There are two alternate approaches you can now take to hold a meeting via phones:
1 There are many phones on the market with a loudspeaker button. Pressing that usually amplifies the incoming sound of the phone for several people to hear. There is a small microphone on the phone that picks up the sound from immediately around it. It might need an extension microphone for large groups. This will allow two-party calls, but not multiparty calls.
2 Skype allows several people to be added to the call by phoning them in turn.
Its also got video calling facilities.
For those not familiar with Skype, its a piece of software that allows calling other Skype users with no charge, and allows calling ordinary phones at modest charge, wherever they happen to be in the world. Its a free download, and millions have it on Macs, PCs, phones and iPads. It is close to a de-facto standard phone system for all devices for the next twenty years.
Talk to the microphone on the laptop, and the sound comes from the built-in speakers or the big screen on the wall. For a large group of people at this end, its probably useful to have a microphone on a long cable
To use it look for the window:
At the top, highlighted in green, are those Skype users in the phone book who are online. Included is a test service you can practice with.
Right clicking brings up a second window with the CALL button. It might already be visible on the window edge.
Clicking that starts the call and brings up a window like this, below, and includes a video image if both parties have video camera.
Calls are ended using the red button.
There are volume controls and mute buttons along the window edge.
With a video Skype call, the incoming image is large, the outgoing image is shown in the corner of the window
Further down the contact list are the Skype users not online, and below them the contacts with just ordinary phone lines or mobiles:
The Skype service is prepaid. At the top right of this window is the remaining credit in €uro, topped up as usual using a credit card.
The usual call charge to land lines in the western world is about 1p, and to mobiles is 15p.
When a call has been established its possible to add in further contacts, both Skype and non-Skype types. Each of the (non-Skype) calls is billed additionally, and for video multiple-participant calls there are extra charges.
Everyone should become familiar with Skype because of its widespread use, and its free calling, something that should help in team working. Its also the practical way to have a proper video conference between several parties. Its many features allow drawings and other documents to be circulate between the participants, and there is a whiteboard feature for sketching out ideas for others to see. These are features that not so long ago cost a great deal from the well know telecoms companies.
www.icip.co.uk/news
