Managing Conference Calls

Note	The features and/or parameters listed in this article may not be available from your telephone service provider.

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Introduction

Conferences allow multiple users to participate in the same conversation. Using the AdminCenter, conferences are organized and the participants invited. The participants must connect to the conference portal at the appropriate time and join the conference.

There are different conference types available:

• Organized audio conference:

The conference participants take part in a conference via telephone connection to the conference portal of the telephone exchange.

• Ad-hoc audio conference:

The conference organizer initiate an ad-hoc audio conference with the *#-procedure "Service 71".

• "UCC WebRTC" conference:

The conference participants take part in a conference via the Internet and the "UCC WebRTC" conference portal. The "UCC WebRTC" conference provides a web browser-based conference portal with encrypted audio and video conferences, slideshow presentations, document sharing, desktop sharing, etc. Conference participants without Internet access can also participate in a "UCC WebRTC" conference. However, these conference participants are limited to the audio part of a conference.

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The Conference

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Introduction to Conferences

The conference organizer plans the conference via AdminCenter (except the ad-hoc audio conference). From the AdminCenterthe organizer can submit invitations directly to the participants with all required details by email. If the invitations are sent via AdminCenter, the participant will receive later additional reminder emails 30min and 15min before the conference begins.

In order to participate in the conference, participants must connect either by phone to the audio Conference Portal or via the Internet using the "UCC WebRTC" conference portal.

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Prerequisites for Conferences

The following prerequisites are necessary for carrying out the various conference types:

1. The "Conference" feature must be enabled on the telephone exchange.

2. For audio conferences, the provider must set up a conference portal. The conference portal is defined by a telephone number, which the provider must announce.

3. For "UCC WebRTC" conferences, the telephony system must be equipped with a "UCC WebRTC Service".

Note	Check at your provider, which conference types are possible and how the access data are!

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Organizing a conference

Any user with an AdminCenter account can organize a conference. Both the audio and the "UCC WebRTC" conference are set up via the AdminCenter.

Proceeding:

1. Organize the conference
2. Define the conference participants
3. Invite the conference participants:

   * Click the Button [ Send invitation ] will send the invitation via email.

   Two reminder emails will be sent automatically. By default 30min and 15min before the beginning of the conference.

When the Button [ Send invitation ] is not available, the participants must be informed with the following information:

• The telephone number of the conference portal
• Date and time, when the conference starts and the period in which it is possible to connect to the conference room.
• The conference room number
• The PIN of the conference

A conference whose date and start time has expired will remain administratively in the AdminCenter. However, it can not be used in this state. The conference organizer can either delete it or provide a new date and time for a subsequent conference.

Private subscribers of a vPBX can view all the conference rooms of their vPBX, but only the respective conference organizer can process its own conferences.

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Join a Conference

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Required Information to Participate in a Conference

Each conference participant must receive the following information from the conference organizer to participate in a conference:

* The telephone number of the conference portal

* Date and time, when the conference starts and the period in which it is possible to connect to the conference room.

* The conference room number

* The PIN of the conference

* The participants of a "UCC WebRTC" conference receive an additional URL for the "UCC WebRTC" conference portal. The URL contains the unique conference ID.

If the conference organizer sends a the invitation from within the AdminCenter then this information is automatically included in the email.

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Procedure to Connect to an Audio Conference

Proceeding:

1. Call the conference portal from any telephone line:
   • Dial the telephone number of the conference portal from any national or international number.
   • Private users of a vPBX can also use the *#-procedure "Service 72" for connecting to the conference portal.
2. When the subscriber is connected to the conference portal, he receives the instructions for providing the conference room number and the PIN .

In order to know the status of the conference the participants get the following audio information:

• The first participant who enters the conference room hears music until the next participant has connected.
• If a new participant is added or a participant leaves the conference an attention tone is played.
• During the conference, the participants are given an attention tone every few seconds.
• The last participant in a conference hears the busy tone.

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Procedure to Connect to an "UCC WebRTC" Conference

Note

Prerequisites for participating in "Web RTC" Conferences: The web browser used must support "Web RTC" (Safari does not support these features currently). At the very first contact with the "UCC WebRTC" conference portal the user may be prompted to install a plug-in/add-on for the web browser used. After the first login in the "UCC WebRTC" conference portal, the user is prompted to grant access to various resources on his device, e.g. microphone, camera, file system, etc.

Proceeding:

1. Connect from any web browser with the given URL to the "UCC WebRTC" conference portal.
2. Enter the required data in the login dialog. The username and password are from the AdminCenter account of the subscriber. The user name is the email address and the password is identical.

Note	Participants who have an "UCC WebRTC" account but have no Internet connection at the time of the conference can attend the conference via audio conference portal.

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Establish an Ad-hoc Audio Conference with the *#-procedure "Service 71"

As an alternative way of setting up an audio conference, the ad-hoc audio conference is available. Here, the conference organizer initiates with the *#-procedure "Service 71" and the telephone numbers of the participants an audio conference. After entering the *#-procedure with the telephone numbers, a connection is set up immediately to all specified telephone numbers.

Example:

In addition to the conference organizer, the following participants are to take part in the conference:

• National telephone number: 0123456789
• International telephone number: 0049234567890
• Private vPBX Telephone number: 23456

The conference organizer dials on his telephone:

*71*0123456789*23456*0049234567890

Participants who do not answer the conference organizer's call can't be added to the conference subsequently.

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Configuration

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Where to Configure this Feature

As vPBX administrator:

Tab "PBX"

Tab "Subscriber xx"

Tab "Settings"

Tab "Conferences"

As subscriber:

Tab "Settings"

Tab "Conferences"

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Creating, Modifying and Deleting a Conference

Create a new conference:

1. Click Button [ + Add ].
2. A dialog pops up where the following parameters can be configured:
   • Define if it shall be "an audio or an UCC" conference.
   • Define a "name" for the conference.
   • Define a unique "room number" .
   • Define the date and start time "Start".
   • Define the "Duration" in which the subscriber can dial into the conference.
   • Define a "PIN" as the password.
   • Define an optional "Description" of the Conference.
3. For saving the configurations click the Button [ Save ].

Modify an existing conference:

1. Click the row of the desired conference.
2. Modify the desired parameter.
3. For saving the configurations click the Button [ Save ].

Delete a conference:

1. Click the waste icon at the end of the row of the desired conference.

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Creating, Modifying and Deleting a Conference Member

Create a new conference member:

1. Click Button [ + Add ]
2. A dialog pops up where the following parameters can be configured:
   • Define the information source of the "conference member" .

   The conference participant can be defined from the following sources:

   • Subscribers :

   Defines a conference member from the same vPBX. The member is determined by entering the whole or part of the name of the vPBX subscriber in "Search pattern". If a member is found or selected further entries are supplemented if possible.

   • Phonebook :

   Defines a conference member from the same vPBX phonebook. The member is determined by entering the whole or part of the name in the vPBX phonebook in "Search pattern". If a member is found or selected further entries are supplemented if possible.

   • Name:

   Any name can be inserted.

   • Define the "name" of the conference member.
   • Define the "email address" of the conference member.
   • Define if conference member shall receive "an invitation and remainder emails" .
3. For saving the configurations click the Button [ Save ]

Modify an existing conference member:

1. Click the row of the desired conference member.
2. Modify the desired parameter.
3. For saving the configurations click the Button [ Save ].

Delete a conference member:

1. Click the waste icon at the end of the row of the desired conference member.

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Parameter Configuration

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Parameter: Organizer

Description:	Here the telephone number and name of the conference organizer is displayed.
Configuration:
Default:
Version:	AdminCenter V5.7

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Parameter: UCC Conference

Description:	Defines the type of the conference. It can be a normal audio only or a UCC conference. If "UCC" is selected the conference is executed on the "UCC WebRTC Conference Service".
Configuration:	Selection Button: Activated - Not activated
Default:	Not activated
Version:	AdminCenter V6.8

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Parameter: Name

Description:	Defines the name of the conference.
Configuration:	Configuration String: Any string
Default:	- (None)
Version:	AdminCenter V6.8

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Parameter: Room Number

Description:	Defines the number of the conference room. Note Use only digits: 0 – 9 (Letters or symbols cannot be typed on a telephone keypad.)
Configuration:	Configuration String: Random string of numbers
Default:	- (None)
Version:	AdminCenter V5.7

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Parameter: Start

Description:	Defines the date and time when the conference starts. Click in the box to define the date/time: A dialog pops up, where the date and time can be set.
Configuration:	Configuration String: DD.MM.YYYY hh:mm
Default:	Actual date and time
Version:	AdminCenter V5.7

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Parameter: Duration

Description:	Defines how long a subscriber can dial into the conference after the start time.
Configuration:	Selection Menu: Selection of the desired period of time
Default:	15min
Version:	AdminCenter V5.7

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Parameter: PIN

Description:	Defines the PIN (Personal Identification Number PIN, password) of the conference room. Note Use only digits: 0 – 9 (Letters or symbols cannot be typed on a telephone keypad.) Define enough digits
Configuration:	Configuration String: Random string of numbers
Default:	- (None)
Version:	AdminCenter V5.7

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Parameter: Description

Description:	Any description of the conference.
Configuration:	Configuration String: Any string
Default:	- (None)
Version:	AdminCenter V5.7

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Parameter: Destination

Description:	Defines the conference member. The member destination can be selected out of: Subscribers : Defines a conference member from the same vPBX. The member is determined by entering the whole or part of the name of the vPBX subscriber in "Search pattern". If a member is found or selected, the further entries are supplemented if possible. Phonebook : Defines a conference member from the same vPBX phonebook. The member is determined by entering the whole or part of the name in the vPBX phonebook in "Search pattern". If a member is found or selected, the further entries are supplemented if possible. Name: Any name can be inserted.
Configuration:	Selection Menu: Subscriber Phonebook Name
Default:	Subscriber
Version:	AdminCenter V6.8

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Parameter: Name

Description:	Defines the name of the conference member.
Configuration:	Configuration String: Any string
Default:	- (None)
Version:	AdminCenter V6.8

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Parameter: Email Address

Description:	Defines the email address to which the invitation and reminders will be sent.
Configuration:	Configuration String: Email Address
Default:	- (None)
Version:	AdminCenter V6.8

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Parameter: Send Email

Description:	Defines that the member will receive an invitation and remember email when the conference organizer initiate the email sending.
Configuration:	Selection Button: Activated - Not activated
Default:	Not activated
Version:	AdminCenter V6.8

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© Aarenet Inc 2018

Version: 3.0     Author:  Aarenet     Date: July 2017