| Free conference call services on the web may sound | | | | calls are easily disrupted. Paid services can offer |
| tempting for your business, but let us look at the pros | | | | dedicated and stable lines that you can depend on to |
| and cons of these services. The fundamentals of | | | | provide clear call quality at every meeting. |
| these services create certain limitations that can make | | | | The Problem with Most VoIP Conference Calling |
| your business suffer. | | | | Services |
| The Basics of Free Conference Calls | | | | In traditional telephone networks, connections have a |
| Free conference call services are funded primarily | | | | dedicated line, preventing interruptions in the line of |
| through advertising. In some cases, conference calls | | | | communication. Public IP networks work differently. |
| are free only for a trial period and then must be paid | | | | Information travels wherever links are available. A large |
| for. Truly free conference call providers cannot pay | | | | file transfer can take up the bandwidth resulting in |
| for proper customer service through advertising | | | | choppy signals or broken communications. |
| revenue alone. This is why free conferencing is usually | | | | IP networks are designed with software in mind, not |
| just a hook to get customers to sign up for a paid | | | | voice. This is why streaming content is buffered |
| service. | | | | before it begins playing on your computer. The |
| Free Conference Call Customer Service | | | | buffering allows the program to compensate for |
| Consider yourself in a conferencing situation with an | | | | disruptions, giving a steady clear stream. This is not |
| international client. You may experience problems with | | | | possible in real-time, live communications. While |
| static or line noise making communication awkward. If | | | | buffering could prevent disruption, there will always be |
| you cannot resolve the problem quickly through | | | | a delay as the signal is buffered. This hampers and |
| customer service, only the most understanding | | | | inhibits rapport building with the client, making it more like |
| potential clients would consider giving you a second | | | | using a push to talk system than a two-way interface. |
| chance later. Rescheduling because of technical issues | | | | The Solution |
| is simply unprofessional, unacceptable and likely to cost | | | | Paid services can offer private, dedicated IP networks |
| you a client. | | | | that eliminate the possibility of file transfer disruptions |
| Unfortunately, such line noise problems are common to | | | | and other problems. The advertising revenue that free |
| free conference call services. They often run on public | | | | services earn is simply not enough to pay for such an |
| VoIP lines that are affected by innumerable factors, in | | | | infrastructure. |
| the same way that Internet transfers and cell phone | | | | |