Introduction to Telebridge Teleconferencing
Questions, answered below:
- What is a Telebridge?
- How does Telebridge work?
- How much does it cost?
- How do I pay for Telebridge?
- What are the advantages of using Telebridge?
- What do our customers say about why they like our service?
- How do I get started?
What is a Telebridge?
A Telebridge (or bridge) can be thought of as a virtual meeting room accessed by phone. Physically, a Telebridge is a set of hardware and software that enables multiple callers to be joined together. Callers can dial a Telebridge from anywhere in the world using their own long-distance phone services.How does Telebridge work?
Your first step is to open an hourly or full-time Telebridge account using our account setup page.
If you have a full-time Telebridge account, you have the flexibility to dial into your Telebridge anytime, 24 X 7. Just follow steps 4-7, below. If you have an hourly Telebridge account, you use our simple reservations system to schedule your Teleconferences. Here are the steps:
- Use your account ID and password to login using the "Login to My Account" link at the left of this page.
- Choose "Reserve Hours," then select your date, Telebridge, and time slot, available in hourly increments. If someone has already reserved the hour and Telebridge that you are requesting, you will be asked to select a different Telebridge or time. If you have trouble finding an open Telebridge at the time you want, please call us for help.
You may make a reservation that repeats hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly by specifying the total number of hours you want to reserve and how they should repeat. If you want to meet for one hour starting at half past the hour, you will want to schedule the Telebridge for 2 hours. - Receive your emailed reservation confirmation.
- Inform your participants of the time, Telebridge dial-in number and PIN.
- At the scheduled time, everyone dials the Telebridge number and the Telebridge connects all callers in an audio teleconferencing "room."
- Presto, you're all on! No operator, no delays.
- Conduct your meeting and hang up by the end of your scheduled time. For hourly Telebridge customers, we ask that you hang up 5 minutes before the hour to accommodate the next Teleconference. That's it!
How much does it cost?
Telebridge Teleconferencing is available either hourly or full-time.
Hourly Telebridge Pricing
The hourly reservation fee depends on the size of the Telebridge (its caller capacity). In addition, we charge a one-time account setup fee of $25, which is waived for current Webvalence Internet customers.
| Hourly Telebridge Price Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Telebridge Capacity | Price Per Hour |
| 15 persons | $5 |
| 30 persons | $10 |
| 50 persons | $13 |
| 100 persons | $20 |
| 200 persons | $25 |
One representative of the conference group pays the hourly reservation fee, not each participant.
All participants pay their own long distance phone charges to dial the Telebridge. This can be as low as $2-6/hour, depending on the long distance carrier.
Therefore the host of a Telebridge call pays less than 1-2 cents/minute/person vs. the 25-45 cents/minute/person that many conferencing companies charge. Your company will realize substantial savings.
Full-time Telebridge Pricing
If you use Telebridge often, need frequent bridge access without a reservation, or want the security of your own dedicated phone number, we offer full-time Telebridges (24 hours per day, 7 days per week). Full-time Telebridge pricing lets you control your own Telebridge schedule, accessing your Telebridge whenever you need it.
More on full-time Telebridge prices
How do I pay for Telebridge service?
Account set up fees are paid online by credit card during the sign-up process. Subsequent payments may be made by credit card or check. Your credit card statement will show the name Webvalence, our parent company.
A one-time $25 setup fee is due when you open an hourly account (waived for current Webvalence Internet customers). Payment for new reservations is charged to your account on the first of each month.
A one-time $50 setup fee is due when you initiate a full-time account, along with the first month's fee. The one-time setup fee is reduced to $25 for current hourly Telebridge or Webvalence Internet customers. Subsequent payments are due monthly on the first of the month, in advance of usage. Additional Telebridges added to the account do not require a setup fee.
Fees are pro-rated for customers signing up after the first of the month. The Telebridge phone and PIN assignment will be made after payment for the first month and set up fee is received.
Participants pay long distance fees to their own long distance carriers at their standard rates.
What are the Advantages of Telebridge?
- Convenience. Everyone can dial in from anywhere and no operator-assistance is required. Reserve hours quickly and simply online.
- Low cost. Telebridge costs 50-80% less than operator-assisted conference calls.
- More contact. The more people are connected, the more they can produce.
- International Presence. Anyone can call into the Telebridge from any location around the world.
- 24-hour access to reservations and Telebridge service, 365 days per year. The system can be reserved for any time period, up to one year in advance.
What do Our Customers Say about Why They Like Our Service?
Our customers believe our service is the easiest and best to use for many reasons:
Low Cost. We charge by the hour or month, not by the person. The callers themselves pay for the long distance call to the bridge. The host of a Telebridge call pays the per-hour or per-month fee. This typically works out to 1-2 cents/minute/person vs. the 25-45 cents/minute/person that many conferencing companies charge.
But Not Free. Some teleconferencing providers do offer free Telebridge usage. We believe that you pay for what you get. The nature of Telebridge technology means that usage is a cooperative endeavor. Teleconferencing users respect their reservation times to avoid interrupting each other's calls. We use high quality equipment, charge fair prices, and attract a type of customer who works with respect, civility and cooperation.
High Reliability. Our teleconferencing system is used and trusted by hundreds of clients including coaches, trainers, educational institutions, international audiences, non-profit organizations and network marketers.
Full Control. You can schedule the Telebridge number you want to use. This means you may choose the same number for each call to make your associate's lives easier. Plus, once you have your one-hour time slot, you can use the time in any way you want to — host two 30-minute calls or one 1-hour call or four 15-minute calls — whatever you wish.
Fully Automatic. Once you have your time slot reserved, there's nothing else you need to bother with — no operators, no hassle. At any time during your scheduled time slot, you or anyone you've given the access number to can dial the Telebridge and immediately join in.
Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you are not satisfied in any way, please ask for your money back. We'll return it the next day. We want you to be happy.
One Caveat. Telephone companies sometimes oversell their capacity. There may be occasional periods of time when you may experience difficulty getting the full capacity from the Telebridge because not enough long distance circuits are available. Because we have no control over this, we can't guarantee full capacity on your Telebridge. However, you may be able to use "10-10 access numbers" to get around this.
How Do I get Started?
If you are interested in a full-time Telebridge, fill out our secure sign up application and we'll respond within 48 hours. You may pay by credit card or by check.
For hourly customers, it's even easier. Visit our sign up to obtain your account ID and password. Then login to our hourly reservations page (using "Login to my Account" in the left margin) to book your reservation. You will receive an immediate email confirmation of your reservation. No waiting! All reservations are made on-line by the customer.
Please also review our features and etiquette information. They explain more about how the Telebridge and reservations systems work, and offer advice on how to make sure you have a smooth and enjoyable teleconference.
If you have further questions e-mail or call us between 8:00 and 4:00, Pacific Time, at (503) 335-3442.