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A conference call is a telephone call in which the calling party can speak to several call participants at the same time. A conference call is usually done with a telephone, although it can also be done with the help of IP telephone service providers or with similar call applications. Conference calls can be either simply audio or both audio and video.
A conference call can be viewed as a normal telephone call, but with more than one recipient. There are two ways in which an audio conference call can be initiated. First, the calling party could call participants and add other participants during the live audio call. Second, participants can dial into a telephone number which would connect to a specialized telephone system known as a conference bridge and conference themselves. Conference calls can also be used along with web conferences.
There are many benefits associated with conference calls. The biggest advantage is in the elimination of face-to-face meetings. It can be used for meeting remote parties, both internally or externally to the organization. Cost saving is accomplished by having less travel time, and therefore more time saving. Organizational or business conference calls are always focused on a planned agenda and tend to be more productive in nature. It also enables brainstorming and aids in problem-solving. It is more effective than emails and faxes. Another benefit associated with conference calls is in the reduction of the telecommunication expenses. Conference calls when used in conjunction with web conferences, allow presenters to give better explanations and details of the documents or presentations shared with participants simultaneously viewing the documents or presentations shared. Conference calls can be conveniently done at anytime and anywhere.