How to Make Conference Calls on your iPhone

There are so many different things that you can do with your iPhone that you might forget about some of them. In fact, some of the most basic things that you can do on your phone might be things that you forget about if you don’t use them regularly. Placing conference calls using your iPhone is an example of such a thing. This is a really efficient task and one that’s easy to do on your iPhone. However, since it isn’t something you do every day, you might not remember how to do it. Here’s your guide.

Make sure that you can make conference calls

First things first, you need to make sure that you are able to make conference calls with your mobile phone. For most users, this isn’t a problem. It’s a feature that is built into the iPhone and it comes with the data plan that you signed up for. However, there are some people with limited plans who might not have access to this feature. Additionally, there are some countries in which conference calling via your iPhone is not allowed. If you aren’t sure about whether or not you are able to make conference calls then you might want to call Apple for support. If you try the following steps and they don’t work for you, this might be the reason why.

Basics of the conference call

Okay, now that you’re all set and ready to make your conference call, these are the steps that you need to follow.

• Place the call to the first person on your list. You will do this in the same manner that you normally place a call with your iPhone. There are no new tricks to learn here.
• Ask the person that you have just called to hold on for a minute. As with most other conference call methods, this person will have to wait while you place the next call.
• Look at your screen. You should see an “add call” button on the screen of your iPhone. (It is located on the left side of the screen underneath the mute option and to the left of the hold option. It is accompanied by a plus sign as its icon.) Press this button. Now place the call to the second person that you are interested in adding to the conference call.
• Once the person answers, let them know that you are going to start the conference call. Look at your iPhone screen. You will see an option to “merge calls”. Press this button. The two different people that you have called should now be able to hear each other and speak to one another in the conference call.

Adding additional callers to the conference call

You can merge as many as five different phone calls into a single conference call. You follow the same process that you have followed above. However, wait until you have placed all of the calls before you merge calls. In other words, call Person 1 then press “add call” and call Person 2 then press “add call” and call Person 3 and so on until you have called everyone that is to participate in the conference call. When all of the calls have been made, merge the calls into one conference call.

Accepting calls into the conference call

In some cases, you will not be the one placing all of the calls for the conference call. Sometimes, the other person will be calling in to you. You can still add them to a conference call. This is done by pressing “hold call” and “answer” at the same time. Again, you will press “merge calls” to bring everyone together into one conference call.

How to speak privately with a caller during the conference call

There may be some occasions during a conference call when you need to speak privately with one of the other callers. For example, let’s say that you are negotiating a deal and the call includes your business partner and the other parties. You may need to speak privately with your business partner before agreeing to the deal. Here’s how to do that:

• Look at your iPhone screen. Find the button that says “conference”. Press that button.
• You will see the calls that are taking place. Each one will have an option next to it that says “private”. Select “private” next to the appropriate caller.
• Have your private conversation. When you are ready to return to the conference call press “merge”. The private conversation will not have been overheard by the group. Both you and the person you spoke privately with will now be merged back into the conference call.

Dropping a caller during the conference call

It is often the case that you will need to continue a call with one of the parties while dropping others from the conference call. For example, in the above situation, you may want to speak with your business partner about matters that are unrelated to the call so you would drop all of the other callers and remain on the line with the business partner. Alternatively, your business partner may need to get to a meeting but the rest of the parties are going to continue the conference call with you so you would need to drop your business partner from the conference call. Dropping a caller from the conference call is easy. Here’s how.

• Look at your iPhone screen and find that “conference” button. Press it.
• Next to each caller you will see a red phone. Press the red phone next to the caller that you want to drop.
• You will see an option to “end call”. Select that option. The conference call will continue without this caller.