intelligent Conference (iC)

Reducing the cost of conference calls

What it is

intelligent Conference (iC) allows conferencing between parties without incurring either set-up charges per conference or additional call charges, potentially offering significant overall savings. The only ongoing cost incurred is the cost of the call.

The Proposition

intelligent Conference service enables the business to get staff together as a team irrespective of their location. Accessed through a web browser or any telephony enabled device, iC has the ability to record conference calls, even when on a mobile.

Conferences can be pre-booked (on-premise only) or setup instantly using your intelligent Number.

Key Benefits

Improve individual & team productivity
Low cost (or no cost in some situations)
No outside facilitator required
Quick and easy to set up and use
Telephone or on-screen interface for conference set-up
Third party bookings supported
Unplanned, ad hoc conference calls can be set up instantly
Optional facility to record / archive / playback conference calls

Delivery / Upgrade

All applications are scalable and can be integrated into the customer’s existing infrastructure.

Instant Conferencing can also be provided as a hosted service on a pay-as-you-go basis.

How pre-booked conferencing works

The initiator books the conference over the telephone through an automated voice response service or on-line via a web browser (on-premise only). The booking is allocated a unique ID number, which the chairperson gives to the other participants, and a chairperson’s ID which is used to commence the conference session. Pre-booked conferences can be cancelled or details, such as time and date, changed at any time prior to the start of the conference. The chairperson must be an intelligent Number user.

As each person joins a conference by dialling the service number and entering the conference ID, they are automatically announced. Similarly, when someone leaves the conference their name is announced.

How instant conferencing works

The intelligent Conference application also supports unplanned, ad hoc conferences. Access the service from any phone or web browser (on-premise only) and you are provided with a unique ID for your call. To start a conference simply ring into the conferencing bridge number and enter your registration number to activate the conference. Other participants dial in and enter your unique ID.

Conference recording gives you the added benefit of recording your telephone conferences, which can be stored and recalled for reference at any time without the need to purchase expensive on-site recording equipment. Recording can be initiated at any time by the conference chairperson.

Download the Product Sheet

Click here to download the intelligent Conference Product Sheet in Adobe PDF format.

Features & Benefits

The features and benefits of intelligent Conference.

Feature	Description	Benefit
Costs Reduce	No per-conference set-up cost or premium call charges.	A cost effective solution. No bureau service conference charges. No premium per minute charges for each connected party. Ideal for staff spread across multi-site organisations since the costs of travelling to meetings can be avoided.
Instant Conferencing	Initiate a conference to start immediately via the phone.	Ensures immediate, ad hoc requirements can be met.
Advanced Bookings	Pre-book conference using web-based interface or an automated telephone service.	Allows system resources to be effectively managed for optimum performance. Enables regularly planned conferences.
Flexible Functionality	During a conference, the participants are given the flexibility to hang up and rejoin.	Very simple procedure to follow.
Chairperson's ‘in conference’ Features	Lock/unlock the conference	Provides the ability to have a private discussion before others join and can prevent any additional persons joining the conference once locked.
	Add a participant	The chairperson can bring in new participants who were not originally scheduled to join.
	Conference Roll Call	The chairperson can perform a roll call which will announce the voice signatures of the current participants.
	Participant Count	Similar to Roll Call, this feature will inform the chairperson of the number of participants currently in the conference.
	Terminate the conference	The ability for the chairperson to close the conference at any time.
Participant Announcements	Participants are announced as they join and leave the conference.	Informs the group of who is present and how much time is left.
Conference Recording	The person starting the conference, the chairperson, has the option of recording by pressing the star key on the phone and pressing it again to stop recording. The telephone keypad can be used to control volume, speed, pausing, playing, rewinding, fast forwarding and positioning to the start or end of the recording for ease of listening.	Provides peace of mind. Retrieve and review the contents of previous telephone calls. Enhance understanding of the customer experience. Reduce the risk of misinterpreting information. Resolve disputes on a fair basis. Help identify staff training needs.
Time Zones	Users within a specific user community are associated with their time zone.	Ensures user interface is in their ‘local’ time.