Centracall.com

The easy way to conference

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are CentraCall?

CentraCall, powered by InterCall Conferencing Services, provides cost-effective conferencing for businesses of all types. We specialise in simple, easy to use Audio and Web conferencing solutions, facilitating hundreds of conference calls and web meetings each day. Our investment in the latest technology and bridging systems enable our clients to enjoy the highest level of quality and service from each and every conference call.

What is a conference call?

A conference call is simply a telephone call where more than two people take part. With the technology available, there can be thousands of people on a single call at a time from around the world.

How can I register for a CentraCall account?

To register for our service is very simple. As there is no contract, just sign up using our online sign-up form. This only takes four easy steps and once completed you will receive a welcome email with your account details. Any other call leaders you specify will also receive emails with their unique account details.

If you no longer require our services, you simply stop using them at any time with no obligation and nothing to pay. You only pay for what you use.

When can I use my CentraCall account?

As soon as you receive your Welcome e-mail with your conference details, you can start using CentraCall for your audio or web conferencing!

How many people can join the call?

Typically on our standard service, Reservationless-Plus, the maximum amount of concurrent ports that can be used is 125. Operator Assisted and Event calls can handle much more, often into the thousands. However, these need to be arranged in advance. Please contact CentraCall should you wish to use either of these services.

How does billing work?

There is no sign up or monthly fee and you will only be billed for what you have actually used, receiving an electronic invoice via e-mail on a monthly basis. Each conference participant that joins the conference is charged to the call leader on a per minute basis.

Do I need any special equipment?

For audio conferencing all that is required in order to conduct a conference call is a telephone, whether landline or mobile. You can also use special conference phones, but this is not a necessity.

For web conferencing a desktop or laptop computer with internet access is required. The exact requirements for web conferencing are as follows:

Browser: Netscape Navigator 4.06 - 4.7x; Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher

Computer: Intel Pentium 166 MHz or faster processor;

32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended); Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, XP, NT, or 2000; Macintosh and UNIX platforms are supported, but not generally available

Internet Connection Speed: 56k or faster

Display: 800x600 pixel resolution or greater (1024x768 pixels recommended)

Plug-Ins: Java-script and cookies enabled on web browser; ActiveX enabled on Internet Explorer

Can I speak to an operator?

Yes. If you require assistance at any time during your call, there are operators standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may request assistance simply by pressing the *0 on your telephone. This will connect you straight to an operator who will deal with your query immediately.

Is there a limit to how long my conference call can last?

No, not if you use our standard Reservationless-Plus service. Your conference can continue for as long as you need it to. All you need to do is hang up when the call is finished and this will end the conference. If you are utilising our Operator Assisted or Event services, you will have to book a period of time to utilise our service.

 

Do you offer other Services?

As stated previously, while our standard Audio service is our easy to use Reservationless-Plus service, we offer several other services. Event and Operator Assisted Audio conferencing are available as well as Web Conferencing with Microsoft Live Meeting and Web-Ex Meeting Centre. For more information on these services, please visit pages on Audio Conferencing & Web Conferencing.

Can you guarantee that the conference call will be of high quality?

While CentraCall cannot guarantee that a conference call will run smoothly outside of CentraCall's systems (Local Phone Exchange, Handset issues, etc), we understand the important role that conferencing plays in your business communications and we are dedicated to the accurate, timely, and smooth execution of your meetings. However if you do experience any problems please contact the operator whilst on the call who will effectively deal with the problem, or contact us at any time afterward.

Do I have to call you to book a call each time I want to use your service?

If you use our standard Reservationless-Plus service, you never have to book. Once you have your account details you can use our service as much or as little as you want, any time you want. The same applies to our Web conferencing solutions, you don't have to book once you have signed up. If you wish to take advantage of our Event or Operator Assisted conferencing, you will have to book. For further information on these services please contact us.

How do I invite people to my conference?

All you need to do is provide your participants with the date and time of the call, the appropriate dial-in telephone number and you are ready to start your conference! Anyone can join.

How can a participant join a conference call?

A participant can join a conference call simply by dialling in and entering the conference code when instructed to do so by the recorded prompts. Please see the Audio Conferencing user guide for more information.

I am running a big conference call - can you help me manage the call?

Yes. If you are expecting 30-40+ participants on a call, we recommend an Operator-Assisted or Event Audio Conference. With these types of conference, all participants' lines are muted during the conference to minimise interference and only the leader's line is open allowing him/her to speak and do a presentation. Once the conference has ended, there is an opportunity to hold a Q&A session whereby participants, with the aid of a keypad command, can request to ask the presenter a question. The operator can then open the individual lines of the participants who have queued to ask a question. With Event Audio Conferences, you have even more features including web interface controls.

Please contact us for details of how CentraCall can help with these types of call, and to find out more information.

What is Reservationless-Plus conferencing?

Reservationless-Plus conferencing is an audio conferencing service that does not require you to make a reservation. The account holder is issued with a conference code and leader PIN, along with a set of dial-in telephone numbers. They can use the service whenever they require without having to book the call. You can have a conference at any time of the day, at any time of the year. Just give your participants the dial-in number relevant to them and the conference code.

What is my dial-in number?

Your dial-in number(s) appear on the welcome e-mail that you receive when you sign up with CentraCall, and depend on what country you are registering from. They are different for each country and location, ensuring you always have the ability to dial a local or national number to access our service.

Why do I have so many different dial in numbers?

The list of access numbers has toll free numbers for many countries across Europe and the Rest of the World. This means you and your participants can conference from many different locations, while keeping the cost to your participants to zero, rather than dialling an international number to access.

What is the difference between the types of dial in numbers?

What is a conference code?

A conference code is the number that identifies your Reservationless-Plus conference. When entered using a telephone keypad, the conference code alerts the system that you are holding a conference call. When your participants enter the conference code to join a meeting, the system automatically routes them to your conference.

What is a Leader PIN?

The Leader PIN is a personal identification number that allows the call Leader to start a conference and gives them access to Reservationless-Plus conferencing features. Conference Leaders have access to more conference functions so as to fully control their conference.

Why do I have two PIN numbers?

In order to enhance security, a Leader PIN accompanies the conference code, giving the Leader full control over all calls that occur on their account

How do participants join the conference?

The call Leader provides participants with the date and time of the call, the dial-in telephone numbers and the conference code. At the designated time, participants dial into the conference and follow the voice prompts to access the call.

What if I have a problem during the call?

Press *0 on your telephone keypad to request operator assistance into your call. Alternatively, press 00 to request operator assistance into your individual line only. ?

How do I mute my line?

Press *6 on your telephone keypad to mute your line. Press #6 to unmute your line. Alternatively, the call Leader can press *5 to mute all callers except themselves and #5 unmute all callers.

 

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