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Conference Call from home

BobM
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎23-07-2018

Conference Call from home

I had a need to organise a conference call, so following the instructions, I dialled up the first person, made contact and then pressed R on my BT2000 phone and nothing happened.  The phone's manual states it can be used 'with some BT calling features'.  When I asked Plus Net's help the very pleasantly presented but unhelpful response was "unable to help setup any third party devices".

So has anyone got the conference call facility working on their home phone line and if so what phone did you use?

9 REPLIES 9
dvorak
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Re: Conference Call from home

The question you need answering is whether Plusnet can provide the 3 way calling feature - without that you won’t be able to do what you want.
Skype May be a cheaper option
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198kHz
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Re: Conference Call from home

The facility is 3-way Calling.

It seems, at least in 2009 - https://community.plus.net/t5/Home-Phone/Conference-Three-way-calling/td-p/613941

that it does work, but is on a pay per use basis and not a "calling feature".

Having established the first call, when you press 'R' (Recall) on your phone, you should get a dialling tone. If you don't, check that the 'Recall' button setting (on base or side of phone) is on "Timed break" or "T" and not "Earth" or "E".

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EmilyD
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Re: Conference Call from home

Hi @BobM,

 

I can confirm that @198kHz is correct in that we offer conference calling on a pay per use basis - the current charge for this is 40p per use.

 

I'm sorry that the person that you spoke to about this was unhelpful. Whilst we can't provide support on the specific handset, we have got a guide to using the conference calling feature on our call feature help page here.

If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Emily D
 Plusnet Help Team
BobM
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎23-07-2018

Re: Conference Call from home

Many thanks to all of you for your responses. 

 

The Skype set up has limitations if the other persons are not registered on Skype.  (Their chargeable dial out facility does not seem to work in conference call mode.)  I did find other companies on the internet which offered a charged for conference call facility but on a pre planned basis.  Sadly I had no time to set it up.  So I ended up using my land line phone and mobile phone on loud speaker.

 

The Time Break T and Earth E option switch does not seem available on my phone set, though the manual states it is set to Time Break recall.

 

Thank you for the link to your help page.  It was that which started me down this route.  However, when I went to my Home Phone Control Panel, I see no mention of conference call being a chargeable add on call feature service.  I was under the apparent delusion that it was a standard feature available to all.  After all other features covered by that page are clearly delineated where they have an extra charge.  Is this an omission?  

 

Having now spent some while scanning the many pages under the Manage Account I have found a reference that conference calls are 40p extra for my Unlimited UK & Mobile Calls contract.  That charge is acceptable since it is much cheaper than the charges being made by companies on the internet (and for anything other than a short dial out paid for Skype call).

 

So I think the question resolves into how do you initiate a conference call?   It appears not by simply dialling out and using the Recall button.

 

198kHz
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Re: Conference Call from home


@BobM wrote:

 

 

So I think the question resolves into how do you initiate a conference call?   It appears not by simply dialling out and using the Recall button. 


Yes, that's all there is to it.

I've never tried it before, and haven't "registered" for it, but I've just tried it on my Plusnet landline (BT Inspire cordless) and it worked perfectly, exactly as described in @EmilyD's linked page.

As you say, the BT2000 is by default set for Timed Break Recall, so if you're not getting the dial tone after pressing Recall, it would suggest a fault with the phone, or the base unit. Do have a corded phone you could try?

Murphy was an optimist
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BobM
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎23-07-2018

Re: Conference Call from home

Thanks @198kHz for your most helpful suggestion.  Perhaps regrettably I only have cordless phones in my home, having disposed of the BT supplied phone well over 10 years ago, after I moved contract from them.  Although I see BT do a sensibly priced Decor 2200 Corded Telephone phone with a conference call / R button which should do the job, I am not sure my need for 3 way calling is worth buying it.  Plus the irritation of putting in a new extension socket having recently tidied up the wiring by removing many of my extension lines to improve my broadband speed 😞 

 

MymsMan
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Registered: ‎30-06-2018

Re: Conference Call from home

Would Google Hangouts meet your needs? https://hangouts.google.com/ 

you can do conference calls with up to 10 participants

198kHz
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Re: Conference Call from home


@BobM wrote:

I am not sure my need for 3 way calling is worth buying it.

Understood. Virtually any corded phone will have a Recall button. If you could at least borrow one from a friend or neighbour, it would prove whether the problem is with your BT2000 or, say, the exchange line card.

Assuming you're using a filtered faceplate on the master, a properly wired extension shouldn't impact on speed.

Apart from any other consideration, I always have a corded phone around the place. Good for testing for noise problems, and potentially vital during a power outage. It's in those kind of situations that you find your mobile's battery is flat.  Wink

Murphy was an optimist
Zen FTTC 40/10 + Digital Voice   FRITZ!Box 7530
BT technician (Retired)
BobM
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎23-07-2018

Re: Conference Call from home

Thanks @MymsMan for pointing out Google Hangouts.  On investigation it appears that the people you wish to make contact with, have to also have google accounts with declared phone numbers.  That limits its usability, rather like Skype.  And at least Skype offers you the albeit limited ability and also for a payment, to dial out to landlines.  I had thought that facility would allow me to incorporate the dial out wit the Skype conference system.  But sadly it does not. So Plus Net's conference or rather three way call facility seems the way forward, if your phone's recall button works  Smiley