Best Buy: Free Conference Calling Services
You get what you pay for.
There is much truth to this statement. If you buy a used watch on Ebay for $10, consider yourself lucky if it comes with a wristband- or hands. If you buy a jalopy for a hundred bucks from a used car salesman named Guido, cross your fingers before you turn that key. And how about that 6-day, 5-night getaway cruise to the Bahamas, for $200? It is probably nothing more than a ferry boat ride and a tour of roach motels. In one sense, you do get what you pay for. But there is also truth in the statement that “the best things in life are free.” Watching a sunset, receiving a compliment, or seeing your firstborn child take her first step are all priceless moments. Free conference calling services can be one of life’s priceless moments, too.
How It Works
After singing up for free conference calling services, you get your own conference number. You can use this number for any conference calls within the United States, and sometimes around the world as well. Companies can afford to offer free conference calling services because they charge for other services. Nationwide long distance carriers cover the fees. Sometimes, however, extra charges are required to avail of special services, such as downloading files or adding more conference participants, the number of which exceeds the maximum presently allowed.
No Free Lunches
These extra charges prove that nothing in life is really free, including “free” lunches. Someone pays for them. Likewise, free conference calling services are not totally free, and in the long term, traditional conferencing services could save your company more money. In fact, participants can avail of free conference calling services by paying the local or long distance charge to access the company’s service computer. The exception is only when the conference organizer pays a small fee per minute per caller, to provide truly toll-free calling service to the caller.
To Free Or Not to Free – That Is the Question!
When choosing a conference calling service, find one that best meets your business’ needs. Factor in such considerations as budget, scope, and size. To begin with, determine if free conference calling services is what you really need. A “Fortune 500″ company that needs audio and web conferencing should go with a non-free conference call service provider. However, free conference calling services are generally ideal for small to medium-size businesses that can live without the extra services and features that full conference calling companies provide. Furthermore, if your company realizes that free conference services do not include toll-free calls and if they only need audio conferencing, then “free is key.”
Benefits, Benefits, Benefits
When considering free conference calling services, it is wise to look at the features that may be included.
* No waiting and no reservations
* Digital fiber-optic lines
* Support for Voiceover Internet Protocol, or VOIP, services
* Use of your conference number at any time and for an unlimited time
* Participant capacity ranging from 100 to more
* MP3 recording for archiving, sharing, and playback
* Support of any calling device, such as a cellular phone, broadband phone, traditional phone, desktop softphone, and many others
* Unlimited international conference calls using traditional calling tools, or VoIP
* Computers are unnecessary for audio conferencing
Free conference calling services are not perfect for every company. Neither do they come completely for free. They have their uses, however, and when utilized well, they can prove to be the best deal of the year.
Business VoIP Solutions: for a Spurt in Business Activities
Most business entities are driven by the way they communicate. If the business entity uses the phone communication a lot then changing from PSTN systems to business VoIP solutions will surely bring down the communication costs by a considerable amount. Unlike the traditional PSTN services, in the IP solutions, the telephone lines are not totally dedicated towards a specific call for the entire call duration.
As a matter of fact, Internet telephony solution uses a packet switching technique for transmitting the calls. This technique helps the business entities to cut the cost of calling, as the VoIP services are not heavily regulated like the PSTN calls. In addition, it also improves the call productivity. Business VoIP solutions also offer flexibility in calls, which ensures the growth of the facilitating organisations, irrespective of their geographic locations.
The large business entities with multiple locations find it easy to communicate using these solutions. In most of these VoIP solutions, the calls are transmitted over a broadband speed Internet connection rather than the coaxial wires used in traditional telephony systems. Therefore, it can be said that advanced Internet telephony services are perfect for handling the rising communication costs, more so for businesses having to communicate across national boundaries. Hence, the business users are able to enjoy the benefits of long distance and international calls at significantly lower rates.
Moreover, VoIP business solutions guarantee communication with better voice quality as a high speed broadband connection are being used with most of them. The high speed broadband connections enable the users to enjoy the transmission of voice, video and data over a single line. Apart from the broadband network, the business entity going in for the change, would require specific hardware and software for availing all the benefits of this technology. The hardware equipment includes a VoIP phone, ATA , router, gateways and switches.
By using the high-class equipment for calling, the business entities can reduce the monthly telephone bills up to half the cost of PSTN services. Moreover, the business users can set up 3-way calling, call conferencing, call forwarding with their clients, and do away with geographical boundaries for all practical purposes. Therefore, it can be said that calling over the broadband is easier and cheaper -more so when compared to the PSTN services.
To conclude, it can be said that VoIP business solutions are also dependent upon the VoIP solution provider. The business entities should therefore tread carefully before they zero in on any one to cater to their needs.
Skypes plummet – customer service freefall
With the recent takeover of Skype by Ebay, Danny Wirken asks if Skype has forgotten to pack it’s parachute.
With the internet booming in sales of products such as the Skype phone or free Skype download, the company is enjoying more publicity than ever before. Since inception in 2003, Skype now claims well over 55 million registered customers thanks to the way it allows users to call other users for free. It has also done a lot to advertise its low cost ‘real’ telephone calls service.
I’ve enjoyed using the Skype phone service myself – calling other friends who share the software has previously been useful. However I’ve noticed one thing as a result of the Ebay takeover of Skype. The customer service has plummeted. Some ask if it was ever there at all – and they are right to question this. With so many users enjoying the service there is now a real problem with bugs, glitches and general technical problems. What’s worse is that these bugs seem to be centred around the new billing system Skype uses.
There have been wide reports of these skype billing glitches. Large sites such as CNET have reported that there is a growing dissatisfaction with the way the company is choosing to take itself. By entering into the paid market fully, Skype might risk neglecting its grassroots customers who brought it such success in the first place.
The common complaints sound dangerously fatal – accounts taking days to go active, or to be credited from purchases even on credit cards. One user said he would simply chargeback the purchase if he didn’t get the credit by the next day. Given that Skype marketed itself on instant-download software and fast access, this flaw seems crucial.
“It just makes it useless†commented one anonymous poster on SLASHDOT. “I send an email and get no response – yet they are happy to take the money from my card!â€
Spokespeople from Skype have recently gone public by saying that there are some ‘teething problems’ with the service. The bigger clue, so they claim, is to look at the ever increasing customer numbers. Critics would point out that it is retaining these customers that should concern Skype.
But why is it such a problem? The issue is that Skype customer service uses an ad-hoc arrangement only suited to smaller internet outfits. They have not grown their customer service with the other areas of their company. The company relies heavily on proactive clients to let them know when a problem arises. Relying on reports in this way is suitable only for the most amateurish start-up firms or non profit organisations where the user base has additional motivation for being a client.
One Skype employee recently admitted to searching online internet forums to look for potential issues to fix or repair. With the ranting of an irate user base growing ever louder, Skype is now looking to do their best to instigate solutions for their customer service. With comments now getting heated – “I’ve been stolen from. I’m absolutely furious. The advertising was misleading and I’ve had no help!†– and many competitors now on the scene, it may be prudent to ask if it is already too late for Skype.
Getting Started in Voice Overs
When getting started in voice overs, aspiring talent quickly discover that it takes more than just a great voice to succeed in this highly competitive market. Although at first glance, there may seem to be few doors that open for amateur talent seeking voice over work opportunities, the avenues for personal growth, talent development and networking are overly abundant. You just need to know where to find them.
The notion of becoming a voice over talent usually starts with a compliment from a friend, colleague, or family member. When someone hears similar sentiments from people outside of familiar circles, the individual is inspired to make an action plan and thoroughly research the voice over profession.
Aspiring voice over talent can find a wealth of resources and guidance from a variety of sources on the Internet. There are several good websites online that share information about the industry, providing solutions to nearly every “Getting Started” voice over question and career development resources. These resources may manifest themselves in an array of business templates, strategies, and eBooks.
If an aspiring voice over talent desires to fully explore voice overs as a career, there are multiple ways to research the field without having to leave the comfort of home. Some of these research methods include visiting the websites of professional voice over talents, listening to voice-over demos online, and reading up on what industry leaders have to say, including coaches, agents, authorities, and casting directors.
There’s an abundance of voice over blogs online that reveal what it is really like to be in professional voice overs, providing excellent insight into what can be expected if one were to enter the voice over profession. Many professionals freely discuss their career objectives and thoughts about the industry as a whole, personal observations and their career progress.
Voice overs are very busy not to mention employed in an extremely popular field. The majority of professional voice overs do not have time to lead an aspiring talent by the hand and personally consult them regarding their voice and potential career prospects. Professionals often link to other helpful blogs or industry websites. These links are available to aspiring talent as a means to discover more comprehensive resources that will aid them in starting out as a voice over talent.
Although reading the blogs or visiting websites of professional voice overs may be a fun, leisurely activity, your research should lead to more hands-on and educational endeavors such as contacting a voice-over coach.
A voice over coach will be able to identify what your voice type is, the kind of work you’d be best suited for, and will assist you in developing your vocal range, both artistically and technically.
Voice Over Coaches
Make an appointment with a voice over coach. They will be happy to assess your voice and set up a training program for you at their studio. Going with a private voice over coach has its benefits. Who else could provide an objective opinion on your voice, tailored vocal instruction, specific guidance, and career resources on such a personal level?
A voice over coach will help focus in on your strengths and develop your talents. Sometimes it takes someone else to let you know where you shine as a voice actor and the areas of voice acting that aren’t necessarily your forte.
A voice over coach will also be able to identify your specialty skill sets, and if you would like, help you to plan and record your voice over demo. These preliminary efforts will define your voice over career at present and help you to provide extraordinary voice over services to your future clients.
As with anything valuable to your development, a voice over coach will charge fees for their services. When selecting a voice over coach, don’t let their coaching fee be the sole deciding factor regarding whether you study with them or not. The fees that you pay should also provide you with a comfortable learning environment, a teacher who you can relate to, and the voice over skills that you want to acquire.
Workshops and Tele-classes
Some people prefer to meet in person, taking lessons in a group. A workshop is an open class that is run by a voice over instructor and attended by voice overs who want to improve particular skills, such as character voice acting, for example.
These workshops are often followed by a question and answers period. The environment is often more casual and free-spirited than a private lesson and enables you to network with people within your field, perhaps even meet colleagues who will become your friends.
Usually there is a cost for participating in a workshop to pay for the instructors’ time, materials, and the venue. These fees can vary, but expect that in most cases, there will be a fee for the workshop.
Tele-classes are taught over the telephone. When participating in a tele-class, all you need to do is dial in to the phone number that your instructor will provide you with, and enter the class number for your specific class. Be sure that you do this on the date and at the time that your class is scheduled for.
There may be special code that you’ll need to dial after calling in to be routed to the right tele-class, similar to how you would check the numbers on the door if you were looking for a classroom in a building. Once you’re in on the call, the instructor will greet everyone, introduce the program, start teaching, and then have question and answers period. Bear in mind that there may be a fee associated with a tele-class.
These classes are convenient for voice over talent who do not live in large centers or have access to voice over coaches in their city.
Voice Over Communities
If you would like to network with other voice overs and aspiring talent, you can glean information and feedback from each other in person, through Internet chat groups, or by posting on voice over support forums.
These kinds of communities of professional and aspiring voice overs chat with each other about vocal technique, recording equipment, job opportunities, and more.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of joining a peer support group is that you can share experiences with fellow voice overs, learn at your own pace, and if you’re in a position to do so, give insight to other voice overs.
Voice Over Books
One of the easiest and fastest ways to get a handle on the voice over field and voice industry as a whole is to sit down and read a good book. Aside from either going to the local library or ordering a book or voice-over eBook online, there isn’t much legwork.
Good voice-over books will help you with technique and some also guide you from the ground up, including how to brand yourself, how to record voice-overs, be found on the Internet, promote your voice, make money as a voice over, operate your business, and give you the encouragement you need to get going.
Another good idea is to locate a royalty-free voice over script collection. You will need one to record your first voice over demo from. These scripts are also good for practicing with either on your own or with a voice teacher.
Getting started in voice overs is more complicated than one would think, but for those who succeed in this career field, it is one of the most satisfying, flexible, and lucrative professions in the world.
Internet Phone Information and Review | Vonage VOIP Service
If you’re looking for a much cheaper home telephone service with all the features included, Vonage.com is the way to go. You just choose which plan you want. The “Basic†plan is $14.95 a month and includes 500 long distance and local minutes. The “Premium Unlimited†plan is $24.95 a month and includes unlimited local and long distance calling.
Vonage.com is the biggest voIP (internet phone) company and growing very fast. You can have your internet phone up and running within a couple of minutes. All you have to do is connect your telephone line to our adapter and connect the adapter to your internet line – that’s it.
Here’s a list of the features you get free:
- Caller ID name and number
- Call Forwarding
- Call Waiting
- Caller ID Blocking
- Voicemail
- Voicemail to Email
- 3-way Calling
- Call Return
- Anonymous Call Blocking
- Call Hunt
- Keep Your Existing Phone Number
- 30-Day Money Back Guarantee
- 1st month free
You get all the features you already have and more for about half the cost of your regular phone bill. That can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings. And you get to keep your telephone number wherever you go.
