Author: Michael Gonyar / Source: howtogeek.com
You can now host your own conference calls more easily than ever before. Whether you’re working from home, own a small business, or just want to stay in touch with friends and family, there are dozens of free services available to you.
Between audio-teleconferencing, screen sharing, video calls, and text chat, we’ll cover some of the best options for you to get started with free conference calling.
Most of the applications we’ll cover below provide support for mobile phones, landlines, and VoIP, which essentially means you can call using the internet.Google Hangouts
We’re all familiar with Google, the 800lb gorilla, so it’s no wonder the tech giant provides a conference call solution. That being said, Hangouts is more than just conference calling. You can text, video, or audio conference from any device with a microphone and camera.
Getting started with Google Hangouts is as easy as signing up for a Gmail account. Once your account is setup, just sign in to begin using your new, free, powerful conferencing tool. You can have up to 25 people on a video or audio conference call and 150 people in a text chat.
Be advised, in order to text or video call using Google Hangouts, the party you’re trying to reach must also have a Gmail account. However, if you’re looking for audio-teleconferencing, simply register a phone number and you’re good to go. As long as you have a microphone you can call any landline or mobile phone from the device you’re using for free.
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Skype
Skype is one of the most well-known conference calling solutions. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 and has since overhauled the user interface, features, and how the program runs on the back-end. There have been some security concerns in the past, but Skype is a powerful, easy to use tool.
RELATED: Skype Is Vulnerable to a Nasty Exploit: Switch to the Windows Store Version
Even if you’ve used Skype sometime in the past, you might be surprised by recent changes. You can use the web browser version or download the app on your computer or mobile device. Skype provides you with text, audio, and video conferencing solutions for free.
You can host a group video chat or conference call for up to 25 people, if they all have Skype already. If they don’t, you may call them using Skype Credit or sign up for a subscription. Alternatively, ask the user(s) you’re trying to reach to sign up for Skype for free, and then add them to your contacts.
UberConference
If you’re looking for something a little more formal than Hangouts, yet still easy to use, UberConference delivers. Offering free phone and VoIP audio for up to 10 participants, UberConference provides unlimited conferences, screen and document sharing, and call recording. They boast about not using conference PINs. If you’ve ever tried connecting to a…
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