Conference Call Q

[Samantha Lukasiewicz]

Hi everyone!

 

We're starting to do conference calls with all of our VISTAs, like many of you have already I'm sure. BUT I was wondering if there is a cheap (free would be better) conference call service that you all might have come in contact with, or use. We have 13 VISTAs so the number of people on the call wouldn't be that many and it would only last an hour each month. If someone could help me find a service worth paying for/looking into, I'd appreciate it!

 

Thanks!
--
Samantha Lukasiewicz 
The Advancement Foundation
AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
1114 Washington Avenue
Vinton, Virginia 24179
540-345-1292
www.theadvancementfoundation.org

[Allyse Vander Plaats]

We use a free conference call service... here is the website. http://www.freeconference.com/

--

Allyse Vander Plaats

VISTA Leader

Iowa Campus Compact
515-235-4686

Pappajohn Education Center
1200 Grand Ave, Suite 200
Des Moines, IA 50309

Iowa Campus Compact (IACC) is a statewide association of college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education by educating students for active citizenship and building strong communities. This is accomplished by integrating community service, service-learning and community engagement opportunities into student's academic and co-curricular activities.

[Karen Kearney]

Hi Samantha,

We use www.freeconferencecalling.com, it supposedly allows you to have up to 16 lines and unlimited talk time. We have only used it for about 10 lines though, so I would test it out first. Good luck!

Karen Kearney

[Joshua Ankerberg]

https://www.freeconferencecall.com/

Your teleconferencing line is available to you 24/7 and there is no need to schedule or make reservations. Each conference call account accommodates 96 callers on an unlimited number of 6 hour free conference calls.

This is the one we use.

[Samantha Lukasiewicz]

I've gotten some great reponses already, thanks everyone! I've looked into the freeconference call websites, just wondering if anyone's had any problems with VISTAs needing to dial a long distance number (not an 800) number from their respective offices before?

[Karen Kearney]

We have had that problem with www.freeconferencecalling.com, and we have had to give them a calling card to call in.

[Karen Kearney]

We also use fuzemeeting, which offers a toll-free number, but that service costs money.

[Bridget Mercier]

At my leader training in May one of the VISTA leaders was telling people about wiggio.com, which is sort of like an online forum to make working in groups easier. I think it might have a way to set up free virtual meetings and conference calls. I don't have too much experience with the conference call part so I can't say for sure if it's a toll free number, but it may be worth checking out. 

Bridget

[Del Bharath]

Try https://join.me/. You can share screens and even download an app so you can use it from you phone.
Hope that helps

Del

[Del Bharath]

Also, wiggio has a conference call option. We tried to use it for our ALT and the screen sharing was a bit off if we all tried to make changes but if you are just showing info you should be fine.

[Joshua Ankerberg]

I've had experience with the Wiggio conference calling.  It uses a scheduling system.  There is a bug in their system because if someone calls in before the scheduled time, the access code becomes invalidated.  The virtual meeting space is pretty nice considering it has a lot of the same features of WebEx.