Conference calls

When users are far apart, or when other communication systems have failed or are being blocked by the authorities, then communication is only possible via mobile phone.

Conference calls can be set up through the internet or through the mobile or fixed telephone networks, and they make it possible for a number of people who are far apart to speak to each other all at once. Conference calls can spare you considerable time, expense and effort because the callers speak by phone rather than meeting physically in a central location. Many mobile phones have conference call facilities, allowing a coordinator to telephone a number of people from a single mobile phone so that they can all take part in a single conversation, although conference calling in this way can be very expensive.

If you have access to a cheap mobile data package, using a tool on your phone such as Fring or Gizmo can help your organisation communicate more cheaply. Fring allows you to access your Skype account on your phone so that long-distance calls can be made more cheaply, or free, via the internet.