Users can place calls on hold and create a conference using either the telephone or desktop applications. Additional conference members may be added, however a single conference may not have more than 64 members (with IP500 V2 only and more on Server Edition).
For ad-hoc conferencing, the system requires as many digital trunks/VoIP channels as external participants (as well as Preferred Edition License for Meet-Me conferencing).
The system supports 128 conferencing channels on the IP500 V2, allowing multiple conferences of any size from 3 to 64 parties. The system support 42 3-party conferences, 2 64-party conferences or any combination in between. Meet-Me capabilities require a Preferred Edition License for direct dial into a conference bridge with PIN code security.
In a Small Community Network (SCN), only one centralized Preferred Edition license is required to host Meet-Me conferences at any of the sites. Conference IDs are also shared across the SCN sites.
To initiate a meet-me conference, users dial the direct number allocated to the conference bridge, type in the PIN (requires Preferred Edition License and Voicemail Pro) if required.
For ad-hoc conferences with a few participants, users can easily set up immediate conferences by calling all parties and bringing them to the conference bridge.
With Avaya one-X Portal for IP Office, the originator of the conference can keep control: the Caller ID number (and the associated name if recognized) of each participant is displayed. If required, they can selectively hang-up a specific participant. The system plays a single beep on entry and a double beep on exit. The owner of the conference may use their extension number as the conference ID. The owner of the conference has control of the conference with the ability to mute and drop calls of participants. All participants will hear the system Music on Hold (MOH) until the owner joins, and will hear MOH when the owner drops. Note that any internal party has the option to view and drop participants (not just the conference originator).
Users can record a personalized greeting for a conference (requires Preferred Edition License and Voicemail Pro).
Users can record the conference using Avaya one-X Portal for IP Office, digital or IP display phone or a short code (requires Preferred Edition and Voicemail Pro). To prevent unauthorized access to the conference bridge, PIN codes, Caller ID number screening as well as time and date profiles can be set-up using Voicemail Pro. One user can manage the conferencing bridge facility from any location.
Conferencing has the following restrictions:
- Only two calls connecting through analog trunks are permitted in any single conference.
- Each external caller requires a digital trunk/VoIP channel (for example 1 T1 allows 23/24 external parties, 1 E1 allows 30 parties and a fully licensed VCM-64 allows 64 parties).
- There are no limits on the mix of internal and external calls in conference, but if all internal participants disconnect from the conference bridge, the external participants can be disconnected automatically by the system for added security (configurable system setting).
- System features such as call intrusion, call recording and silent monitoring all use conference resources, as does automatic recording if enabled. When any of these features are active the number of slots available for conference parties is reduced. For example, a conference call between 3 parties and being recorded will use 4 conference slots.
Meet-Me conferencing
Meet-Me conferencing enables multiple callers to talk in an audio conference. Callers can be on-site personnel as well as external parties whether field-based engineers, sales staff on the road, customers or suppliers. Conference calls can be planned in advance or established ad-hoc as and when required.