Conference Rooms

A conference room or conference server is normally an expensive add-on with traditional phone systems. With the TruePBX telephone system, you can have your own conference rooms within your own system. Several types of conferencing can be used on the system. The conference account has a wide range of features.

  • Scheduled conferences: Allows users to plan in advance for the conference.
  • Ad hoc conferences: Allows users to pull together a conference at a moment’s notice.

Creating a Conference Room

    • Contact Technical Support

Modifying Conference Settings

 

Account Number(s): This field takes extension number(s) and/or DID number(s). The number of DIDs that can be entered into this field is unlimited.

Conference Name: The name that is assigned to the conference appears in the Room dropdown from the user interface (from the Conference page). Choose a name that will help users differentiate one conference room from the next. The conference name will also be displayed next to the account number on the Accounts page.

 

Mode: Select from ad-hoc or Scheduled conference.

IVR Language: Select a language for this conference room.

Before entering conference: This setting determines what is played when the participant enters and exits the conference (e.g., a tone or the participant’s name).

Number of digits for access code (4-9): This setting determines the number of digits that are required for the participant access code.

Permissions to monitor this account:The conference account can be monitored from one of the snom phone buttons. This field takes extension numbers (use a space as a field separator).

Music on Hold Source:  Select which music on hold to play to the callers.

Moderator Access Code: This field can be left empty; however, the conference cannot be moderated without an access code (see “Moderating an Ad Hoc Conference” below).
Participant Access Code: When no moderator access code has been set, this field can be left empty; otherwise, a code is required (users will be unable to access the conference without a code if the moderator has one).

Configuring an Ad Hoc Conference

The ad hoc conference account allows users to hold conferences at a moment’s notice. No planning is required, and no emails are sent out. This method of conferencing is handled through the system and produces a high-quality three-way conference. Although this method offers a simple way to hold a conference, unauthorized users will be able to access the conference room if an access code requirement has not been set on the account.

Once you’ve created a conference room account, use the following information to configure it.

  • Go to your selected domain in the TruePBX web interface.
  • Go to Conference Rooms.
  • Click on any conference room from the list that you want to change.
  • Here you can configure the settings. You can also go back to the list of Conference Rooms, if you want, by clicking on the List tab above.

 Calling into an Ad Hoc Conference

To hold an ad hoc conference, users need to know the extension number that has been reserved for ad hoc conferencing. If the designated extension is 665, then all parties who enter 665 from their extension phones will be joined to the same call. Participants will be required to enter an access code if one has been set; otherwise, they will be joined directly into the conference room.

Any number of participants can join the call. (Participants can also be blind-transferred into the conference.)

See also moderating a conference.

Schedule a Conference

Once a conference account has been created, users can schedule conferences from their own accounts (using their user portals):

  1. Login to your user portal by using your extension and password as explained in Login.
  2. Click the Conferences icon on top right as shown.
  3. Populate the form using the following information:
      • Name: This field allows participants to know the subject of the conference.
      • Date: Use MM/DD/YYYY (month/day/year) or MM/DD (month/day) format. Leaving this field blank will automatically schedule your conference for the day you populate the form.
      • Start and end times: Use the 24-hour format; for example, 14:00 for 2:00 p.m., 14:30 for 2:30 p.m., etc.

    Note:

      The system will use the selected time zone of the extension that is logged in. The start and end times must be in the same format.

    • Participants: Enter extension numbers and/or email addresses. (The user’s domain must be set up for sending out emails.) When listing multiple email addresses, use a semicolons as a space separator. The email contains a calendar event, which can be read by most scheduling tools. The tool will pop up a conference reminder with the relevant conference information.
    • Automatically Initiate calls at the start time: If this is checked, TruePBX calls each number that is in the participants list at the conference start time.
    • Record the conference: The recording will be placed into the user’s mailbox.
    • Room: Choose a conference room. (These conference rooms were created in domain mode, as explained above).
    • Moderator options: These settings are discussed below.
    • Entering conference
      • Start the conference without moderator: Participants will be able to communicate with each other upon entering the conference.
      • Mute all participants until moderator enters the conference: Participants won’t be able to communicate with each other until the moderator calls into the conference.
      • Mute all participants until moderator unmutes the conference: Participants won’t be able to communicate with each other until the moderator unmutes the conference (*8).
    • Exiting conference
      • Continue the conference: Participants will be able to communicate with one another after the moderator has exited the conference. (The conference will not be deleted until after 24 hours.)
      • Mute all participants on exit: Once the moderator exits, participants’ phones will be muted.
      • Hang up the conference on exit: Once the moderator exits, the system will disconnect all participants from the conference call.

The new conference will be displayed under Conferences organized (at the top of the page), listing the moderator and participant PINs. Participants will receive an email that includes conference details, such as date, time, and PIN number.

Once a conference has been created, it cannot be modified; it can only be deleted (click the delete icon in the conference list). Conferences are automatically deleted 24 hours after the conference end time; however, participants who want to continue talking before the conference is deleted can do so as long as the moderator specified Continue the conference as an exiting preference.