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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
WHAT IS AUDIO TELECONFERENCING? 2
WHAT AUDIO TELECONFERENCING FACILITIES AND SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE? 5
WHEN SHOULD YOU USE AUDIO TELECONFERENCING? 6
HOW DO YOU ARRANGE, ACCESS, AND CONDUCT AN AUDIO TELECONFERENCE? .... 7
Scheduling Participants 7
Scheduling Facilities 7
Accessing and Conducting the Conference 9
Closing the Conference 10
HOW DO YOU RESOLVE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS DURING A CONFERENCE? 11
Speech Clipped Off 11
Background Noise 11
Poor Quality Telecommunications Circuits 12
Disconnections 12
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TERMINAL OR FACILITY? 13
GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TELECONFERENCING TERMS 14
IMPORTANT NUMBERS 15
U.S. EPA Headquarters Library
Mail code 3201
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20460
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INTRODUCTION
Meetings are an important part of our work at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The quality of our work is directly related to the effectiveness with which we use meetings to
assemble project teams, share information, generate ideas, make decisions, coordinate efforts,
and track progress.
EPA provides employees with state-of-
the-art audio teleconferencing capabili-
ties to make meetings more convenient,
productive, and cost-effective. Audio
teleconferencing is both a substitute for
and supplement to face-to-face meet-
ings. Agency personnel can use office
telephones or specialized speakerphones
to participate in voice-only conferences.
These conferences can involve dozens
of widely dispersed individuals simulta-
neously, linked by audio teleconferenc-
ing systems installed at EPA Headquar-
ters. This growing service supported over 11,000 conferences in 1993.
This guide describes audio teleconferencing facilities, systems, services, and capabilities avail-
able to EPA personnel through the Agency's National Data Processing Division (NDPD). It
explains how to use audio teleconferencing in your job; how to obtain conferencing equipment
and services; how to conduct an audio teleconference; and how to resolve technical problems
during a conference call.
NDPD's Telecommunications Branch manages Agency audio teleconferencing systems for the
benefit of all EPA personnel nationwide. The Telecommunications Branch is committed to
providing Agency personnel with the best possible audio teleconferencing systems, services, and
capabilities available.
EPA personnel should read this guide prior to scheduling or participating in an audio
teleconference. Conference calls may be scheduled—or technical assistance may be obtained—
by calling NDPD Telecommunications staff at (202) 260-CONF (2663). Programs are charged
foruse of Agency teleconferencing bridges, based on scheduled call duration and number of lines.
Please let us know how EPA audio teleconferencing services can best support the way you work.
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WHAT IS AUDIO TELECONFERENCING?
Audio teleconferencing, also known as conference calling, is the ability of three or more people
to participate in a telephone conversation.
A conference call may be of multipoint or point-to-point configuration, depending on the number
of voice terminals participating in the call. Multipoint conference calls connect three or more
telephone lines simultaneously, either through customer-owned or carrier-provided telephone
switches, or by means of specialized electronic devices known as "teleconferencing bridges."
Point-to-point calls connect two voice terminals, one or both of which must be a speakerphone or
specialized conferencing unit that allows many people in the same room to listen and speak to the
other party. See Exhibit 1 for a typical point-to-point conference configuration.
Dial-Up Local
or Long-Distance
Telephone Line
Speakerphone
Conferencing
Unit
Exhibit 1—Point-to-Point Conference Cat with Speakerphone and Portable Conferencing Unit
Different conference calls require different configurations, depending on the number of sites
participating, the number of participants at each site, and whether information flows will be
interactive or one-way. Exhibit 2 shows a typical multipoint configuration, in which people at four
sites confer by means of office telephones connected through a multipoint bridge managed by
specially trained system operators. The participants may be located in different cities, different
buildings, or simply in different offices in the same building.
For users, accessing a multipoint conference can be as simple as dialing into the teleconferencing
bridge at a designated time, a method known as " meet me," or waiting for the system operator
to call them up and make the connection manually. On a typical interactive multipoint call, the
meeting organizer is the first person on the line, and he or she greets other participants as they
join the conference. Once a user is connected into the conference, he or she can begin to talk to
other participants.
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Dial-Up Local
•• — or Long-Oistance
Telephone Line
Dial-Up Local
•— or Long-Distance
Telephone Line
Multipoint Audio
Teleconferencing
Bridge
l"!> r'
Exhibit 2—Multipoint Bridged Conference Call with Office Telephones
Additional users can be added to a multipoint conference by means of speakerphones or portable
conference units at one or more of the sites, as long as they are on one of the scheduled call-in
lines. See Exhibit 3 for an example of this configuration.
Dial-Up Local
or Long-Distance
Telephone Lin*
Multipoint Audio
Teleconferencing
Bridge
Dial-Up Local
or Long-Oistance —
Telephone Line
Exhibit 3—Multipoint Bridged Conference Can with Speakerphones
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The most elementary form of multipoint conference, the three-way call, is supported by many
office telephone systems. Refer to Exhibit 4.
n
w
Dial-Up Local
or Long-Distance
Telephone Line
User 1 calls User 2. By
dialing a code sequence
from his or her telephone,
either User 1 or User 2
brings User 3 into the call
Dial-Up Local
or Long-Distance
Telephone Line
Exhibit 4—Three-Wa^ Conference Through Office Telephone System
Users are able to connect a third party into an existing telephone conversation by dialing key
commands from their office phone sets. The capability is supported by premises telephone
switches or by common carrier switches, such as the Washington Interagency Telecommunica-
tions System (WITS), which also supports six-way calling.
A specialized multipoint call, the telelecture (see Exhibit 5), enables participants to hear the
conference leader but not speak to the leader or to each other. The telelecture is best suited to
information broadcast applications.
Dial-Up Local
or Long-Ofvtanci
T«lcphoni
Llitnwre
Exhibit 5~Multipoint Jotelecture With Speakerphones
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WHAT AUDIO TELECONFERENCING
FACILITIES AND SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE?
The following table summarizes the audio teleconferencing facilities that are available to EPA personnel.
In general, any questions concerning audio teleconferencing services can be directed to the Headquarters
Teleconferencing Center at (202) 260-CONF (2663).
FACILITY
DESCRIPTION
Teleconferencing Specialized digital
Bridges
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Speakerphones Telephones with built-in
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speakers that enable
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AVAILABILITY
Installed at EPA
Headquarters and
available to all EPA
employees (programs
are charged for bridge
usage, based on call
duration and number
of lines)
Can be purchased by
Programs at any EPA
location
Available to
Headquarters
employees for short-
term, no-cost loan
Available to any user
(requires program
office purchase)
HOURS
Scheduling:
Monday-Friday,
8 a.m. -5 p.m.
Using service:
24 hours a day,
7 days a week
(Unattended
conferences on
evenings and
weekends)
Monday-Friday,
8 a.m. -5 p.m.
Not applicable
ORDER POINT
OF CONTACT
Headquarters
Teleconferencing
Center
(202) 260-CONF
(2663)
Headquarters
Teleconferencing
Center
(202) 260-CONF
(2663)
Telecommunications
Customer Service
Representative
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WHEN SHOULD YOU USE AUDIO
TELECONFERENCING?
EPA personnel should consider using audio teleconferencing for most meetings in which it is not
possible, practical, or cost-effective for participants to meet face to face. Teleconference participants
may be located in different cities, or they may simply be people in the same office who, for whatever reason,
cannot be in the same room at the same time. The most important applications are as a substitute for
business travel and for coordination among dispersed project team members.
The following matrix describes the particular audio teleconferencing configuration most appropri-
ate to various applications. To determine the configuration most appropriate to your next conference
call, identify the questions under "Application" to which you would answer "yes." Checkmarks in the
columns corresponding to each question indicate the teleconferencing configurations that might be
suitable to your application. Absence of a checkmark means that the corresponding configuration would
not be appropriate.
CONFIGURATION
OPTIONS
APPLICATION
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Two locations?
Three or more locations?
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More than one person at
each location?
Interactive discussions?
One-way broadcast
presentation?
Using speakerphones or
portable conferencing
units (PCUs)?
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HOW DO YOU ARRANGE, ACCESS, AND
CONDUCT AN AUDIO TELECONFERENCE?
Successful audio teleconferences require well-prepared leaders who find time in participants'
schedules, reserve teleconferencing bridge "ports," and moderate on-line discussions. This
section provides practical guidelines for audio teleconferencing leaders in four areas:
• Finding time in participants' schedules
• Scheduling use of audio teleconferencing facilities
• Accessing and conducting the audio teleconference
• Closing the conference
SCHEDULING PARTICIPANTS
The principal responsibility of the conference leader is to find a date and time
acceptable to all participants and for which Agency teleconferencing facilities are available.
These steps should be followed:
1, Choose both a preferred and a contingency conference date, time, and duration. The contingency
time will be used in case teleconferencing facilities are unavailable at the preferred date and time.
The maximum suggested conference duration is 2 hours, since participant attention spans are often
shorter than in face-to-face meetings.
2. Designate site leaders and other participants for each location.
3. Check with participants to make sure the preferred and contingency dates and times fit into their
schedules.
4. Work out any scheduling conflicts among participants.
SCHEDULING FACILITIES
Conference leaders must contact the Teleconferencing Center at (202) 260-
CONF (2663) to reserve use of the multipoint teleconferencing bridge and/or
portable conferencing units (PCUs) for the preferred dates and times. To reserve facilities for
your next conference call, follow these steps:
1. Schedule the conference as far in advance of the planned date and time as possible.
Teleconference operators are responsible for enforcing scheduling policies and maintaining the
checkout list for PCUs. Special arrangements can be made for conferences needed on a frequent
or recurring basis by contacting the Teleconferencing Manager at (202) 260-CONF (2663). You
may have difficulty reserving teleconferencing facilities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays,
because these are the busiest days for conference catting at EPA.
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2. Call the Headquarters teleconference scheduler to determine whether the bridge
ports and/or PCUs required are available at the preferred or contingency date and
time.
All conference calls and PCUs are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis,
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (Eastern Time Zone). Audio teleconferencing
service is available to any EPA emp! oyee in the U.S., including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,
for official Agency business only. You will need special authorization from the EPA Telecommu-
nications staff to use outside teleconference services, based, upon the Telecommunications staff s
determination that EPA teleconferencing systems cannot support the time slots and/or number of
lines required for aparticular conference. EPA facilities should satisfy most audio teleconferencing
requirements for Headquarters, regional, and field site personnel, at the least cost to the
Government.
3. Provide the following information t o the Headquarters teleconference sched-
uler:
• Account number your program has established with the Washington
Telecommunications Center to pay for telecommunications services.
• Conference leader's name, telephone number, and location.
Number oflines required. Participants calling the bridge from two separate locations will
require two lines, while participants calling from the same room using a shared speaker-
phone will require only one line.
Starting and ending times of the conference (Eastern Time Zone). Reservations are made
in 30-minute increments. Keep in mind the needs of other conference facility users, and
schedule only the amount of time you will actually need. Scheduling 2 hours for a 45-
minute conference prevents someone else from using the teleconferencing bridge for at
least 1 hour.
• Whether a PCU is needed for Headquarters participants.
• If a PCU is needed, the type of phone service—analog, ISDN, or Merlin—to which the
PCU will be connected
• Whether sensitive information will be discussed Since teleconferencing operators, who
are EPA contractors, monitor teleconferences for quality assurance purposes, they must
be informed if the conference is expected to include sensitive information, to ensure that
the conference is not monitored by contractor staff.
4. Notify participants of the date and time for which the audio teleconference has been scheduled.
The meeting notice should include the following information:
Beginning and ending time of the conference (includ-
ing the time zone).
Locations, names, and titles of all participants.
Teleconference-Monday
11 a.m.-noon EST/EDT
Participant:
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Procedures for accessing the teleconference, as well as the Headquarters Teleconferencing
Center hotline number, (202) 260-2001. Participants may call this number if they
encounter technical troubles. Parties calling on commercial lines will pay the cost of their
call. Under no circumstances can the teleconference operator accept collect calls. Under
special circumstances, the teleconference operator can dial participants to connect them
with a conference. However, operator-initiated connections add to the length of the
teleconference due to the time it takes to reach these parties.
• Agenda containing specific goals and objectives, and any supplementary documents (e.g.,
reports for group discussion).
Provide participants with the telephone number, furnished by the Headquarters teleconference
scheduler, to call at the scheduled time to join the audio teleconference. Please notify the
teleconference scheduler and all participants promptly if a conference has been cancelled.
Important: All reservations for audio teleconferences will incur a charge, unless the reservation
is cancelled before 8 a.m. on the day of the scheduled conference. The full charge will be applied
for all reserved lines, regardless of whether all lines are actually used.
ACCESSING AND CONDUCTING THE CONFERENCE
Conference leaders can ensure that multipoint conferences run smoothly by following these
steps, some of which are technical in nature, while others are simply common-sense rules that
apply equally well to face-to-face meetings:
1. If a PCU has been reserved, the unit should be picked up from the Headquarters Teleconferencing
Center at least one-half hour prior to the scheduled conference, when this is possible. Telecon-
ferencing staff will provide users with installation instructions at pickup time. PCUs can be installed
in conference rooms in the Waterside Mall complex or other facilities. Important: If the PCU
is to be connected to an ISDN or Merlin phone line, it requires a special adapter; Teleconferencing
Center staff will provide the correct adapter when the PCU is picked up.
2. Dial the teleconferencing bridge at the appointed date and time, in order to be the first party on
the call and to greet other participants as they join. Allow a few rings for the system to answer
the call. If necessary, dial (202) 260-2001 for assistance in accessing the teleconferencing bridge.
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Never dial the teleconferencing bridge before the scheduled starting time or without prior
confirmation, since misuse of this line could interrupt ongoing meetings or delay previously
scheduled conference calls.
3. Encourage small talk among participants before the main portion of the conference. Small talk
dispels nervousness among participants who feel uncomfortable talking or are not experienced
with audio teleconferencing technology. It also establishes name/voice recognition among
participants and provides the leader with an opportunity to coach participants in proper conference
call techniques and etiquette. Participants should be instructed to emphasize verbal interaction,
speak slightly louder than normal, speak into the microphone, and use clear diction.
4. Start the conference on time, and follow these tips to maximize the productivity
of discussions:
• Conduct a formal roll call and ask participants to introduce themselves.
• Review the conference agenda.
• Address participants by name.
• Ensure that participants identify themselves before speaking.
• Keep the conference moving toward fulfillment of concrete goals in accordance with the
meeting agenda.
CLOSING THE CONFERENCE
Conference leaders can bring the on-line discussions to a graceful, orderly close
by following these steps:
1. Begin to close the discussion early enough so that the conference can come to an orderly finish.
2. At the end of the conference, summarize the discussion and clarify decisions or conclusions
reached. Identify issues for the next conference, if applicable. Allow a few minutes for general
conversation before participants hang up. Thank participants and close the meeting. End the
conference promptly. Conferences that exceed their allotted duration will be terminated by
operators.
3. Make sure that the conference room is left neat for the next meeting.
4. If PCUs were used, repack and return them promptly.
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HOW DO YOU RESOLVE TECHNICAL
PROBLEMS DURING A CONFERENCE?
The best way to avoid technical problems during an audio teleconference is to follow these
guidelines:
<*" Make sure that the conferencing area is free from foreign noise, such as heating/air conditioning
exhaust and corridor traffic.
•»" Conduct audio conferences in EPA-designated conference rooms when possible. Designated
conference rooms are less likely (than office space) to have acoustical problems that may interfere
with conference calls.
<** Avoid using portable conferencing units (PCUs) in large conference areas, such as auditoriums,
in conjunction with a public address system, near heating/air conditioning exhaust, or near other
noise sources, PCUs are designed for use by 6-10 conferees seated around a 4- by 8-foot
conference table.
The technical problems presented below are common to most audio teleconferencing systems and
may be encountered by EPA personnel using Agency facilities. The source of each problem is
presented, along with some simple solutions. If these solutions do not resolve the problem, call
the Teleconferencing Center hotline at (202) 260-2001 during your conference for further
assistance.
SPEECH CLIPPED OFF
Source: Audio teleconferencing bridges have internal circuitry that switches from
one speaker or location to another, selecting the loudest source of sound. When speakers
interrupt one another, the system microphone may not be able to switch fast enough to catch an
entire phrase, resulting in speech that is "clipped" offer only partially heard by teleconference
listeners. Speech clipping also occurs with speakerphones. New audio teleconferencing
technology—such as that incorporated into EPA's Multilink bridges—has reduced, but not
completely eliminated, speech clipping
Solution: Participants should speak in turns and pause momentarily after speaking, providing others with
a cue to begin speaking.
BACKGROUND NOISE
Source: Background noise degrades the overall sound quality of the audio conference.
If excessive, it can interrupt the conference by locking on a location where no one
is speaking.
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Solution: Participants should maintain a quiet conference environment by eliminating extraneous noises,
such as side conversations, paper shuffling, table tapping, excessive coughing, operation of
typewriters and printers, and telephones. PC Us or speakerphones should be muted when no one
is speaking.
POOR QUALITY TELECOMMUNICATIONS CIRCUITS
Solution: Participants encountering a poor connection should hang up immediately and redial the bridge
until an acceptable connection is made. When using speakerphones, participants should dial the
bridge using the handset, not the speakerphone. Line noise is more apparent if the handset is used
to dial the bridge initially. After an adequate connection is made, the participant may then switch
to the speakerphone.
If line problems occur during a conference call, notify the teleconference operator by dialing"* 0"
(star zero) on your touchtone phone. Be sure that the telephone's handset is not in its cradle and
that you hold the zero button down for 1 or 2 full seconds. This action alerts the teleconferencing
operator that there is a technical problem. The operator will access the conference to ask who needs
assistance. The operator can place the affected participants on hold and consult privately with them
to help identify the problem and implement a solution.
DISCONNECTIONS
Source: Longer phone conversations have agreater chanceofbeing disconnected, for a variety of reasons.
Solution: If disconnection occurs during a conference call, participants should simply redial the bridge
to be reconnected.
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HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE MOST
APPROPRIATE TERMINAL OR FACILITY?
Voice terminal equipment is the EPA user's access point to audio teleconferencing services, so
program offices should consider their conferencing requirements when acquiring or upgrading
their telephone systems. Many users require nothing more elaborate than standard office
telephones to access multipoint conferences on the Agency's bridges. Headquarters program
office staff can check out the Agency's portable conferencing units (PCUs) on an as-needed basis.
However, program offices and personnel who are frequent users of audio teleconferencing should
consider acquiring their own specialized terminal equipment and conferencing facilities.
Program offices should base their conferencing terminal and facilities acquisitions on the size of
groups involved in conference calls:
Very small groups (2-3 people per site): The most appropriate conferenc-
ing terminals for very small groups are voice sets with built-in speaker-
phones. However, speakerphones can deliver booming sounds, echo-
chamber voices, and occasionally, shrill feedback tones. They can also
stifle spontaneity by permitting only one person to speak at a time. The
microphone in most speakerphones requires speakers to sit very close to the unit.
Small groups (4-8 people per site): Small groups require 12- by 18-
foot conference rooms that have been equipped with PCUs and have
low ambient noise levels. PCUs should have digital signal processing
technology that cancels out conflicting echo/feedback signals and
provides two-way, interactive audio teleconferencing. The Head-
quarters Teleconferencing Center has several PCUs for loan to
conference participants.
Medium groups (9-12 people per site): Medium groups require 18-by 24-
foot conference rooms with PCUs, as well as special acoustical treatment.
For best sound quality, conference participants should be close to the
conferencing unit.
Large groups (13-30 per site): Large groups require 24- by 40-foot
conference rooms with permanently installed teleconferencing units and
special acoustical treatment. Such rooms require customized design, which should be coordi-
nated with staff in the Washington Telecommunications Center.
Very large groups (31 and above per site): Very large groups require use of an auditorium that
has been custom-designed for audio teleconferencing. PCUs such as the VoicePoint and
Soundstation should not be used in auditoriums in conjunction with public address systems.
Please contact the Headquarters Teleconferencing Center at (202) 260-2663, or the Headquar-
ters Customer Service Supervisor at (202) 260-7478 for further information and for assistance in
identifying the teleconferencing equipment that best meets your needs.
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GLOSSARY OF AUDIO TELECONFERENCING
TERMS
Audio teleconferencing bridge: A specialized digital electronic device that enables four or more voice
telephone callers to confer simultaneously
Audio teleconferencing: Telephonic communications between multiple groups (two or more), and/or
multiple people (three or more)
Clipping: An audio teleconference problem in which spoken phrases are cut off or only partially heard
by conference participants
Conference leader: The person who directs a teleconference and is equivalent to a chairperson in a face-
to-face meeting
Conference scheduler: The Telecommunications Branch staff member who reserves use of EPA's audio
teleconferencing bridges and portable conferencing units for authorized EPA users
"Meet me": An audio teleconferencing system feature that allows conference participants to dial directly
into a teleconference without operator assistance
Multipoint: The capability of four or more separately located people or groups of people to carry on a
voice telephone conversation by means of an electronic audio teleconferencing bridge
Point-to-point: The capability of two or more groups of people in different locations to communicate
with a speakerphone or portable conferencing unit
Portable conferencing unit (PCU): A specialized speakerphone that may be installed in any room with
a standard touchtone single-line phone and an electrical outlet
Speakerphone: A voice terminal that amplifies telephone conversations through a loudspeaker and picks
up conversations with a microphone
Three-way conference: The capability of an individual or group to bring a third party or group into an
existing telephone conversation
Telelecture: A one-way multipoint conference call that places conference participants except the leader
in receive-only mode
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IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Headquarters Teleconferencing Center—Scheduling and Information (202) 260-CONF (2663)
Headquarters Teleconferencing Center—Hotline (202)260-2001
NDPD Washington Telecommunications Center (202)260-6778
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NOTES
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U.S. EPA Headquarters Library
Mai! code 3201
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20460
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