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ATTACHMENTS

Guide to MeetIn Audio Spot conference call

Faq (Frequently Asked Questions)

Guide to Conference Call MeetIn Audio™ Spot

In questa sezione trovate le risposte alle FAQ, le domande più comuni su Aethra.net e i servizi di conferencing & collaborazione a distanza.

Frequently Asked Question
Scheduling Overview
Schedule a conference
Touchtone Telephone Controls
Performing a chair dialout
Managing a question-and-answer session
Managing a voting session

1. Frequently Asked Question
This audio conferencing system offers state-of-the-art services you can access from your desk-using your telephone, web browser, or both. If you are a first-time user of audio conferencing, you will be surprised at how simple and natural audio conferencing is.
Read these questions and answers for a quick introduction to the conferencing process.

What do I need to do to join an audio conference?
As a user of audio conferencing services, your role is simple: you either call the conference number you have been given (if you are a dial-in user) or wait for your phone to ring (if you are a dial-out user).

What happens after the call connects?
You may be greeted by one or more recorded messages prompting you to supply information, such as a conference entry code (CEC), or your name. You may also be asked to enter your PIN. You either request or are assigned a PIN when your user account is set up. (See Applying for a new account.)

What happens when I enter the conference?
When you connect to the conference, you hear other conference members or you hear music while you wait for a conference chair to arrive. You may also hear various tones or messages telling you:

When the conference is about to end.
Which or how many participants have joined the conference (when the conference chair requests a roster or count).
When the conference is being recorded.

What can I do in the conference?
You can use your touchtone keypad (DTMF) controls to:

Mute and unmute your phone line (*6 by default).
Note: Your line may also be muted by the conference chair or by the system when the conference is changed to a non-interactive conference mode (question and answer mode, voting mode, presentation mode).
Equalize your phone volume if it is too high or too low (*4 by default).
Cast your vote on a voting question (by entering the key that corresponds to one of the voting responses).
Request an opportunity to speak in a question-and-answer conference (7 by default).

If you have been selected to chair the conference, you can use special touchtone commands to manage the conference. See Chair Functions for a description of the chair's responsibilities and privileges.
You can use other DTMF commands when the conference is in non-interactive modes, as described below.

What are conference modes?
What you can do as a conference member depends largely on the conference mode:

Mode	What you can do ...
Interactive	You can converse with all other members of the conference.
Presentation	You can only listen-unless you are assigned to be a presenter or chair in the conference.
Question and Answer	You can signal the chair that you would like to ask a question by pressing 7 (by default). When it is your turn to talk, your line is unmuted. If you change your mind, you can press 7 again to remove yourself from the question queue.
Voting	You can press a specific digit on your touchtone keypad to vote on a question announced by the chair (for example, 2 to vote for Seattle as the convention site).

How can I view the conference on my computer if I am the chair?
To look at your conference on-line you need:

A personal computer with one of these browsers: Microsoft's Internet Explorer™, Version 4.0 or higher; Netscape Navigator™, Version 4.5 or higher.
Access to the URL www.aethra.net.
An account (with a login name and PIN).

What can I see when I look at my conference on-line?
You can see how the conference is set up and when it is scheduled to begin and end.
When the conference has started, you see a list of members who have joined the conference or who are scheduled to join it.

You see the first and last names of conference members who entered their PINs and Anonymous User for those who did not.
As a chair for the conference, you can use special commands to manage the conference. See Chair Functions for a description of a chair's responsibilities and privileges.

Can I schedule a conference myself?
If you have an account that is authorized for conference scheduling (system admin or group admin), you can make reservations on-line.
See Scheduling Overview for a description of the scheduler's responsibilities and privileges..

What is the difference between a CEC and a PIN?
A CEC, or conference entry code, identifies your specific conference when you call in to the conferencing system. Think of it as an address that corresponds to a particular location. The code you enter also serves to assign you a particular conference role: participant or chair.
A PIN, or personal identification number, is a unique number assigned to your user account. When you enter your PIN before joining a conference, you are identifying yourself as a registered user.
PINs are often required by conferences as a security measure. However, security is not the only benefit of requiring PINs. Persons who call in to conferences and enter PINs are listed by name in the Conference View page. Persons who call in and do not enter PINs are listed as Anonymous User. For some types of conferences, it is important that members be listed by name. For example, conferences that utilize Question-and-Answer mode require the chair to state names during question and answer sessions.

What can I do if I have forgotten my PIN?
You can recover your PIN.
To do so: access to the URL www.aethra.net and select Recover login information on the login page. When prompted, enter your email address then click Submit.
Your login name and PIN are sent to you by email if an email address is given in your user account record. Otherwise, the information is sent to the contact person for your account group.2.

Scheduling Overview
MeetIn Audio makes it possible for you to set up conferences yourself-without calling an operator. Read these questions and answers for a quick introduction to the scheduling process.

Who can schedule conferences?
To schedule conferences, you must have an account that is authorized for scheduling. In particular if you have an account System Admin you can schedule conferences for any account group and if you have an account Group Admin are authorized to schedule a conference for your own account group. If you already have a user account that is not authorized for scheduling, call the contact for your account group to request that your privilege level be changed.

What is conference scheduling?
You reserve system resources by telling the scheduling software:

How long the conference will last-a specific length of time (Duration).
When you want it to start-immediately (Start Now) or some time in the future.
How often you want it to run-once (one time) or in a series (repeating).
How many people or locations you want to include in the conference (Maximum Connections).

When you submit your reservation, the system checks to be sure that there are sufficient system resources available for the time you request.

How do I invite users to my conference?
To join a conference, users need to know the number to call (or where they will receive a call) and the conference entry code (CEC) that connects them to the right conference.
You can invite users yourself-by calling them on the phone or sending a fax or email. Or you can let MeetIn Audio application notify the users you invite.
MeetIn Audio’s Notify feature generates email invitations with the required information and directions for joining the conference. Of course, you need to be sure that you have an email address for everyone you want to invite-in the MeetIn Audio database if you create the invitation list..

Can I change my reservation?
You can use MeetIn Audio to change your reservation any time before the conference starts-subject, of course, to resource availability.
Use the Search Conferences tab to find the reservation; then make the changes and resubmit the schedule.
You can also cancel a conference at any time.

Is there any specific suggestion to guarantee a good service?
In order to guarantee a good service, we want to draw Your attention on some aspects which are to take into account before the starting of the conference.

For any problem before or during the conference You can ask for help dialling the telephone number +39.071.2189800 who knows the details of the required service.
In case of international connections, please pay particular attention to the starting time, possibly express it in the equivalent Italian time;
Please check that the telephone of the chairperson is located in a quiet and not too much noisy room, particularly if the room is equipped with a handsfree telephone. Although it is a good rule to set the handsfree equipment in the mute modality when the participant doesn’t speak.
Please, let us know the name of the chairperson, and express clearly if the participants have to wait for the arrival of the chairperson or if they can speak together as they join the conference-call. When the chairperson arrives, we will inform him/her about the participants who are already present.
During the conference-call the chairperson can ask for assistance digiting at any time *0 on the keyboard of the telephone: in this way the operator of the conference-call will speak only and exclusively with the chairperson in order to solve possible problems or to satisfy any further requests. We advice You to make a test with the Service Centre to check the correct functioning of the procedure.
It is possible to use particular sessions during the conference, (they should be planned in advance) for example a Question & Answer or a Voting session. In both cases it is necessary that the series of button (*1, *2 and so on) are pressed in multifrequency. For this reason, please inform the participants to check carefully:
That their telephones are in multifrequency (they can produce sounds);

The telephones don’t have particular functions (background music or other) related to the buttons * and #.

3. Schedule a conference
Select New Conference on the navigation bar to open the Conference Reservation page.
-Enter and select general settings for the conference:
Conference Name to identify your conference. (Required)
Maximum Connections to reserve phone lines. (Max is 30)
-Select the security type:
No PIN conferences do not prompt callers for PINs; anyone who knows the phone number and CEC can join. Callers are listed as Anonymous User in the Conference View page.
PIN Optional conferences prompt for PINs but allow bypass; anyone who knows the phone number and CEC can join. Callers who enter PINs are listed by in the Conference View page and report.
PIN Required conferences prompt for PINs and verify them by checking the user account database. Callers are listed by name in the Conference View page and report.
Invitation Required conferences prompt for PINs and verify them by checking the conference invitation list. Callers are listed by name in the Conference View page and report.
Note: When conference members are named in the Conference View page, the conference chair can perform functions that are impractical when members are anonymous. For example, they can change member role assignments, and manage question-and-answer sessions.

-Specify the time you need for the conference:

If you select One Time from the Schedule Type pull-down list, then:
For Start Date, enter the date (using the displayed format) or click the starting date in the pop-up calendar.
For Start Time, select the hour and a number of minutes from the pull-down lists. If you are using the 12-hour clock format, select AM or PM.
For Duration, select the number of hours and minutes you want to reserve for the conference.
If you select Start Now from the Schedule Type pull-down list, then
For Duration, select the number of hours and minutes you want for the conference. Start-now conferences are scheduled to begin at the time displayed in Start Time. The time is set when you enter the Conference Reservation page. If you do not submit the schedule immediately, update the start time manually before you submit the reservation request.
If you select Repeating from the Schedule Type pull-down list, then:.
In Start Date, set up the first occurrence of the conference by entering the date (using the displayed format), or by clicking on the date in the pop-up calendar.
For Start Time, select an hour and a number of minutes from the pull-down lists.
For Duration, select the number of hours and minutes you want to reserve for each instance of the conference.
For Interval, select one:

Daily 5 day to schedule conferences Monday through Friday
Daily 7 day to schedule conference Monday through Sunday
Weekly to schedule conference for the day of the week defined by Starting Date.
Monthly to schedule conferences for the same calendar day each month. A conference scheduled for the 10th of April would repeat on the 10th of May and the 10th of June.
For Until, enter or select the end date for the conference series. The last instance is scheduled on or before the date you specify.

Select Entry Duration to specify whether users can call in any time during the conference, or during a specified period after the conference has started.
Select Conference Start to specify whether or not participants can interact before the chair joins the conference.
Select Name Recording to specify whether participants are required to make voice name recordings for use in announcement messages.
Select Comment to attach comments to the reservation

If you schedule a conference where the security type is “Invitation required”, you must click Invite Users to open the Invitation List page to set up an invitation list.
Use the invitation list feature to assign initial roles to conference members, set up dial-out connections, and specify conference email notifications.

Click Schedule to submit the reservation.
You receive a confirmation message after the scheduler checks to be sure that phone lines are available, and that the CEC(s) you specified are unique for the specified date and time.
When the reservation is confirmed, MeetIn Audio sends email messages to participants designated for email notification in the invitation list.

4. Ouchtone Telephone Controls
During a conference, conference members can perform some actions using touchtone (DTMF) commands.
All conference members can use some touchtone controls. Chairs can use additional controls for performing conference management tasks.
Basic Touchtone Controls

Basic Touchtone Controls
All participants can use these controls:

* 4	AGC On\Off:Adjusts conference audio signals to equalize speaking volumes.
* 6	Mute On\Off: Mutes or unmutes phone line.

Chair Touchtone Controls
Conference chairs can use these controls:

# 1	Conference Roster: Plays recorded names of all people who have joined the conference.
# 2	Conference Participant Count: Announces how many people are connected to the conference.
# #	End Conference: Ends conference before scheduled time.
* 2	Stops an in-process announcement.
* 5	Conference Lock and Unlock: Prevents additional people, including operators, from joining the conference or viewing the conference in My TeleRiunione Web pages.
* 7	Presentation Mode On\Off: Switches conference between interactive and presentation modes.
# 3	Start Chair Dialout: When "Allow Chair Dialout" was selected by the conference scheduler, suspends chair’s connection to conference to allow dialout. (See Performing a chair dialout.)
# 5	Stop Chair Dialout, Join User to Conference: During chair dialout, connects the chair and the dial-out user to the conference.
# 4	Stop Chair Dialout, Hangup Dialed User: During chair dialout, returns the chair to the conference and disconnects the dial-out user.
# 7	Record/Playback Stop/Start: When "Allow Chair Record/Playback" was selected by the conference scheduler, starts/stops conference record or playback.
* *	Playback Pause/Resume: Pauses/resumes playback function.
* 9	Extends (adds more time) to the conference duration.

Notes
The Chair Dialout function is handy for placing calls to persons whose telephone systems use voice menus that preclude automatic dialing.

5. Performing a chair dialout
If you are a conference chair, you can temporarily disconnect from a conference, place a call to someone, and then re-connect to the conference with the person in tow-all using simple touchtone commands.
Tip: The chair dialout function is handy for placing calls to persons whose telephone systems use voice menus that preclude automatic dialing.
Follow these steps to perform a chair dialout:

Press # 3 to remove your line from the conference.
You will hear a dial tone.
Dial the phone number of the person you want to add to the conference (you can dial up to 24 digits); then press # (for example 0044 1 78787878#)
After pressing the pound sign, enter additional digits to negotiate through a phone system, if necessary.
When you reach the person and are ready to reconnect to the conference, do one of the following:

Press # 5 to connect both your lines to the conference.
Press # 4 to disconnect the person and return to the conference.

Notes

If no one answers the phone, or if the dial-out user hangs up while connected to you, you are automatically returned to the conference.
When a conference is locked for security, this feature is not available.
When a dialout cannot be accommodated because the conference is at capacity, you are notified by a recorded message.
If the Name Recording feature is set for the conference, the dialed user is prompted for a name recording before joining the conference.

6. Managing a question-and-answer session
In an interactive conference, everyone can talk and be heard by everyone else.
When a conference is large, this mode may not be effective-people may interrupt each other and some people may never have an opportunity to express their ideas. In question-and-answer mode, people can take turns talking or asking questions.
You can manage a question-and-answer (Q & A) session in MeetIn Audio if you are the chair of a currently active conference.
To manage a question and answer session:

Select Manage Conferences on the navigation bar to open the Conference view page for your conference.
Check to be sure that all members are identified by name in the Conference View page rather than being listed as anonymous users-since you will need to address them by name to let them know when it is their turn to speak.
Select Question and Answer from the Conference Mode pull-down list.
While the conference is in Question and Answer mode, the lines for all conference members assigned the participant role are muted. (Chairs and presenters remain unmuted when the conference is in this mode.)
Click Question and Answer View.
Introduce the question-and-answer session, telling members how to request an opportunity to speak (pressing 7, by default, on their touchtone keypads).
You see in the question queue the list of conference members who are waiting to be heard. (You also see the list of presenters and chairs, who remain unmuted, displayed at the top of the page.)
Click Ask Question to select one or more members from the question queue.
The people you select are unmuted.
Invite the selected person(s) to speak and announce them to the group as required.
Click End Question when a speaker is finished, which remutes the line.
Select Interactive or Presentation from the Conference Mode pull-down list to end the question-and-answer session.

7. Managing a voting session
MeetIn Audio's voting function allows conference chairs of an active conference to conduct votes and tally the results to MeetIn Audio.
To manage a voting session, you first define voting questions and responses. You then explain the process, announce each vote, and use MeetIn Audio to view the results and assist members in the voting as required.
Use this procedure to manage a voting session:

Select Manage Conferences on the navigation bar.
In the Conference View page, select Voting from the Conference Mode pull-down list.
Click the Voting Session View button.
Define or modify voting questions as required.
Announce the voting session and provide instructions, if necessary.
Click Ask next to the question you want conference members to vote on.
The page is redisplayed to show you the possible responses to the question.
Read the question and its possible responses-unless members have this information already.
Members vote by pressing the appropriate digits on their touchtone keypads.
Select one of these graph types from the pull-down list if you want to change how the voting results are displayed:

Bar Chart Summary to represent each response as a vertical bar with its height indicating how many votes it received.
Bar Chart (by role)to show response totals by role as well as by total vote.
Detail (by Participant)to show results as a 3D graph with the complete list of members and their votes displayed below it.
Pie Chart Summary to represent each response as a percentage of the total votes received.

Check for invalid votes in the list under the graphic display. (A vote is invalid when it does not correspond to a defined response or when an individual votes more than once).
For the Detail (by Participant) display type, you see the list of conference members (with their connection status, role, and audio states) with their voting results.
For the bar chart and pie chart displays, you see only the list of members whose votes were invalid.
Assist members whose votes are invalid or who want to change their votes:

If necessary, change the person's role or audio state so you can speak with them.
Click Clear to allow a member to vote again.

Use these controls as necessary:

Click Save Results to store the results of the vote in the database. You can view the results later by clicking the Available hyperlink.
Click Clear Ballotsto clear the results and start the vote again.

Repeat steps 6 through 11 for each question in the voting session.
After voting is complete, return the conference to interactive mode if necessary.

Note