of miles apart to connect. They can allow you to participate in a work conference call from home or to hold your own conference call with many people.

How Does Teleconferencing Work?

There are different ways to use teleconferencing services. You can choose either to purchase your own equipment or to pay for the use of equipment through a teleconferencing provider. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. Either way, you will be able to contact two from two to literally thousands of other people at the same time, depending on your service.

What Services do Teleconference Providers Offer?

A simple three-way calling service is available through most local phone companies. Sound quality may not be the best and limitations apply. You probably cannot include overseas numbers and are limited to certain regional or national locations.

If you are interested in a teleconference system, you probably want to include more than two other people. The following is a list of common services available through many teleconferencing providers:

Pay Per Use Conference Call Pricing

Teleconferencing companies offer this service for users whose calling needs vary from month to month. With "Pay Per Use" plans you can get a low per-minute rate as long as you only use a specified amount of minutes each month. 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; these plans usually have 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, as with any contract, remember to read the fine print.

Teleconferencing Pros

1. Easy communication over long distances

2. Ability to relay information to many people at one time

3. No need to fly overseas to address a business partner or hold a meeting

4. Take control of your business needs

Teleconference Cons

1. No face to face contact

2. Service can be lacking if with the wrong provider

3. Fees can be substantial

How to Choose the Best Service for Your Needs

Are you operating a large business that has extensive teleconferencing 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 would be responsible for servicing it also.

A few things to keep in mind are:

Are participants coming from different countries?

Do you need help from an operator to moderate the call?

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, there is a greater need for teleconferencing. The teleconference can allow you to share information when used properly. For instance, 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.