Free conference calls

A conference call is essentially a type of audio or video call that can involve a large number of participants. With a cloud-based conferencing solution or a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solution, your participants can join the call from almost any device. Traditionally, these calls were made through landlines, but today, you can find out how to set up a conference call through the Internet through a telephone or a computer.

With free conferencing services, it generally costs you nothing to set up the meeting if you’re the host. If the free account isn’t enough and you need an actual phone system or more advanced features like custom hold music, actual conference call numbers, or higher participant limits for webinars, you can also upgrade to a paid plan.

To make a free conference call, all you have to do is sign up for an account with a provider like Dialpad. It usually takes no more than a few minutes, and from there, you usually click a meeting link and/or enter an access code to join a call. Access codes are a form of protection—even if a stranger somehow manages to get their hands on your meeting link, they’d still need to enter the access code to actually enter the conference call. (Access codes are also sometimes called PIN codes.)

You may hear folks refer to “reservationless” conference calls from time to time, which are basically just calls that can happen spontaneously and are facilitated by the conference call host. (With reservationless calls, you can set up a meeting without having to reserve a conference line, and you have a dedicated line that you can access at any time to host a meeting.) There are also operator-assisted conferencing options, which involves having a human operator assist you with your call. They’re usually also on the line to help facilitate the meeting. The extra assistance usually makes these calls more expensive than reservationless conferences, and you’re unlikely to find this as a part of a free phone service.

Very rarely. Any kind of telephony feature like a toll-free number, or a local or international dial-in number usually comes as an add-on that you have to pay a bit more for. Because you don’t necessarily need a toll-free conferencing number to have a conference call (people can join with a meeting link, usually), most free conference call services don’t come with this feature.

The short answer: Yep. Long answer: Most free conference calling services are legitimate. The only thing to remember is that not all free conference services are created equal. Even though you aren’t paying for it, you should still do your research. Make sure the service has all the features you need, like reliable and transparent privacy and security measures. With Dialpad Meetings, for example, you get secure and high-quality calls with all the basic features a business needs for free.

Nope. As long as your carrier supports it, you can set up a conference call on your iPhone that includes up to five people. But, the ability to add, merge, or disconnect individual calls depends on your carrier. But while conference calls on an iPhone don’t cost anything extra, you may be missing out on important features that are available on more business-focused mobile apps.

Scheduling a conference call is easy, especially if your conference call tool integrates with Google Calendar or Microsoft 365. You can create a meeting in your calendar and then the integration automatically generates a meeting link. After the meeting is scheduled in your calendar, you can invite anyone directly through Gmail or Outlook. Now all you have to do is “dial in” (not really because there isn’t an actual phone number) by clicking the link to join or start the meeting. A quick note on dial-in: to be able to “dial in” to a call by calling an actual phone number, you’ll generally need some kind of telephony-enabled system. Not all conference call providers have this, so make sure to check for this if your business needs a true dial-in option for its conference calls.

Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise, as long as the service provider is legitimate, in general, they’re pretty safe. However, it’s important to note that not all apps offer the same level of security. Dialpad Meetings can help you stay HIPAA-compliant, and your conference calls are protected by DTLS and SRTP, along with features that help protect you against uninvited attendees (for example, the host can lock people out of meetings, remove unwanted attendees who’ve joined already, add a PIN code to protect the meeting, and more).