Editing Conference call (section)

== Legislation ==

The UK government has changed flexible working rights since 2014, so that employees who have been working full-time for a company or organisation can lawfully request [[flexitime|flexible working]]. In recent years, there have been a number of different types of flexible working options as a result of conference calling technology enabling employees to work remotely.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

In November 2011, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) published a 732-page Order on InterCarrier Compensation (ICC),<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telecomlawmonitor.com/2011/11/articles/access-charges/fcc-iccusf-reform-order-published-in-federal-register/|title=FCC ICC/USF Reform Order Published in Federal Register|author=John J. Heitmann|date=2011-11-29|access-date=2013-02-01}}</ref> including rules governing revenue sharing. Citing Section 251(b)(5) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the FCC mandated that terminating access rates for all calls (not just conference calls) be leveled in 2012 and 2013, then reduced in three increments over the subsequent three years until they reached $0 in 2017.<ref name="fcc">[http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-releases-connect-america-fund-order-reforms-usficc-broadband FCC Releases Connect America Fund Order, Reforms USF/ICC for Broadband], pg 215</ref> These mostly sub-1 cent charges are replaced with an access recovery charge (ARC) that is added onto every customers' bill by their phone carriers. In other words, every phone company will get to keep the terminating access charges they had to pay out to connect each call while charging consumers more whether they make calls or not. This order has been challenged at the Federal Appeals Court by several parties.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://jsicapitaladvisors.com/the-ilec-advisor/2011/12/11/let-the-challenges-begin-usficc-order-under-attack-as-partie.html|title=Let the Challenges Begin! USF/ICC Order under Attack as Parties Turn to Courts|date=2011-12-11|access-date=2013-02-01}}</ref>

As for revenue sharing, the order adds a measure for high volume call traffic which triggers an immediate terminating access charge reduction to the lowest rate of any carrier in that state.<ref name=fcc/>

In the United Kingdom, the 0870 prefix was originally used by UK-based free conference calling providers in order to receive a rebate from every call from a telephone company that owns the number. However, in April 2009 Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, announced that the rebate that is payable to the telecom's supplier when an 0870 number is used would be removed.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Ofcom rules should soon make it cheaper to call 0870 numbers|date=2009-04-23|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumer/2009/04/0870-numbers/|access-date=2010-05-17|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925184608/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumer/2009/04/0870-numbers/|archive-date=2009-09-25}}</ref> Systems were soon moved to 0844 and 0871 prefixes in order to retain the revenue sharing arrangement, this means that whilst you wouldn't pay the conference call provider directly, you would dial an expensive premium-rate number to access your conference call.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.meetupcall.com/blog/conference-calls/free-conference-call-services/|title=Free conference call services. What's the catch?|date=2019-07-11|access-date=2019-09-25}}</ref>

Recently in the UK, a very small number of conference call providers have begun to use 03 numbers, which are included in bundled minutes under Ofcom regulations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/03number|title=What are 03 numbers?|website=Ofcom|date=4 November 2020|access-date=24 August 2015|archive-date=24 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824011941/http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/03number|url-status=dead}}</ref> This has provided the option to hold conference calls without any costs whatsoever, as call are included in the minutes bundles provided by most UK network operators. There is a general trend for companies in the UK to more to 03 numbers for inbound services because these numbers are more palatable to the caller.<ref>{{Cite web|last=9to5tech|date=2021-04-02|title=Best Conference Call Services|url=https://medium.com/@9to5tech/best-conference-call-services-1d7421063bd0|access-date=2021-04-02|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref>