Conferences allow more than two interlocutors to take part in the same phone conversation. This article explains how to use VoipNow's conferencing features from a Phone terminal extension or from a public phone number.

How to start a conference

By default, a Phone terminal extension with the Conference function enabled can initiate conferences.

If you want to create a conference room, dial 8 followed by the extension's short number (e.g. 8001).

The Conference function is available only for the extensions owned by User accounts that have the User is multi-user aware permission enabled under Roles and Phone Numbers.

The extension's short number is the one that follows the * separator. For instance, the short number for extension 0003*001 is 001.

How to join a conference

Once a conference is initiated directly by a Phone terminal extension, other users may join as explained below:

• Local users can join by dialing 8 followed by the extension's short number (e.g. 8001).
• Users of public telephony networks can only join if they're invited by the conference administrator (i.e. the person who started the conference). 

Conference options

Here are the options available for conference administrators and regular members.

For conference administrators

During a conference, the administrator has access to the following functions:

Invite - Invites another extension to the conference. 

• *8 followed by {ext_number}# after the prompt - Where {ext_number} is the extension's short number (e.g. dial *8 001# to invite extension 001).

Kick/Quit gracefully - Kick users out of the conference.

• *30 - Quits all users except the member entering the command.
• *31 - Kicks the last user to join the conference.

Lock/Unlock - Prevents new users from joining a conference in progress.

• *21 - Locks the conference.
• *20 - Unlocks the conference.

Mute/Unmute - Mutes the other participants.

• *11 - Mutes all members except the one who typed the command.
• *10 - Unmutes all members except the one who typed the command.

For conference members

Regular conference members have access to the following functions:

Talk Mute - Turns the Mute function ON and OFF for the user.

• *1 - Switches between Mute and Unmute.

Sound - Enables or disables announcement sounds for the member.

• *2 - Turns announcement sounds ON/OFF.

List members - Lists who is logged into the conference.

• *3 - Announces the names of the conference members.

Volume management - Allows users to increase or decrease the conference volume.

• *7 - Turns the volume DOWN.
• *9 - Turns the volume UP.

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