Internet Conferencing – video web meetings

Angela Wills asked:




Hosting an audio conference is a great way to gain exposure and expert status for an online business owner. The challenge becomes how to set up an audio conference once the decision has been made.

Audio conferencing solutions are available online to allow you to host, record, stream and even replay your conference calls.

Here are some of the features available with most conferencing solutions available today:

1. Phone Number – When you sign up for your chosen call host you will get a phone number for your guest to call into. This phone number is often a US number as many of the companies are based in the US. You can also get international numbers if you have guests that may not be in the United States. Typically you get a phone in number, a host code and guest pass code.

2. Control Panels – Many audio conference solutions allow you more than just over the phone control. You can often log onto a website and get details of the call like the number of visitors on the line, where they are located and even their names if you have previously entered that information in.

3. Recording – You will be able to record you call. This is obviously very convenient for most calls as you often have people who can not make it to a call but could benefit from the replay.

4. Streaming Audio – Some programs also will host the audio recording that is created and allow it to be ‘streamed’ online. This is sometimes a paid feature as it does cost to host and play audio files online.

When choosing you own solutions you’ll want to always first consider the needs of your call and of the attendees.

Ask yourself questions like:

- Will they want a recording?
- Are they internet savvy enough to just get a download or do they want streaming audio?
- Do I need to know who’s on the line?
- Am I willing to consider paid solutions if they offer higher quality?

An important thing to remember as you search around for the appropriate audio conferencing solution for your call is to plan ahead. Give yourself time to search around for the best solution and then test it out. You’ll want to test out the lines for quality and ease of use to make sure both yourself and your guests don’t have problems on the call due to a poor quality product.

When I do my own calls I always keep a backup no matter which solution I choose. For my backup I use a company called Audio Acrobat. With this program what I do is call into a special phone number and then set my recording. Then I call back to the conference line and continue with my call and recording there. Having a backup allows you to continue with peace of mind that you won’t have any lost information.

Rodney

Nathalie Fiset asked:




Although web conferencing is a necessity in the business world today, it is often the case that companies feel as if they don’t necessarily have to pay for it. Because of this, a lot of people are trying to find out if getting free web conferencing is a viable option for them. Of course, in order to do this, people need to weigh the advantages of getting the free types of internet communications versus the disadvantages.

The wisdom in this is that business requires people to take calculated risks. Although risks are an essential part of business, the word “calculated” makes all the difference in the world. When people gauge the pros and cons of a decision, they are able to make sure that they stand to gain more than what they stand to lose from that action.

When you get free internet services, you might be focused on the advantages. The biggest one, of course, is the fact that anything that’s free today can be considered advantageous, seeing as how even the smallest of commodities commands a high price. When you get free communications and internet, you would, in effect, be attempting to increase your profit without increasing your expenses. This is actually what every company aims to accomplish.

It has already been mentioned that web conferencing is a necessity in business today. In order to stress this point, we must examine the virtues of such. When you get internet communications services for free, you will be able to make sure that the people who make decisions regarding the company’s future are able to convene whenever needed and wherever they may be located. When you get free web meeting services, you will be able to make sure that those who need to network in different places will be able to do so while still keeping the company on track.

Of course, the other advantage of free internet meetings is the fact that you will be able to actually reduce the risk of investing in something that would only turn out to be a waste of money. As you may realize, the reason why a lot of companies are so hesitant to spend cash on web conferencing services is the fact hat they aren’t actually sure that they would get what they exactly need.

When you get free web conferencing, you would be able to explore your needs without spending a cent. This means that when you decide to pay for a full web conferencing service, you will be able to tell exactly what you need and how to fulfill that necessity.

Of course, getting something for free does not necessarily mean you are getting something good. One of the biggest disadvantages of getting free web conferencing is the fact that, more often than not, you get something with inferior quality. There are different things which free online services may lack in compared to what commercial web service companies can offer.

One of the most noticeable lacks of free web conferencing services is the lack of support. That is, when you get free web conferencing, you often have to rely on yourself in order to fix common problems. The cause of this is the fact that the people who provide these types of services often think it too much to provide free technical support, too.

When you go for the costless internet services, you might find yourself in a bind and have no one to turn to. This can be a pretty bad situation, considering the import of having constant communication in a business. Because of this disadvantage, a lot of people find that they upgrade to a commercial version of any web conferencing software sooner than they intended.

When you get free web meeting services, you should also realize that you may be getting some commodities that are somewhat lacking in various features. This means that you won’t be getting the exact specifications you need to keep your business in the best possible position, communication-wise.

The decision of whether or not to get free web conferencing should not be a difficult one to make if you have no other means of obtaining the services which could take care of your communication needs. If you can afford commercial services, however, maybe you ought to think about settling for more than just the free stuff.

Wanda

Nahshon DeMore asked:




Web and audio conferencing has become the “in” thing for many businesses. It is cheaper than business trips, which require plane tickets and hotel rooms. It is more spontaneous than sending carbon copies of an e-mail to a small army of co-workers. Additionally, it is more virtual than pressing the speaker button on a phone. The Internet has revolutionized the way that businesses interact, and VoIP web conferencing is leading the way.

VoIP

With sales of nearly $15 million and growth of over 5% in 2006, Voice-over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, Incorporated has become a true player in Internet communications. The company offers wholesale equipment sales, wholesale prepaid calling cards, and consumer and wholesale services through its personal network. VoiceOne is a branch of VoIP, which provides a carrier dedicated to local exchange. VoIP’s web conferencing is one of the company’s numerous services.

VoIP Basics

How the Internet and a telephone can coexist might seem mind-boggling. There is nothing complex about the concept, however. Computers are used to record sounds, such as a human’s voice. Little bits of sounds are saved in CPUs at an extremely high rate. These bits are called “samples.” The computer then combines these samples, forming a copy of the original sound.

The IP in VoIP

VoIP uses the same principle as computer recording of sound. But this time, the samples are not saved in a local computer. Rather, they are played in another computer after they have traveled along the Internet Protocol, or IP, network.

Be a VIP with VoIP

VoIP’s basic operation provides its users with the latest technology. It contains numerous features, but is very easy to use. For example, VoIP web conferencing includes useful features, such as interactive whiteboards that can be virtually drawn on. Also, conferences can be saved, and then played back later for anyone who was absent. Moreover, VoIP web conferencing allows people in a meeting to surf the Internet together.

More with Less

Aside from its features, VoIP Web Conferencing’s popularity has recently skyrocketed, due to its resourcefulness. This is primarily related to its cost. Traditional means of online conferencing are significantly costlier than a VoIP web conferencing room, which has comparatively lower rates for 10 to 20 users. For instance, a VoIP web conference call lasting an hour would cost about $20, compared to a $2,000 Corporate Telephone Conference Call. Indeed, VoIP Web Conferences provides more with less. No extra long-distance calls are needed to hear the presenter’s voice. With VoIP Web Conferences, one call does the trick. Additionally, voice, multimedia, and presentations can all be packed into one room.

More or Less

Lastly, when selecting VoIP Web conferencing software, you should determine the capacity of the conference rooms. Most conference rooms do not cater to an unlimited number of users. Others, such as those that use PEER-to-PEER technology, can provide this feature, however. They can easily cope with the heavy demands service maintenance has on their servers. Not surprisingly, their packages are costlier, particularly if your conference seats over 10 people.

There is no doubting the Internet has revolutionized conferencing. Similarly, VoIP has revolutionized web conferencing. Adjourning meetings online has never been easier.

Derrick