Editing Conference call (section)

== Costs ==

=== Flat-rate ===

Flat-rate conferencing services are being offered which give unlimited access to a conference bridge at a fixed monthly cost. Because telecommunication carriers offer free long-distance bundled with local service, this alternative is gaining widespread popularity for budget conscious businesses and non-profits.

In the UK, there are conference services offered on a [[wikt:pay-as-you-go|pay-as-you-go]] basis where the cost of the phone calls (using 0843/0844, or 0871/0872 non-geographic revenue sharing numbers) from each of the participants covers the cost of the conference service. With this service type there is no monthly charge and usually no contracts to sign.

=== Prepaid ===

Prepaid conference call services allow businesses and individuals to purchase conferencing services online, and conduct conference calls on a [[wikt:pay-as-you-go|pay-as-you-go]] basis. Typically, a conference call [[personal identification number|PIN]] and its associated calling instructions are displayed immediately online after being purchased and/or sent via email. Generally, prepaid conference call services are used with a landline telephone, mobile phone, or computer, and there is no need to buy additional expensive telecommunications hardware or add/switch long-distance service. Some services allow one to start or join a conference call from virtually any country worldwide—with appropriate telephone access.

Large telecommunications providers such as [[AT&T Inc.|AT&T]], [[Embarq]] (formerly Sprint), [[Verizon]] and other large to medium conferencing service providers maintain a dominant position in the conferencing niche; servicing many of the world's biggest brands. However, the Internet and improved global [[VoIP]] networks have helped to significantly reduce the barrier of entry into this niche.

=== Free ===

Free conferencing is different from traditional conference calling in that it has no organizer fees, no human operator, and allows for multiple people to connect at no cost other than that of any other phone call (local or toll). Companies that provide free conference call services are usually compensated through a revenue-sharing arrangement with the local phone company, sharing the [[termination rates|termination charge]] for incoming calls to a phone carrier.

In the case of free conference calling, the conferencing company strikes an agreement with the local phone company that hosts the conferencing bridge (equipment connecting lines) to receive a share of the terminating access charge received for connecting the call. At large carriers such as AT&T and Verizon, they keep these access charges for their own conferencing services in addition to charging the customer for the conference service. With free conference calling, as mentioned above, there are no organizer fees so these services do not double-dip: the consumer pays for a regular call with the same three components&nbsp;– origination, transport, and termination&nbsp;– of any call. In other words, the call costs the same as any other call under the customer's calling plan, but the conferencing is included for free to the host and participants of the conference call.

A distinct difference between sound quality of paid and free conference calls has been noted by customers who have claimed to hear background noises when using the free conferencing services,{{when|date=October 2019}} which rarely happens on paid conference calling services. <ref name=CIO/>

=== Premium-rate ===

Here participants dial in on a premium-rate number such as a toll free number in the US. The conference is typically hosted by the party that perceives value in the call in order to justify the cost: this could be a business owner, a non-profit board member, an educator, lawyer, or expert in any given field. That person then usually pays for the cost of the call. Premium conferencing can also be used for charitable fundraisers.

Premium conferencing feature sets include:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.civi.com/Tell_Me_More_Conference_Calling.htm |title=Civicom |access-date=2011-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110214925/http://www.civi.com/Tell_Me_More_Conference_Calling.htm |archive-date=2010-01-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=CIO>{{cite web|url=http://www.cio.com/article/3069603/collaboration/8-awesome-and-sometimes-free-conference-call-services.html|title=8 awesome (and sometimes free) conference call services|publisher=CIO}}</ref>

* Reservationless or operator assisted conferencing
* Host PINs
* Name announce
* Roll-call (unique and superior)
* Moderator/participant codes
* Live web-based call management with mute/unmute, drop one/all, and dial out
* Recording with [[.wav]] file access through an online account
* High-quality on-demand transcriptions (with 4-hour turnaround on request)
* Customizable, "branded" greetings(unique)
* Broadcast mode
* Q&A facilitation
* Polling and polling reports
* Sub-conferencing
* Dial-out with or without requested response
* Web based screen sharing options 
* 24/7 availability