When you want to get multiple people from far off locations together for a meeting, a phone conference service can arrange a real-time meeting without travel hassles and expenses. These services can customize your phone conference to allow only the speaker to talk while visitors listen, or for participants to signal when they want to speak.

You have several options available for your phone conference service. If you will use it only sporadically or simply want to test it out, you can pay a per person, per minute rate. For unlimited conferencing each month, services can offer a fixed monthly pricing schedule. You can also receive discounts on high call volume. In most cases, you don’t pay set up fees and the conference vendor will help you decide which plan works best for your business. Use our free conferencing comparison tool to review complete service offerings from multiple providers.

Types of phone conferencing
Reservationless phone conferencing allows you to start a meeting at a moment’s notice with clients and co-workers. You receive a permanent toll-free phone number and two passcodes – one for you as the host, and another for the participants. You can also record the teleconference and archive it for future playback, mute any participants at a given time, and monitor who the attendees are.

For large important meetings such as executive discussions or investor relations calls, operator-assisted phone conferencing provides a higher-level support service. An operator manages the call from start to finish, working with you to plan the conference, call and greet the attendees, and introduce the speakers and presenters. You simply need to make a reservation at least one day in advance.