****URGENT***Conference Call feature_Best mobile network offering it in the UK??????

john102020

Hi expert tribe!

Can anyone suggest me a mobile network in the UK that offers the Conference call feature?

I'm NOT looking for a provider like powwow, whypay or similar, I'm expressly looking for an UK mobile network that offers this service as part of the package.

I'm considering Vodafone, but I was wondering if there is any other UK network offering this service??

I would really love your reply as I need to solve this urgently, this is task I need to complete early next week!!! SOS!

Thanks in advance!

PHK

Are you looking for a mobile provider that will allow you to personally host a conference call (if so of what size) or that allows you to dial in to a conference call? 

If the latter, how many contracts are you looking to setup. 

Frozen_up_north

There is an O2 business solution, but it appears to involve using an O2 mobile number, which doesn’t sound like a good idea. It is then controlled by a phone app.
FWIW, see:
https://www.o2.co.uk/business/solutions/productivity/collaboration/just-call-me

A free one, not sure how good it is, or if there is a catch:

https://www.conferencecall.co.uk/conference-call

Before I retired, I often took part in conference calls, but they didn’t involve mobile network solutions where you rang the mobile number of one of your contacts... it was a completely separate (non mobile) number, you entered a PIN and announced your name. I took early retirement 10 years ago but guess such systems are still used today.
Zoom works superbly, although not everyone has lots of data and good mobile coverage. My OH has regular Zoom meetings with typically 9 to 12 participants over initially Three and more recently O2, using her mobile phone and data via the mobile network (not via WiFi). The meetings last around an hour and I’ve not heard a single grumble about frozen video, buffering, or anything else, on either network. The meetings are held at times of possibly high network traffic at 5pm to 6pm too!

simax

If you’re just talking about the ability to join up to 5 other people on the same call via your phone menu/handset, then on Pay Monthly Vodafone, O2 and Three offer this facility. On pay as you go, I’m not sure.

john102020

simax said:

If you’re just talking about the ability to join up to 5 other people on the same call via your phone menu/handset, then on Pay Monthly Vodafone, O2 and Three offer this facility. On pay as you go, I’m not sure.

Hi Simax!

This is what I'm speaking about exactly!  Thank you very much!

Which of those three networks would you suggest me?

Emmia

If phone/audio only you can do this from your mobile handset, call participant 1 and have them join, then "add participant" call them - they join and so on... I've done this with an iPhone and I think Samsung phones have similar functionality. I've only done it for a 3 or 4 way call though - as I have Zoom, Teams and Hangouts which I can use for larger video calls.

In terms of the best network, I don't think it matters as long as you and participants all have a strong phone signal / good reception.

matelodave

As Emmia says you all need a decent phone signal quality and I guess that different people may be on different phone networks anyway.
Both my wife and I do Zoom, Whatsapp & conferencing with several people in various parts of the country and have no problems, except with one participant who keeps freezing & disconnecting and it happens every time to the point where it become impossible for him to maintain contact.

Frozen_up_north

john102020 said:

simax said:

If you’re just talking about the ability to join up to 5 other people on the same call via your phone menu/handset, then on Pay Monthly Vodafone, O2 and Three offer this facility. On pay as you go, I’m not sure.

Hi Simax!

This is what I'm speaking about exactly!  Thank you very much!

Which of those three networks would you suggest me?

While manually putting a caller on hold, calling another one, might work, it is very awkward and not professional.

Why not give the conferencecall link I posted earlier a try, it sounds like it works the same way as conference calls did when I was at work, ie:

When you call the number you are prompted for a PIN, then asked to say your name. Others on the call hear something like "Fred from Vodafone has joined the conference", where the word "Fred from Vodafone" is your recorded voice. Equally, if they hang up, it announces "Fred from Vodafone has left the conference".

As that irritating meerkat would say "Simples"

john102020

Emmia said:

If phone/audio only you can do this from your mobile handset, call participant 1 and have them join, then "add participant" call them - they join and so on... I've done this with an iPhone and I think Samsung phones have similar functionality. I've only done it for a 3 or 4 way call though - as I have Zoom, Teams and Hangouts which I can use for larger video calls.

In terms of the best network, I don't think it matters as long as you and participants all have a strong phone signal / good reception.

Regardsless if you have I Phone or Samsung you won't have the fuctionality of conference call if your network is Giff Gaff, which is the one in use now.

We use Zoom, Teams and Whatsapp already for other tasks and know how they work.

So only interested in using the phone to make conference calls via the conference call feature provided by the mobile network

It's compulsory to do this through the phone and not via any other app.  

That's why I would like to know which of Vodafone, O2 and Three would be the best?

Emmia

If you want a conference call service, why not just use something like powwownow?  Or use Zoom/Teams etc which has a dialable number.

EE doesn't do conference calling, only group calling according to their website. 

Vodafone does it for up to 6 people as long as you have a pay monthly or business account - the originator of the call is charged (time of call x parties dialling in) but it is free for those dialling in.

For O2 there is the "just call me" app.

3 - no idea. their website FAQs are silent on this question.

john102020

simax said:

If you’re just talking about the ability to join up to 5 other people on the same call via your phone menu/handset, then on Pay Monthly Vodafone, O2 and Three offer this facility. On pay as you go, I’m not sure.

Any info about my question above dear Simax?

TIA

Kind regards.