How to Keep your Conference Call Clear and Sounding Great
Do you find your conference call occasionally fuzzy or periodic static coming through? More often than not, it can be resolved or eliminated.
Most important use a Conference call provider like AccuConference that only uses the latest digital equipment with carriers that utilize fiber optic lines.
Here are some things to keep in mind when having your conference call and things start sounding less than clear:
Viewing your Calls Online
The benefit of viewing your calls online will allow you to pinpoint specific lines which are causing noise within a conference. During a live call, any line with noise (voice or other noise) will blink with the Noise Icon 
. Muting a line with noise not intended for the conference will make your call sound clear.
- To login, go to www.AccuConference.com/customer
- Enter your email address and password
- Click on "Live Calls" to see your conference
- **Call us at 1.800.989.9239 for a more detailed demonstration
The Power Of *6
Pressing *6 on your telephone will immediately mute/unmute your indidvual line. Even if you are a speaker/presenter, use *6 to mute your line when you are not speaking. If you or someone on your call is on a cell phone, dialing from an international location, in a room with other people, or even by themselves in a quiet room, pressing *6 can avoid almost all noise problems associated with static or interference on a conference call.<
If you are the Speaker/Presenter
Recommened Use:
- Land line
- Quality Headset
Suggested Headset:
http://headsetinnovations.com/cart/home.php?cat=943
- Plantronics H91N Encore Monaural Noise-Canceling Headset with M12 Vista Amplifier
- Premium Office Monaural Headset System
- Monaural Headset Telephone System
Background noise
Any number of things can cause background noise. Request that your participants are in a quiet environment, and especially the moderator or speaker. In addition, request each caller press *6 to mute their lines during the presentation, or better yet, use lecture mode (press *5) to mute all participants during the presentation.
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Try to Avoid using:
- Speaker Phone
- Cell Phone
- VOIP line
- Cordless phone
Make sure you are using a solid land line (not a cordless phone). Also, it is best to use a headset with a quality microphone. Using a standard hand set (holding the phone with your hand) will cause variations in your sound volume due to the varying position of the microphone and your mouth. In addition, using a headset allows you to have both hands free.
Prior to your call, or in your pre-conference, test the volume of your voice with another caller to make sure you have the gain (microphone sensitivity) set correctly. If it is set too high, your voice will sound distorted; too low, it will not be heard clearly. If you must use a speaker phone, make sure to call our customer service to perform a sound check to make sure your speaker phone has a clear sound. Most speaker phones do not have the appropriate microphones to pick up your voice clearly. Again, we do not recommend using a speaker phone if you are a presenter or will be speaking during the conference.
Call us anytime to perform a sound check: 1.800.989.9239
TopFeedback - multiple lines in a room
If more than one person is on the same conference call and in the same room, feedback can occur. Also, if you need to record the call, let our system do it for you! Using two phones in the same room (one for you, one for the recording device) will cause echo and feedback noise to enter your conference.
Mobile Phones - many variables with cell phones can cause issues:
- Changing environments
- Wind noise (talking while outside)
- Background noise
Skype, Vonage, etc. is not as clear as using a land-line phone. VOIP lines utilize the internet to transfer audio. Because the internet can have varying levels of speed, these lines can have varying levels of voice quality. If you are using a VOIP line, make sure to use *6 to mute your line.
Read More about VoIP Conference Call
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When you have International Callers, use our included Outdial Feature. Using our Outdial Feature will ensure a direct, clear line. Make sure to dial a land line (not VOIP) at the location of your International Caller. Cell phones will incur higher rates as well as lower the sound quality.
Over 30 countries are available for International Outdial at no additional costs. Other countries vary in rate - please call customer service for exact rates.
Outdial Instructions:
- Dial into your conference as a Moderator
- Press *1
- Dial the number of the International Caller
- Press *2 to return with your International Caller
- Press *3 to return to your conference without the International Caller
You will find this more often in a room where there is no carpet or no furniture to absorb the noise levels.
TopPhone company working on individual lines
Leave it to the phone company to interrupt your conference call by working on the phone lines at the same time. This is not avoidable.
TopWater in the phone lines (local carrier problem)
After heavy rains, there can be water in phone lines. Unfortunately, this can not be avoided. The local phone carrier needs to be notified if this problem arises.
- Old phone
- Older phones do not have the modern technology installed and can have the possibility to carry static.
Make sure your headset is high quality and has fresh batteries. And that the transformer is good.
Cell phone interference with handset. TopCell phones can interfere with land-line phones.
Make sure cell phones are put a distance from computer speakers & land-line phones when holding your conference.
TopStrongly request that if someone needs to step away from the phone they press *6 which will place their line on mute. This will eliminate radio music playing into your conference.
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