Definitions for Audioconferencing Services

The Audioconferencing Services modules provide in depth coverage of the audioconferencing services of the leading vendors in this area. This module is meant to cover pure audioconferencing service offerings and does not include other primary services that may include an audio component as an additional capability.

Audioconferencing services are designed to provide teleconferencing capabilities to individuals within and throughout various organizations, allowing multiple users to gather together for audio (telephone based) meetings. The basic components of a multiparty audioconference include the endpoints themselves (telephones including mobile devices) as present within the user’s network, the multipoint bridging equipment as provided by the service offerer, and a management/scheduling system with user interface to allow access to the service (and to support features like meeting scheduling).

T3i Group’s comparative database modules provide detailed information on each vendor’s individual service offerings so all services can be viewed and compared on an equal footing. Each module includes approximately 35 fields of information, each of which is defined as follows:

Company Name: Provides the name of the audioconferencing service vendor

U.S. Headquarters Location: Lists the city and state where the vendor’s U.S. headquarters are located

Main Telephone Number: The primary telephone number at the vendor’s U.S. headquarters location

Internet Address: The vendor’s web site address

Service(s): The model or brand name for each of the vendors’ services being covered

Date Information Verified: The actual date when the product information was last checked and verified to be correct and current

Geographic Coverage: States the primary coverage area where the services are being sold to end users, which could include North America, Central and Latin America, Europe, Africa and Mid East, and Asia-Pacific, or Global (which would encompass multiple or all regions); since audioconferencing services require only a telephone (fixed or mobile) device for access, virtually all audioconferencing services are available on a global basis, however, the vendor may not be actively selling the service to users on a global basis

Number of Participants: this field could state the maximum number of participants supported by the service, the maximum number of simultaneous meetings supported, or the maximum number of participants supported per meeting

Reservationless Service: If this capability is supported then users can set up adhoc meetings without prior reservations or schedules; the meeting organizer (or host) just needs to inform the other attendees to dial in to a particular location (and typically then enter a passcode to join the meeting)

Reserved Service: If this capability is supported then users can schedule (or reserve) meeting facilities in advance (and typically be allowed to set up schedule for recurring meetings), advising meeting attendees to call in to a particular location (and typically then enter a passcode to join the meeting) at some point in the future; many services also support the ability to send out reminder notifications to scheduled meeting participants in advance of the planned session

Event Services: this offering allows users to set up special event meetings, such as for corporate announcements or large company gatherings where typically there is a primary presenter who is broadcasting information to many users; event services often include specialized services such as the ability to place all but the primary speaker’s line on mute, the ability to poll the audience members or support a question and answer session at the end of the meeting

Operator Assistance: states whether or not the service provider offers operator assistance to users during a conference call (to answer any questions or address any technical problems that might arise during the call)

Operator Monitoring: states whether or not the service provider offers operator monitoring where an operator would stay online during a call (or periodically gain online access during the call) to ensure that the conference was operating properly

Operator Greet and Introduce Participants: this feature allows for an operator to initially greet the participants as they dial in to the conference call and introduce them to the other attendees as they are added to the conference

Support for Bridging Equipment: states whether or not the service provider provides support for multiparty bridging equipment which typically is owned and operated by them as a part of the audio conferencing service (or which could be owned and maintained by the user)

Dial-in with Passcodes: Most audioconferencing services require attendees to dial-in to a particular phone number and then enter a passcode to join in a conference call to provide an additional level of security; in some cases, however, users may be permitted to just dial-in to a telephone location and enter a conference without entering a passcode; and often, there are different level passcodes (for example, a passcode for the meeting host to initialize a call and another passcode for attendees)

Dial-out to Add Participants: on services supporting this feature, conference attendees or the conference host are allowed to dial-out to a telephone number to add participants to the meeting (who were not on the original attendee list for example)

Participant Count: this capability allows the user (typically the meeting host) to get a count of the number of participants attending the meeting

Participant List: this capability allows the user (typically the meeting host) to get a list of the actual meeting participants, so they have a record of who attended a particular meeting

Roll Call: this feature allows the user (typically the conference call host) to access a roll call list of the participants in the call

Entry/Exit tones: when this feature is available, all conference participants will hear an entry and/or exit tone whenever someone enters or leaves the audio conference call; this allows all users to know whenever someone has joined or left the meeting

Support for Question/Answer Sessions: often used for special event meetings where all but the presenter’s line may be muted, this feature allows conference attendees to signal to the host that they wish to ask a question (typically done by an entry on their telephone keypad); the host or meeting operator will then open the line (one attendee at a time) to let the participants ask their questions

Polling/Voting: this feature allows the conference host to poll meeting participants on different questions during the meeting and capture their responses (typically done via entries on their telephone keypads)

Record and Replay/Playback: this capability allows users to record their audioconference meetings; the recordings can then be archived and accessed for replay at a later date (for historical reference or for access by individuals who were not able to attend the original meeting)

Transcription Service: some service providers are able to record an audioconference meeting and then provide the users with a complete written transcript of everything that transpired during the meeting, allowing them to have a hard copy record of the session

Multilingual or Interpretation Service: these type services range from providing various language versions of a meeting transcription to providing online multilingual/translation services for different users during a conference call (although the user should contact the service provider ahead of time for a list of languages supported)

Broadcast/Lecture Mode: typically an audioconference conducted in broadcast (or lecture) mode involves a main presenter (or series of presenters) and a large number of attendees; the presenter is free to speak, while the attendee lines are usually placed on mute

Subconferences Supported: the subconference feature allows small groups of attendees to break away from the main audioconference meeting to have a separate, private meeting after which they may also be able to return to the main conference call

Mute (Individual Lines or All Lines): during an audioconference call, the host (or presenter) may wish to mute all other lines on the call to avoid any disruptions during a presentation; alternatively, a noisy line may be encountered during a conference call and this feature would allow the host to mute only that particular line

Disconnect Individual Line: this feature allows the meeting host (or an operator) to disconnect a particular line from the conference call

Conference Lock/Unlock: this feature allows the meeting host (or an operator) to lock or unlock access to an audioconference; for example, if all expected participants have joined the meeting, a host may wish to lock the conference, blocking access to anyone else trying to gain entry to the meeting; similarly, the host can unlock the conference to allow additional participants to join the meeting

Music On Hold: this capability allows meeting participants to hear music on hold after they have logged into an audioconference and while they are waiting for the meeting to commence; some service providers have extended this offering to include the capability to provide personalized or corporate announcements while on hold

Additional Capabilities: lists any other features or capabilities of the audioconferencing service not already addressed in the previous list of attributes

Pricing: provides details on the list or discounted (street) pricing for the audioconferencing service offerings; these prices could be in the form of per minute per meeting participant, flat rate usage fees for a maximum number of participants (and/or meeting host designees), or flat rate all you can use fees

Strengths: lists the overall strengths of the vendor or their service offerings compared to other like vendors and services available in the market

Weaknesses: lists the overall weaknesses of the vendor or their service offerings compared to other like vendors and services available in the market