Dial-in Conferencing

Dial-in Conferencing is a new audio option for audio conferences that are hosted on Office Communications Server 2007 R2. The dial-in option provides a cost-efficient replacement for your company's conferencing provider service. It also allows conference call attendees to join a Communicator conference call or a Live Meeting that uses Dial-in Conferencing for the audio by calling in from a phone or mobile device. The dial-in option can be used for scheduled Communicator conference calls or Live Meeting. With Dial-in Conferencing, members and non-members of your corporate network can join a conference call without the need for a conferencing provider.

Install the Conferencing Add-in.

Before you can schedule a Communicator conference call or Live Meeting that includes support for Dial-in Conferencing, you must install or upgrade the Conferencing Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook. Remove any earlier versions of the Microsoft Office Live Meeting client and Conferencing Add-in. Also, ensure that Outlook is not running, and then install the recent version of the Conferencing Add-in.

Click here to install the Conferencing Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook

For more information about how to install or update the Conferencing Add-in, contact your system administrator.

Configure Your Dial-in Conferencing Settings

To join a conference as Leader, Presenter, or authenticated caller, you must use a PIN to join the conference.

To set up your PIN, in Outlook, click Conferencing, and then click Dial-in Conferencing Settings.
On the home page, under Personal Identification Number (PIN), click Sign In.
In the Language list, click your preferred language, and then click Sign In.
On the Create New PIN page, click PIN or Change PIN, and type a number that meets the PIN requirements in the PIN text box, and then retype your new PIN in the Confirm PIN text box.
When you are finished, click Save.

Join a Conference Call that Uses Dial-in Conferencing

If you are attending a Communicator conference call or a Live Meeting that uses Dial-in Conferencing for the audio, you will need the following access information to dial in from your phone:

Conference dial-in number
Conference ID
Passcode, if one is required.

If you received an e-mail invitation to a Communicator conference call or a Live Meeting that uses Dial-in Conferencing, the audio information is included in the invitation under Audio Information.

To join as a conference Leader, Presenter, or authenticated caller you will also need:

Your personal identification number (PIN)
Your telephone extension number

Schedule a Live Meeting by Using Dial-in Conferencing

When you have configured your Dial-in Conferencing settings, the default audio option for Live Meeting will be Dial-in Conferencing.

In Outlook, click Conferencing, and then click Schedule a Live Meeting. Or, on the Outlook toolbar, click Schedule a Live Meeting
In the Subject line, type your meeting subject. On the To line, enter the e-mail addresses for your invitees, separating each address by using a semicolon
To designate presenters, click Presenter, select the presenters, click Add to move them to the Presenters list, and then click OK.
To use Dial-in Conferencing for your audio, click Audio, and then click Use computer audio or dial in from any phone.
Optionally, select the Require a passcode to join the conference check box. With this option, meeting participants that do not have a PIN are required to enter a conference ID and passcode to join the conference call.
From the list, select the region for the local phone numbers, and then click OK.
To change access control, click Permissions.

By default, anyone with the conference calling number and your conference ID can join your conference. If you want to restrict who can join your dial-in conference, configure the following advanced permissions when you schedule the conference:

• Choose Invite Within Network. To allow participants within or affiliated with your corporate network to join the meeting. The meeting participants can also forward the meeting invitation to others within your organization.

• Choose Invite Within Network (Restricted). To allow participants who are invited only by you and who are within your organization or affiliated with your organization to join the meeting. The meeting invitation cannot be forwarded by others.

• Choose Invite Anyone. To allow anyone to join the meeting. This is selected by default.
When the meeting invitation is as you want it, on the Standard toolbar, click Send.

Schedule a Dial-in Communicator Conference Call

As soon as you have configured your Dial-in Conferencing settings, the default audio option for your Communicator conference calls will be Dial-in Conferencing.

In Outlook, click Conferencing, and then click Schedule a Conference Call. Or, on the Outlook toolbar, click Schedule a Conference Call.
In the Subject line, type your conference subject. On the To line, enter the e-mail addresses for your invitees, separating each address by using a semicolon
To designate leaders, click Leaders, select the leaders, click Add to move them to the Leaders list, and then click OK.
To use dial-in conferencing for your audio, click Audio, and then click Use computer audio or dial in from any phone. Then, select the type of conference bridge that you want to use:

• If you want all your conferences to use the same dial-in information, click Use my assigned conference ID for each conference.

• If you want all your conferences to use unique dial-in information, click Use a new conference ID for each conference .
Optionally, select the Require a passcode to join the conference check box. With this option, meeting participants that do not have a PIN are required to enter a conference ID and passcode to join the conference call.
From the list, select the region for the local phone numbers, and then click OK.
To change access control, click Permissions.

By default, anyone with the conference calling number and your conference ID can join your conference. If you want to restrict who can join your dial-in conference, configure the following advanced permissions when you schedule the conference:

• Choose Invite Within Network. To allow participants within or affiliated with your corporate network to join the meeting. The meeting participants can also forward the meeting invitation to others within your organization.

• Choose Invite Within Network (Restricted). To allow participants who are invited only by you and who are within your organization or affiliated with your organization to join the meeting. The meeting invitation cannot be forwarded by others.

• Choose Invite Anyone. To allow anyone to join the meeting. This is selected by default.
When the meeting invitation is as you want it, on the Standard toolbar, click Send

Setting up a Non-Scheduled Conference Call

Instead of scheduling a conference call, you can have an ad hoc conference call at any time by providing the conference dial-in numbers to your participants. You can send the information by e-mail, instant messaging ( IM), or by any other way.

To get your dial-in conference information, do one of the following:

• In Outlook, click Conferencing, and then click Dial-in Conferencing Settings.

• In the browser window Address bar, type the address of the Dial-in Conferencing Settings page that was provided to you by your administrator. For example, https://im.contoso.com/dialin.

• If you received a previous invitation to join a dial-in conference call, open the invitation and under Audio Information, click Have you set your PIN? to open the Dial-in Conferencing Settings page.

• From the Communicator menu, click Tools, and then click Dial-in Conferencing Settings.
From the home page, note the Conference Entry Information and one or more Conference Calling Numbers.
Provide the required conference call information to people whom you want to invite to your conference by IM, e-mail, or by any other way.

Meet Now by Using Dial-in Conferencing

When you have configured your Dial-in Conferencing settings, the default audio option for Live Meeting will be Dial-in Conferencing, including Meet Now meetings.

Important: If you have changed your audio option for a Communicator conference call or Live Meeting, your most recent audio option will also be the default audio option for your Meet Now meeting.

In Outlook, click Conferencing, and then click Meet Now. Or, on the Outlook toolbar, click Meet Now.
Microsoft Office Live Meeting automatically opens and joins you to the Meet Now meeting. If you do not have the client installed on your computer, you are prompted to install it.
When the meeting client opens, a meeting request will open in Outlook. In the Subject line, type your meeting subject. On the To line, enter the e-mail addresses for your invitees, separating each address by using a semicolon
When the meeting invitation is as you want it, on the Standard toolbar, click Send.