The Conference Feature

Overview

The Conference feature allows users of Phone Terminal extensions to start or join an ongoing conference.

Set up the conference

To set up the Conference feature, click on the Phone Terminal Setup icon and scroll down to the Conference Settings fieldset.

Once the Conference feature is enabled, the user will be able to fill in several fields as show below. To find out more about each setting, check the Conference Settings area in the Phone Terminal Setup page.

Screenshot: The Conference Settings section of the Phone Terminal Setup page

Phone terminal keypad operations

How to start a conference

To initialize a conference from a local Phone Terminal extension with its Conference function enabled, you need to dial 8<your_number> and a new conference room will be created.

Example: If your short number is 001, you need to dial 8001.

How to join a conference

If the conference is started by a local extension:

• Dial 8 followed by the extension short number
• If the conference is PIN code-protected, you will be asked to enter the password

If the conference is scheduled:

• Dial the extension number (from local) or the public number (from external) of the conference
• You will be asked to enter the conference ID and for the PIN code (only if the conference is PIN code-protected)

Conference functions

Conference options fall under a menu that can be accessed by pressing the # key at any time during the conference.

All these options can be triggered during the conference by dialing the assigned key combinations, such as *1, *2 instead of simply pressing 1, 2 as before. This redesign is meant to avoid accidental requests that may occur when the user presses a key by mistake.

As soon as the conference starts, you get a message reading that you can enter the conference by pressing the # key at any point. Some conference options are available both to simple users and the moderator, whereas others can only be used by the conference moderator.

Conference moderator functions

During a conference, if you are logged in as a moderator, you can press the # key to enter the conference menu.

A series of extra features are available:

• Invite another extension to the conference with *8<extension_number>. The <extension_number> is the short number of the extension you wish to invite to the conference, for example 001. A recorded message is played until the system establishes the connection with the invited extension. If not available, another message is played, informing you that the contact person could not be reached. Also, a specific message is played when the number of attendees currently in the conference exceeds the maximum conference size.
• Kick out all with *30: This key combination removes all attendees from the conference, except yourself. A specific message is played. The members who have been removed from the conference will hear a simple Goodbye message.

• Kick out last joined with *31. A message is played, informing you that the last attendee who joined the conference was kicked out. The name of that user is the one recorded when entering the conference, if any. All users who have been removed from the conference will hear a message saying "You have been kicked out from the conference."

• Lock conference with *21. A specific message will be played, telling that the conference is now locked and no new attendees can join it.

• Unlock conference and allow new members to join with *20: A message is played, informing you that the conference was successfully unlocked.

• Mute all members with *11: This key combination mutes all attendees, except yourself. A specific message is played.

• Unmute all members with *10: This key combination unmutes all attendees, except yourself. A specific message is played.

Conference member functions

When logged in as a simple user during a conference, you can press the # key to enter its menu.

A series of conference menu options are available:

• Mute/Unmute conference with *1: This key combination can be dialed during the conference to mute the channel. To unmute, simply press *1 again. A specific message will be played, informing you about the conference status.
• Enable/Disable new member announcements with *2: If the new member announcements are enabled, you can dial this key combination to stop the system informing you about the new members joining the conference. If this option is disabled, you simply need to press the same keys to enable it. Please note that the announcements will only be disabled for the user pressing the keys.
• Conference members list with *3: If you want to find out who else is available in the conference, you need to dial this key combination. A message will be played, listing the member names as recorded when they joined the conference.
• Increase volume with *7: If you want to increase the conference volume, press *7. No message will be played.
• Decrease volume with *9: If you want to decrease the conference volume, press *9. No message will be played.
• Repeat options with 0: To repeat the entire menu, press 0. The corresponding messages will be played again.
• Quit menu with #: To return to the conference, press #. All these options are available to the conference moderator as well.