Telephone Conferencing FAQ

How much advance notice is needed to set up a conference call?

Advance notice is not required, but we highly recommend a 24 hour advance notice. At times of high usage, space on the phone-conferencing system may become limited. So even though it's often possible to set up a conference minutes before you need it, sometimes that's not an option. We recommend you set up your conference well in advance.

What if I find I need to make changes to my conference after I've scheduled it but before I use it?

Once you've scheduled your conference, you can make modifications to it right up until the conference starts.

Can I set up a recurring conference?

Yes. You can set up recurring conferences, called Periodic Calls, which can be scheduled to occur daily (5 or 7 days a week), weekly, bi-weekly, monthly by date, monthly by the day of the week, monthly by nearest working day, monthly by last day of month, and monthly by last working day of the month.

Is there a maximum number of conferences I can schedule?

As many as 5,000 conferences may be scheduled up to a year in advance.

Can my conference have most participants connecting through the local number and just one or two people connecting through the toll-free number?

Yes, though we do recommend conference participants connect through our local number. Participants outside of the Tucson area (area code 520) can use either our toll-free number, or they can pay long distance to connect through our local number. The toll-free number is given to the person who sets up the conference, who can then pass on our toll-free number to participants as needed.

Does my conference have to be rounded out to the half hour?

Conferences can be rounded to 5 minutes. For example, if your conferences are normally about 20 minutes, then you might schedule the conference duration to 25 minutes.

Can I add or remove participants from a conference in progress?

Yes. The conference host just needs to dial * 0 to reach the operator and make that request.

What happens if a participant accidentally gets disconnected?

The participant simply redials the conference phone number and re-enters the conference code to rejoin the conference.

What happens if one participant is using a bad connection?

The host will need to dial * 0 to notify the campus operator there is a problem. The operator will then listen to each line to find the bad line. The operator informs the affected participant. Using a good line, the participant calls the conference phone number and re-enters the conference code.

What is the policy for monitoring conference calls?

Our operators do not monitor conference calls. When a conference host dials * 0, an operator will enter the conference and can hear a request along with anything else in the conference at that particular time.

If I reserve a conference but do not use it will I be charged?

No. The only charge for conference calls is for actual use of the toll-free 866 number.

What is the most economical way to set up conference calls?

Use the local (520) or (602) conference phone numbers and have participants pay any long distance charges. If a participant must have an available toll-free line, have only that participant use the toll-free 866 number.

When is campus operator assistance available?

The campus operators are available during University workdays, Monday–Friday, 8 AM- 5 PM to assist with conference calls if needed or requested.