Thursday, June 15, 2006

What do conference calling service provider have to offer?

Between some of the features that some conference calling service provider have to offer you have the ability to have a Toll-free Dial-in Number

Maximum conference size
Maximum conference duration
Toll-free customer support
Conference Recording
Schedule & manage conferences via Web
Advanced security features
Real-time conference management controls
Automated conference e-mail invitations
Receive RSVPs with reply comments
Outlook and Lotus calendaring
digital connections
24-hour automated access to system
Instant access from any phone

Entertainment

Conference calls can be used for entertainment or for social purposes, such as the party line. People call in to a specified telephone number which allows them to talk to others, serving as a way to talk to and perhaps subsequently meet new people. Conference calls are most commonly used by businesses.

Internet usage

In the past, conference calls could be made through a telecommunication company who offered this service for a fee. Today, conference calls could be hosted using the internet and thus save costs on a phone bill. There is also a possibility video conferencing where you can use a video camera to sell a product, perform a product demonstration or even conduct a seminar.

What is a Conference Call

Conference call - A conference call, sometimes referred to as an "earnings conference call," a "quarterly conference call," or an "analyst call," is an event in which investors can call into a special phone number and hear the management of their company comment on the financial results of the recently completed quarter. Most publicly held companies hold four conference calls per year. Many companies are beginning to offer audiocasts of their calls over the Internet.

In the past, these calls were only made available to Wall Street analysts and large institutional investors, but now, more and more companies are actively encouraging participation from individual investors.

Conference calls offer investors a valuable sources of information about a company. During the calls, management will speak about the results of the just-completed quarter, comment on notable corporate developments, and provide insight into the future prospects of the company.

Most conference calls follow a fairly predictable flow. The calls usually starts with the company welcoming participants to the call, followed by a discussion of the business by both the CFO and CEO. Following management's discussion of the business, the call is opened up to questions from the audience.

The question and answer session of the call is often the most revealing. Analysts and institutional investors are usually allowed to ask questions first, followed by questions from other participants such as individual investors. Be advised, however, that not all companies allow individual investors to ask questions. One reason for this policy is that there simply isn't enough time to answer hundreds of questions. But if you're an individual investor, don't be discouraged. If you listen carefully to the answers to the questions that are asked by analysts and institutional investors, your question will probably be answered.