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Cost of Conference Call

Conference Call Prices Include Flat Rate with Unlimited Usage

Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-03-12 08:04

Author: Lee Simonson

Phone conference call prices include any number of plans that can be suited to your particular budget, needs and applications.

 
For example, heavy conference users who rack up a substantial number of minutes per month are attracted to unlimited plans that enable them to use conferencing services 24/7 by just paying one flat rate per month. Flat rates users save a substantial amount of money by avoiding per minute charges and can talk as long as they want, as much as they want. There is only downside to flat rate plans is that they do include toll free conferencing so users just dial a regular long distance number. On the other hand, long distance rates have dropped so low recently that the small extra charge to call into the flat rate conferencing number could very well be worth it. Moreover, most cell phone plans include free long distance and those who have VOIP digital cable connections don't pay long distance either. So flat rate pricing does have a number of advantages.
 
Another conferencing pricing plan option is per minute pricing, usually provided on a pay-as-you-go basis, either with toll free 800 service, or a more inexpensive non-toll free set up. This is an ideal solution for organizations that have variable calling patterns -- heavy use one month, and light use the next. With per minute pricing you only pay for what you use, when you use it, unlike flat rate conferencing which requires you to pay a flat monthly rate regardless of how many minutes you use. The primary reason why businesses and organizations choose per minute conferencing is because of the convenience and professionalism of offering a toll free conference number to customers and prospects.
 
Toll free 800 conferencing is available on a per minute basis, or in a new packaged "bundle" or "bucket" of minutes, similar to how cell phone plans work. You can purchase a discounted package of minutes and if you go over that amount, you are simply charged the regular per minute rate.
 
Overall, conference call prices are coming down because of stiff competition and large telecommunication capacity. What used to cost dollars, now costs pennies, and conference consumers are finding substantial cost savings by avoiding meeting and travel costs. It's simply much easier to meet over the phone or web, than it is to fight traffic, congestion and other time wasting obstacles, than it is to just pick up the phone. Conferencing will continue to be a collaborative backbone in the world of commerce and communications and conference call prices will continue to trend downward.
 
You can obtain more valuable information regarding conference call pricing by clicking here: http://www.24conference.com/payasyougoconference

Flat Rate Teleconference Services Offer Real Value

Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-03-12 07:47

Author: Lee Simonson

The biggest contribution teleconferencing brings to the table is saving time and avoiding travel costs. Chances are you can accomplish the same thing over the phone, as you can in person.

Flat rate teleconferencing is soaring in popularity as businesses and organizations are looking for new ways to cut costs and improve productivity.

 
As consumers demand more affordable pricing for goods and services, the more companies will offer discounted prices. In the telecommunications industry, conferencing providers are now offering their customers flat rate teleconference services. People choose flat and fixed rate teleconferencing because it offers unlimited usage. In a nutshell, you can now conference with clients and colleagues for as long as you want, 24 hours per day. Another great benefit is that you don't have to worry about changing your assigned passcodes, which can be rather confusing. 
 
At one time, teleconferencing was a big expense for entrepreneurs and smaller companies because conferencing is traditionally billed on a per minute basis. The more you used, the more you paid. But with flat or fixed rate conferencing you can save between 60-90% and avoid per minutes fees. This new twist enables you to budget your costs every month with an extremely low monthly rate, without having to worry about a long term contract.
 
Here are a few reasons why many business owners are choosing flat or fixed rate teleconferencing and what you should look for when signing up for a service.
 
- No per minute conference call costs. Pay one flat rate per month.
- No reservations required.
- You can use it 24/7.
- Make an unlimited amount of conference calls per month.
- You can record your conference for free.
- Automatically prepay monthly with a credit card (no bills).
- Maintain the same PIN codes as long as you desire.
- Options include music on hold, incoming and outgoing beeps, and auto-hang up.
- Choose "name announce" to identify incoming callers available.
- No set up fees or termination fees.
- Advanced fiber optic connections.
 
Be sure to choose a company that doesn't require you to sign a contract or pay a set up fee. Many providers advertise great rates but the catch is you have to commit to a 1 to 2 year contract and If you decide to discontinue their service, you'll be charged a termination fee.
 
Another great advantage is that you don't have to order equipment and software or hire someone to install services. You can sign up on the Internet and start conferencing the same day. Most of all, you don't have to be a technology expert to get started, teleconferencing is user friendly. Flat rate and fixed rate conference call services can save you a bundle, especially if you're on a budget.
 
To get more information on flat and fixed rate teleconferencing, and phone conference call services, click here: http://www.24Conference.com/flatrateteleconference
 

Per Minute Conference Calling Service (Pay Per Use)

Submitted by lees on Mon, 2013-03-11 12:12

Author: Lee Simonson

Per minute conference calling, also known as pay-as-you-go, is a service that you can obtain without the need to purchase any hardware or software.

Charges are based on the number of minutes you use -- no more or less. The number of minutes you use is based on the number of people on the call and the length of the call. For instance, 10 people on a conference call that lasts 10 minutes would consume a total of 100 conference minutes. In another example, 5 people on the call for 60 minutes would total 300 minutes.

 
Per minute conference calling services usually have two different per minute rates. One rate for toll free service, and another rate for toll service.
 
Toll free conferencing service is a little more expensive than non-toll free service because it provides more convenience, and adds a level of professionalism, especially if you are using your conferences for sales purposes to prospects or customers. You wouldn't want your sales prospects to go to the added expensive of dialing a long distance number. Dialing an 800 number for a conference call gives everyone a strong impression that you consider the call is important and that you are not taking it casually. (Since all the actual 800 numbers have been taken, you will probably be assigned an 866, 877 or 888 toll free number to place your calls.)
 
On the other hand, toll service is very popular because it is priced less than toll free and because a high number of users have free long distance anyway, bundled with their local phone service or cell phone plan. For non-toll free service, you call a regular long distance number with an area code. If there is a charge, you would be billed a long distance fee from your carrier, such as AT&T, or Sprint or Qwest. Non-toll free service, otherwise known as toll service, is very convenient for internal business or internal organizational calls. The vast majority of conference call users in the United States use non-toll free conferencing.
 
Among the users of toll conference calling are independent network marketers who use it for audio business presentations and opportunity plans for recruitment purposes. Network marketers also use it for product announcements and sales promotion activities.
 
Overall, this method is the ideal solution for the occasional user because you are only charged for what you use. If a couple of months go by and you don't use the service at all, there is no charge. In contrast, heavy or regular conference users are probably more suited for flat rate conference calls which provide unlimited calling for a fixed monthly rate. Nonetheless, per minute conference calling services will continue to provide hundreds of thousands of businesses and individuals a convenient way to communicate and collaborate for years to come.
 
You can see a sample of how this particular service works by clicking here: http://24conference.com/payasyougoconference
 
Give us a call today and we'll answer all your questions and help you pick the right plan.

24Conference.com Offers Inexpensive Conference Call Service to Help Budgets and Planning

Submitted by lees on Tue, 2013-01-08 17:42

Author: Lee Simonson

 

24Conference.com offers several different conference call plans, all designed to fit your budget and conference needs.
 
So if you are looking for an inexpensive conference call service that offers high-quality, reliability, and affordability, we can help you.  Better yet, you can start your account at no cost and be up and running within minutes.
 
Here are few brief tips to consider before you sign up for your service:
 
1)  If you are going to be doing a lot of conferencing, and you and your guests don't mind dialing a long distance number, then our unlimited flat rate plan can save you a fortune.  Check it out at the top of this page.  Many of our customers who have switched from other providers to our flat rate service have reported they have been able to cut their costs up to 80%.  Very impressive!  This is the perfect set-up if you are looking to have predictable costs every month that you can budget for in advance.
 
2)  Getting a toll free number for your guests to call can be both convenient and necessary, particularly if you are hosting an important business or sales call.  If providing a toll free number (good in the U.S. and Canada) is something you prefer, then you can have a choice of two inexpensive plans.  First, if you are an occasional user and don't plan on conferencing that much, you can save by getting the Pay-as-You-Go plan -- you only pay for what you use when you use it, and there are no monthly minimums or hidden costs.  Second, our Supersaver plan, offers you substantial discounts for pre-paying for toll free service.  It works exactly like the cell phone plan you are using now -- you pay for a certain number of monthly minutes.  If you have a good idea of how many conference minutes you use every month, this is an excellent option that can cut your costs almost in half.  See the "Toll Free" conference plan at the top of this page.
 
3)  If you have a high-profile, legal or investor call, you'll save with our Operator service.  Just have our professionally trained operators call everyone on your list and place them into your conference call.  The only thing your guests have to do is answer the phone.  This is the top-of-the-line conference service that can be obtained surprisingly inexpensively.
 
Still have questions?  Give us a call at 877-254-2424 and let us lay out your conference call options.  This will give you a great opportunity to choose the plan that best meets your requirements and budget.

Low-Cost Conference Calling: Top 3 Reasons to Outsource Your Conference Call Services

Submitted by lees on Sat, 2012-12-29 17:06

Author: Lee Simonson

 

If you are looking for a low cost conference calling service that provides a high level quality and reliability, here are the top three reasons why you should think about outsourcing to a professional conference provider:
 
1)  Why go to the expense of buying conference hardware when obtaining a conference bridge service is much less expensive and much more convenient over the long haul.  Audio and web conferencing services are readily available and can be set up in a matter of minutes, not to mention you don't have to worry about the overheard and maintenance costs of supporting a system.  There are several advantages to getting a conference service, not the least of which is the avoidance of hardware, equipment and maintenance costs.  As they say, "Why buy the whole cow, when you can just buy the milk?" ( If your conferencing is costing more than $2000 a month in 2013, then yet, you may want to look at getting your own system.  But even then, there are a number of disadvantages of going inhouse.)
 
2)  When you choose a professional conference service, like us at 24conference.com, you automatically get a support staff without any initial costs or expenses.  Need an operator to set up a conference call for you?  Need help in learning your options and features?  You even get a back-up conference bridge in the unlikely event there is a problem with your primary bridge.  How much would it cost you to create a redundant system for yourself?  Moreover, there a wide variety of conference services and plans that can accommodate every budget and requirement.  You can choose the plan that fits your needs perfectly.
 
3)  While you might like the idea of being able to do everything in-house, the fact remains that businesses that dedicate resources, both human and financial, at projects that are outside of their core mission, usually lose focus and have a harder time getting a return on their investment.  For every hour, and every dollar, you spend on programs that don't have a direct impact on your bottom line, that ends up being more hours that you expend trying to reinvent the wheel that someone else can provide you faster and cheaper than you can do it yourself.
 
Bottom line:  When you take a close look at comparing and analyzing costs and benefits, the practice of outsourcing conferencing calling results in much lower costs and better service.

How Much Does a Conference Bridge Cost?

Submitted by lees on Mon, 2011-12-05 10:32

Author: Lee Simonson

 

How much does a conference bridge cost?  It's a very common question and there are two easy answers, depending on your situation:
 
1)  You don't need to buy a conference bridge to have a conference call.  The cheapest and most effective way to conduct a conference call is to use a conference service on a pay-as-you-go basis that gives you access to our conference bridges which are already installed and operating.  It's like buying a time-share rather than the condo.  We have several plans to choose from (see the links at the top of the page for the various services.)
 
2)  If you are looking to buy and install your own conference bridge hardware and software, you need to be a very heavy user -- at least $2000 a month in conference call expenses -- to make it worthwhile.  We buy, sell and rent dedicated conference call bridges and would be happy to provide you a quote.  However, please understand that 99% of all businesses and non-profits outsource their conferencing to services like 24Conference.com because it is much more cost effective and there is no need to install additional phone lines, sign long term maintenance contracts, hire staff  to monitor and organize usage, not to mention the upfront capital costs associated with purchasing conference hardware which can run into the tens, or hundreds, of thousands of dollars.
 
Unless advancing technology changes the situation, our advice is to keep things simple and outsource to our service bureau.  Time and time again, we've seen occasions when companies get diverted from their core mission and start spending time and money trying to internalize technology because they "want to keep it inhouse."  All of a sudden, they get themselves into the conference call business, only to find out later it wasn't worth the investment.  (A perfect example of this is video conferencing:  Companies have spent hundreds of thousands trying to put in fancy hardware, only to find out that the trend is "desktop video" using a $25 webcam and an "in the cloud" service costing only pennies a minute.)
 
If you are corporate enterprise and you've made the decision to install a new inhouse conference bridge, we stand ready to assist you with your purchase or rental.  However, if you are medium to small operation, we highly recommend that you continue to do what you do best, while letting us take care of your conference needs.  You'll find that outsourcing not only saves you money, but the convenience and the time you save, especially with reservationless conference calling, will make your dealings and collaboration projects much more pleasant and easy.
 
We look forward to helping you set up the custom conferencing plan that best meets your needs and budget.
 

Conference Call Bridge Cost and Rates: How Much?

Submitted by lees on Fri, 2011-09-30 08:59

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Costs and rates for using telephone conference call bridges and services vary greatly and depend on the type, format and number of people on the conference call.
 
The different types of services can be seen across the top of this page.  Generally speaking, costs can be categorized into per-minute costs or monthly fixed rate costs.  Per-minute costs are usually billed after your conference call, while discounted flat or fixed rate costs are pre-paid.
 
Per minute conference costs are calculated on a per-minute, per-person basis.  In other words, 5 people on the conference call for 10 minutes, equals 50 total minutes.  50 mintues times 7.9 cents per minute equals $3.95.  That's how much a 5 person, 10 minute, conference call would cost.  If you were using a Local Access dial-in number, your costs could be substantially less.
 
Flat rate plans offer substantial savings, however, the major disadvantage is that they don't offer a toll-free access number.  Each person calling into the conference must dial a long distance number.  (Dialing a long distance number may not be an issue if your conference call users are calling from a cell phone or have free long distance bundled with their regular phone service.)
 
The huge advantage to flat rate conferencing is that it offers unlimited usage -- there is no timer on the conferenc bridge.  You can have as many conference calls as you like, and talk as long as you want.
 
On the high end of conference call costs is the professional managed Operator Conference Call -- a service that has operators calling out to the conference participants and then introducing them into the conference call.  This is for high profile or critically important conferences such as legal depositions, investor relations, corporate press conferences, sales presentations and deal-closings.
 
Overall, there is a conference service that will fit your budget.  Give us a call and let us know what your looking to do in particular, and we can help you sort through your options quickly.  Call us 877-254-2424.

Conference Service: Telephone Conference Call Service Rates and Plans

Submitted by lees on Sun, 2011-08-14 11:01

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Using a professional telephone conference call service is not only more convenient, but it is far less costly than attempting to install special conferencing hardware and software.
 
Conference service over the telephone, also known as audio teleconferencing, can be easily obtained with a variety of rates and plans, serving a wide range of business and non-profit needs and budgets.
 
When you outsource your conference service, you avoid any set-up, maintenace and overhead costs and, in addition, you are able to begin conferencing immedately.  95% of all conferencing is outsourced in the United States because the service is convenient and inexpensive.
 
There are several conference service plans to choose from.  Here is a quick review and rundown of the most popular conference services.  For more details you can click on the links below, or you can find the various services on the left hand sidebar or top of the page navigation links.
 
Pay Per Use Conference Service:  This is also known as "pay as you go" conferencing, and provides you 24/7 access.  There is no need to make reservations.  Once you get your call-in number and passcodes, you can use it anytime.  Your credit card is charged only after you use the service.  There is no monthly minimum, so if you don't use it, there is no charge.  A perfect conference solution for occasional users.
 
Per Minute Conference Service:  90% of the conferencing in the United States is done on a per-minute basis.  Minutes are calculated by the number of callers times the number of minutes (i.e. 10 callers on the conference for 10 minutes = 100 minutes.)  You are charged after the call and are only billed for the time you use, no more or less.  You have your choice of a toll free dial number, or a regular long distance number (slightly cheaper.)  
 
Supersaver 800 Conference Service: (pre-paid bundled):  This discounted service, with a toll free dial in number, provides discounted rates and is modeled after your cell phone plan.  You pre-pay for a certain number of minutes each month.  This is a very popular service for businesses and organizations that have predictable usage and know how many conference minutes they generally use every month.  There is no long term contract, and this service goes month to month.  So, if you wanted to purchase a large number of discounted minutes one month, and not the next, that can be easily arranged.
 
Operator Conference Call Service:  Full service conference, including professional operators who call out to each of your parties and place them in the conference.  You can also have an operator on the conference itself to manage Question & Answer sessions or coordinate the muting and lecture modes.  This is the preferred choice for legal and deposition conference calls, or investor relation calls or high-profile or important calls where you are looking to provide top level service.  An ideal solution for landing that big contract.
 
Flat/FIxed Rate Conference Service (pre-paid unlimited use):  Fixed Rate conferencing is ideal for heavy users because you get unlimited usage.  You can conference anytime you want, for as long as you want.  Everyone dials a long distance access number (we have a New York City 212 access number and others in the Mid-West) to get into the conference call.
 
Video Conference Service:  As technology advances, costs for video conferencing have come down substantially.  In fact, the expensive conference rooms with large video screens and television cameras are a thing of the past.  The operative words are "desktop conferencing" where you and your participants use small webcams (cost about $25-50) and can view each other in high quality transmissions.  There are some free services like Yahoo and Skype that offer video conferencing for one-on-one exchanges.  However, for larger calls you'll need an outsourced video conference service.  This also gives you features that will share powerpoint presentations, slide shows, documents, and participants can also see your desktop, so they can follow again and see whatever is on your computer screen.
 

Phone Conference Services: Getting the Highest Quality at the Lowest Rates

Submitted by lees on Mon, 2011-07-11 17:54

Author: Lee Simonson

 

High quality phone conferencing services are readily available and easy to obtain.  In fact, you can get a conference accout set up in minutes at no cost.  You can review each of the various conferencing plans and options at the top or side of this webpage.
 
Here are some of things you should know or consider while you are narrowing down your phone conference bridge options:
 
1)  In 90% of the situations, it's MUCH less expensive to outsource your conferencing services versus owning and maintaining your own in-house conference bridge and hardware.
 
2)  There are variety of flavors -- you have a number of plan options that can best meet your budget and needs.  It doesn't hurt to discuss the pros and cons of each with a professional.  That's why we're here.
 
3)  Free conference services exist, but in the end, you get what you pay for.  Long distance carriers have been known to block calls entering free conference bridges.
 
4)  Audio phone conferencing is here to stay.  Why?  Because as cool as video conferencing is, the majority of people are self-consious about what they look like on camera.  Some people even hate looking at themselves.  Verbal conversation will never be replaced when it comes to business and organizational interaction and that's why the phone will be around for a long time.  More people text now than talk on the phone, however, it's not a convenient way to conduct business dialogs.
 
5)  For video and web conferencing, the old video conference room is out and the smaller less expensive webcams are in.  Now you can do everything from your desktop, or even smartphone.
 
6)  It's true.  Phone conferencing slashs travel and meetings expenses dramatically.
 
The reason phone conference call services are booming is because it is the least expensive way to conduct business from a variety of locations.  Face to face meetings are always good, but unfortuntaely, they eat up time which businesspeople and non-profit professionals can't afford.  If you can get 5 people on an audio conference call by just picking up the phone, you can accomplish more in 10 minutes than you can killing a morning or afternoon trying to get everyone in the same room at the same time.  And with the advent of smartphones and cell technology and coverage, people can now conference and conduct business from anywhere.  You'll see hand-held video conferencing technology becoming more widely used in the future.
 
Your best bet:  Look at the different conference services that are offered, get some good advice, and move forward with your plans.  There are no long term commitments so you can always switch to another plan easily and quickly.  Getting a high quality and reliable conferencing service could be the best move you've ever made.

Cost Per Minute Conference Call: Rates For Different Conference Services

Submitted by lees on Tue, 2011-06-14 10:35

Author: Lee Simonson

 

Per minute costs and rates for conference calls can vary widely, depending on what kind of conference service you have.  For example:

Flat rate and fixed rate services are available for a low flat monthly rate regardless of how many minutes you use.  The service offers unlimited service and you conference whenever you want, however long you want.  The downside is that if you don't use the service, you still have the monthly flat fee.  Also, this is not a toll free service and users will dial a long distance number.  (There is a 212 New York City area code conference number available on a flat rate service.)

A variation of that is the Toll Free Supersaver plan which works just like your cell phone plan -- you buy a certain number of toll free minutes each month.  The upside is that this service is the least expensive way to provide toll free convenience for your participants.  The downside is that you have to pay for the minutes you don't use.

The Pay As You Go conference call services are simple and straight forward.  You only pay for the conferencing services you use, AFTER you use them.  You can calculate your costs by simply multiplying your per minute rate for the total number of conference minutes you use.  For example, 10 people on a conference call for 10 minutes equals 100 total conference minutes.  Pay As You Go rates will vary depending on the what service you use.  Using a toll free number for your conference calls will cost slightly more than using a non-toll free number.  The most inexpensive Pay As You Go service is called Local Access, or Local Meet Me, which enables you to dial a local number in major cities.  So, if you are in New York City, you can dial a New York City number, and your colleagues in Chicago or Los Angeles can dial local numbers in their respective cities, and you will all end up talking on the same conference bridge.  Even if you don't live an a major city, using Local Access conferencing is about the cheapest form or conference calling you can use.  (There are free services available, but many times users experience blocked access. If you are a professional or business organization, the reliability of a paid conference service is highly recommended.)

At the top of the conferencing world is operated managed conference calls.  These are for important calls when you need the services of a professionally trained operator to call each of the participants and place them into the conference bridge.  Corporations use these operator conference call services all the time, particularly with investor relation calls, media calls or crisis updates.

Call us today at 877-254-2424 and we'll get you set up with the plan that will be the most cost effective one that meets your particular needs.