Conference Call: What It Is, How It Works and How to Start One

Struggling to keep your team aligned across locations? Or wondering how to stay connected with clients without endless one-on-one calls? That’s where conference calls come in — a simple yet powerful way to bring multiple people into the same conversation, whether by phone or online. 

In this blog, we’ll explain what conference calls are, how they work, the different types available, and the benefits they offer. We’ll also guide you through how to set up a conference call, share best practices for hosting effective calls, and compare popular free and paid conference call services. 

What Is a Conference Call? 

A conference call is a type of business meeting conducted over the phone or internet that allows multiple participants to communicate in real time from different locations. Unlike a traditional in-person meeting, a conference call takes place entirely through audio or video. 

At its core, a conference call meeting functions just like any other business meeting. Participants can share updates, discuss priorities, resolve issues, and make decisions together. The only difference is that the conversation happens remotely, without the need for everyone to gather in the same physical space. By eliminating the need for travel or meeting rooms, conference calls provide a cost-effective and accessible way to maintain clear communication across distributed teams. 

Types of Conference Calls: Audio vs. Video 

Conference calls have evolved over the years, but they still fall into two primary categories: audio conference calls and video conference calls. Both enable real-time, multi-party communication, but they serve different business needs depending on the context, technology, and desired level of interaction. 

Audio Conference Calls 

An audio conference call is a voice-only meeting where multiple participants connect via telephone lines or VoIP platforms to hold a live conversation. When people refer to a traditional conference call, they typically mean this format, whether dialed in from a landline, mobile phone, or an internet-based application. 

Types of audio conference calls: 

• Traditional telephone conference calls: These are conducted over standard phone networks. Participants dial a dedicated conference phone number and enter an access code to join. No internet connection or special hardware is required. 
• VoIP conference calls: These audio calls are facilitated over the internet using platforms like Skype, WhatsApp, Slack, or business VoIP systems. They offer added features such as mute controls and integrations but require a stable internet connection. 

Video Conference Calls (Virtual Meetings) 

A video conference call is a meeting that incorporates both live audio and visual elements. Participants use webcams and conferencing software such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet to join from their browsers or apps. These calls enable face-to-face interaction along with screen sharing, presentations, and virtual collaboration tools.

Audio vs. Video Conference Calls: Comparison Table

The Hybrid Approach: Combination of Audio and Video

Many modern conference calls now follow a hybrid approach: starting as audio-first meetings with the option to enable video if needed. This model gives participants the flexibility to join however they’re most comfortable or best equipped and allows the host to adapt the format depending on the meeting’s purpose.

When to go hybrid:

• If some team members have limited internet access while others are in-office.
• For meetings that start casual but may shift to a visual component (e.g., reviewing a document).
• When you want to offer participants the choice to engage with or without video.

How Does a Conference Call Work? 

Conference calls are commonly enabled by a technology called a conference bridge which is a server or phone system that links multiple incoming calls into one shared line. In traditional phone-based setups, each participant dials into a shared conference number and typically enters a passcode or PIN to join the call. For example, when hosting a conference call, you might share a dial-in phone number and access code; at the scheduled time, participants call in, enter the code, and are connected to the group call. 

However, with modern platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, participants often join conference calls through a shared meeting link using internet audio — no dial-in number required. These platforms may still offer dial-in options as a backup, especially for those joining from a landline or mobile phone. 

Key Elements of a Conference Call? 

Every conference call includes a few core components that distinguish it from a regular two-person call: 

Host

Every conference call typically has a designated host — the organizer responsible for setting up the meeting and sharing the access details. The host may initiate the call, start the recording, and manage key functions such as muting participants, admitting callers, or ending the session. On most platforms, the host has administrative controls that help maintain order and keep the conversation on track. 

In audio-only calls, the host might also hear system prompts or announcements (e.g., “You are the first participant”) and can manage participant access and interaction. 

Participants 

Unlike standard one-on-one phone calls, conference calls involve multiple participants, ranging from as few as three to potentially hundreds, depending on the provider and service plan. Participants join by dialing a conference phone number and entering a secure access code or PIN, or by clicking on a meeting link provided in the invitation. 

In audio-only formats, it’s common to hear a beep or announcement when each person enters or exits the call. This feature helps the host track attendance and gives participants awareness of who is present on the line. 

Scheduling vs. On-Demand 

Conference calls can be either scheduled in advance or initiated on-demand. For formal meetings, project updates, or team briefings, scheduling ensures all attendees receive the necessary details ahead of time, typically via calendar invite or email. Scheduled calls also allow time to prepare an agenda and test the connection or equipment. 

On the other hand, modern phone systems, especially those with VoIP capabilities, make it possible to launch ad-hoc conference calls when immediate collaboration is needed. For instance, a team member can merge multiple callers into a live discussion within minutes. 

Benefits of Conference Calls for Small Businesses and Startups 

Conference calls offer numerous advantages for small businesses and startups, which often need cost-effective, agile ways to communicate. Here are some key benefits: 

1. Remote collaboration: Conference calls make it easy for team members, clients, or partners to meet without being in the same location. Whether some staff are working from home or your co-founder is traveling, everyone can “dial in” and participate from anywhere in the world. This geographic flexibility is crucial for startups hiring talent in different cities or businesses with clients in multiple regions. 
2. Time and cost savings: By holding meetings over the phone/internet, you eliminate travel time and travel expenses. There’s no need for costly flights, car trips, or booking meeting venues just to have a discussion. Quick decisions can be made without delay, since a conference call can be set up on short notice (in minutes) compared to arranging an in-person meeting days or weeks later. 
3. Instant problem-solving: In the fast-paced startup world, issues arise that need immediate attention. Conference calls enable impromptu meetings with key stakeholders at a moment’s notice. For example, if a server goes down or there’s an urgent client request, you can get your team on a call right away to troubleshoot, rather than sending long emails or trying to coordinate an emergency in-person meetup. This agility can reduce downtime and help in crisis management, keeping your business responsive. 
4. Reliability and simplicity: As long as you have a phone line, you can usually join an audio conference call without any issues. Even if there are problems with video or internet connectivity, audio conference calls remain a dependable fallback. This reliability helps ensure that important meetings aren’t derailed by technical difficulties. For example, if a client doesn’t have the latest video conferencing app or a stable internet connection, a standard conference call still allows the meeting to proceed smoothly. 

When to Use Conference Calls? 

Conference calls are a flexible communication tool but knowing when to use a conference call instead of email, chat, or video can make your team more productive and your business communication more effective. Below are common use cases where conference calls are especially valuable for small businesses and startups: 

Team Syncs Across Locations 

If your team operates in multiple locations, or if even one team member is remote, conference calls are a fast way to keep everyone aligned. A quick check-in via audio helps ensure priorities are clear and everyone is moving in the same direction, especially when screen sharing isn’t necessary. 

Client Meetings or Sales Calls 

When face-to-face meetings aren’t possible, conference calls serve as a reliable way to stay in touch with prospects and clients. They're ideal for building relationships through voice or video interactions without the overhead of travel. 

Project Kick-offs and Milestone Reviews 

Starting a new project? A conference call helps clarify goals, roles, and timelines. Likewise, when hitting a key milestone, it's a good moment to bring everyone together and share updates or make adjustments. 

Real-Time Team Coordination for Fast Resolution 

When urgent customer issues arise, whether it's a service outage, product bug, or high-priority support ticket, conference calls enable immediate team coordination. By bringing together support, technical, and leadership teams in real time, you can accelerate troubleshooting, align on next steps, and resolve problems faster. 

Routine Weekly or Monthly Updates 

Recurring conference calls can replace physical stand-ups or staff meetings. For smaller teams or companies without complex visuals, an audio-only format reduces fatigue while still fostering connection. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

When different departments need to collaborate, such as marketing and product, or sales and customer success, a conference call helps bridge silos and ensures clarity without needing a full video session. 

How to Set Up a Conference Call, Step by Step 

There are two main ways to set up a conference call — scheduled or instant. The method you choose depends on the urgency of the meeting and the platform functionality, how many participants are involved, and whether you need time to coordinate in advance. 

Scheduled Conference Calls 

Scheduled calls are ideal for planned meetings, especially when coordinating with multiple participants across different locations or time zones. Here’s how to host a scheduled conference call effectively: 

Step 1. Choose a conference call platform: Select a service that fits your needs. For small internal meetings, your phone’s built-in merge feature may be enough. For business use, especially with 10+ participants or international callers, a dedicated conferencing service with a reliable bridge is recommended.   

Options include: 

• Audio conferencing platforms (with dial-in numbers and access codes) 
• Web conferencing apps (with online meeting links) 

Look for features like call recording, screen sharing, moderation tools, and international access if needed. 

Step 2. Schedule the call and invite participants: Choose a date and time that works for all participants (consider time zones). Then send out a calendar invite or message including: 

• The date and time of the call 
• The dial-in number or meeting link 
• Access code or PIN (if required) 

Most platforms provide invite templates that you can copy and paste into an email, calendar event, or text message. 

Step 3. Start and run the call: Join a few minutes early to prepare. As the host, start with a quick introduction and go over the agenda. Keep the meeting on track and ensure everyone has a chance to contribute. 

Step 4. Wrap up and end the call: Summarize any next steps or action items, thank everyone for their time, and formally end the call. 

Instant Conference Calls 

Instant calls are useful for unplanned or urgent situations like quick team check-ins or time-sensitive issues, when there’s no time to coordinate a schedule. 

Step 1. Launch a call instantly: Open your virtual conference call platform or VoIP system and start a call right away. Most modern platforms allow you to launch a meeting on the spot without scheduling in advance. 

Step 2. Invite participants in real time: Add or call participants directly from the interface.  

Step 3. Conduct the call: Once everyone joins, proceed as you would with a scheduled call: introduce the topic, align on goals, and discuss the issue at hand. Instant calls are particularly valuable for quick problem-solving or time-sensitive decision-making. 

Step 4. End the call when finished: Wrap up clearly and end the call to avoid lingering participants or background chatter. 

By following these steps, even a small business owner with no prior experience can host a professional, well-organized conference call. Next, we’ll cover some etiquette and best practices to make sure your calls are productive and run smoothly. 

Tips and Best Practices for Effective Conference Calls 

Running a conference call has its challenges – from technical hiccups to awkward silence. Adopting some basic etiquette and best practices can significantly improve your conference call experience and outcomes: 

1. Start with a clear agenda: Just as with any meeting, have an agenda or at least a list of topics to cover. Even a brief outline of points will do – the goal is to prevent aimless chatter and ensure the call meets its objectives. Distribute it beforehand if possible. 
2. Test technology and connections in advance: Technical issues can derail a call before it even begins. Test your equipment ahead of time – if you’re the host, ensure the conference line works, and that you (and key participants) know the dial-in procedure. If using an online platform, check your microphone, camera (if video), and internet stability. Encourage participants to do the same. 
3. Punctuality and preparation: Treat a conference call like an in-person meeting when it comes to punctuality. Aim to start on time and end on time. As host, open the line a bit early and greet people as they join. As a participant, dial in a couple minutes before the start – late joiners can disrupt the flow and may miss important context. Also, come prepared: if materials were sent out (documents, data) or if you have a speaking role, make sure you’re ready to contribute without scrambling. Respect everyone’s time by keeping to the schedule. 
4. Identify yourself when speaking: On audio calls, it’s not always clear who’s talking, especially if voices are unfamiliar. Get in the habit of briefly stating your name when you begin speaking (“This is John, I’d like to add…”) until everyone knows each other. It prevents confusion and helps the note-taker attribute comments. Similarly, the host can start the call with a quick round of introductions (e.g., “Let’s have everyone say their name and role if there are folks who haven’t met.”). This way, all participants know who is on the line and can address others by name. 
5. Mute when not speaking: Background noise is the enemy of conference call clarity. Whether it’s keyboard clatter, a barking dog, or office chatter, it can be very distracting. All participants should mute their microphone/phone when they’re not actively speaking. If you’re the host and you hear noise, don’t hesitate to politely say, “It sounds like someone has some background noise – please check that you’re muted, thanks.” Keeping lines muted cuts out coughs, typing, or side conversations that might be happening. 
6. Record a call or take notes: It’s easy to forget who said what on a call. Some conference services allow call recording; if you use this, announce at the start (“FYI, I will record this call, so we don’t miss any details”). For internal team calls, recording can be useful for those who couldn’t attend. For client calls, always get permission before recording.  

While it's uncommon for someone to replay an entire recording, it's essential to capture key decisions and action items. This responsibility can be assigned to a team member or to AI tools. For example, DialLink’s AI can automatically transcribe calls, generate summaries, extract action items, analyze sentiment, and label conversations based on predefined tags. 

Regardless of the method, always distribute a summary of the discussion and next steps after the call to ensure everyone is aligned. 

Conference Call Services and Platforms (Free vs. Paid Options) 

Opting for a free conference call service can be tempting, but free services don’t offer the same level of security or functionality as paid services. That is especially true if you are considering the reputation of your business.  

While both free and paid platforms are available, the best option depends on your business needs, call volume, and expectations for reliability and support. 

Free Conference Call Services 

Several providers offer free-to-use conference bridges and free conference call numbers that provide a dial-in number and access code, often supporting a surprisingly large number of participants. This makes them an appealing choice for small teams or bootstrapped startups seeking a budget-friendly communication solution. 

However, while free conference calling services offer accessibility, they come with notable drawbacks that may impact the overall experience and reliability: 

• Lower audio quality: Free platforms are more prone to dropped connections, audio delays, or degraded sound quality, especially during periods of high demand. 
• Limited customer support: Users often have to rely on online help centers or community forums, with no access to live support in the event of technical issues. 
• Minimal security controls: Free services may lack advanced privacy features such as unique meeting PINs, call locking, or compliance with industry regulations, posing risks for sensitive discussions. 

Paid Conference Call Services 

Paid conference call platforms offer a more robust and professional experience, especially for businesses that rely heavily on virtual communication. These services typically charge per user, per minute, or offer flat monthly plans, allowing companies to scale their communications as needed. 

Key advantages of paid services include: 

• Superior audio quality: Many paid platforms provide high-definition (HD) voice quality and more stable connections. 
• Advanced features: Paid plans often include call recording, AI transcription, call summary and action notes, real-time chat, calendar integrations (e.g., Outlook, Google Calendar). 
• Larger capacity and scalability: Host larger meetings or virtual events with confidence, knowing your platform can support the volume. 
• International access: Support for global dial-ins and localized numbers makes it easier to coordinate with international teams or clients. 
• Stronger security: Enhanced privacy controls, secure access codes, meeting locks, and compliance features (e.g., HIPAA or GDPR support) are standard in many paid plans. 
• 24/7 customer support: Gain access to real-time technical assistance and account management — critical for high-stakes meetings or client-facing calls. 

Business conference call providers like DialLink offer dedicated audio-conferencing features as part of broader communications platform. These platforms are particularly well-suited for small businesses and startups that conduct regular business meetings. 

Conference Calls on Android and iPhone 

Both Android and iPhone devices support basic call merging features, allowing users to add multiple participants to a single voice call without the need for additional tools. While this can work for informal conversations, it’s not an ideal solution for small businesses or startups that need to maintain professional, organized communication. 

With DialLink’s mobile app for Android and iOS, you can host and join conference calls directly from your mobile phone. The app provides an intuitive interface to manage calls, view participants, mute lines, access call history, receive voicemails and much more — all from the convenience of your mobile device. 

Conclusion: Ready to start your conference call? 

Conference calls remain one of the most practical and efficient ways for small businesses and startups to stay connected across locations. From daily check-ins and sales calls to urgent problem-solving and remote project coordination, conference calls offer the flexibility and accessibility growing teams need. With options ranging from simple audio dial-ins to feature-rich business phone systems, you can choose the format that best supports your workflow. 

Want to start a conference call with your teammates? Try DialLink’s cloud phone system for free and go beyond basic group calls. Explore advanced call management, AI-powered automation, business messaging, and robust integrations — all in one platform.