Flat rate conference call plan

Written by lifang May 05, 2008 11:27

Small business owners are finding the financial advantages of the flat rate conference call over per minute calling plans. In the flat rate calling plan, the participants will be billed for their long distance charges, and the host will only pay for the use of the bridge, which is the device used to connect and balance the volume of multiple phone lines electronically. The host pays for the bridge at a fixed rate per month that is arrived at by the number of participants on the conference call. However, in a per minute calling plan, the host must assume all conference call costs which includes the cost of the bridge, and the cost of the participants' 800 dial-in calls.

In order to ensure voice clarity for multiple callers during a conference, calls must be set up by a professional conferencing service using a sophisticated telecommunications device called a bridge. During the call, the bridge monitors volume levels and maintains audio integrity, so that each caller sounds like he or she would over a single line phone call. All conference calls need a bridge, and that bridge can be paid for separately or can be built into the price of the conference call. In flat rate conference calling, a company would only pay for the use of the bridge, while in per minute plan calling, the bridge plus the calls are billed to the host.

Choosing a flat rate conferencing solution

Conferencing providers targeting small businesses want to sell a service that guarantees reliability at a reasonable cost. Flat rate conferencing allows owners not to pay for participant long distance charges, or to pay for minutes that they will not use. If the company knows itself and its needs, it will find a flat rate conferencing vendor that will meet expectations and save money for the long term.

Advantages of the flat rate conferencing plans offered by SimplicityCall and Callworthy.com

• The flat rate is always the same, regardless of the length of the call, so there are no surprises. From 25 minutes to 2 hours, the host always knows what he/she will pay per month.
   
• Both plans are reservationless, so that during a peak season, calls can be made without spending time scheduling them.
• The host pays a fixed fee per month, which is highly suited for companies who need to make a lot of calls, since the bridge fees are fixed. The host can make 2, 10 or 100 calls a month at no extra charge.
     
• All of the calls are secure and there are no contracts or hidden fees.

For a 10-participant flat rate calling plan, Callworthy.com is $39/month, while SimplicityCall's plan is $50/month. Callworthy.com plans start with a 5-person minimum up to 100 people, and SimplicityCall flat rate plans start at a 10-person minimum, up to 150 participants. It is important for small business owners to decide how many participants will be on the conference call per month in order to select the right flat rate calling plan for their business.