Improved Conferencing Options
Tammy Closs
Premiere Conferencing, Georgetown University's new audio conferencing vendor, offers greater convenience and more options at a lower cost when compared to our previous vendor.
Our previous conferencing vendor required days of advance notice to set up a call. Premiere gives you an account you can use any time. You will not need a reservation, and your department will only pay for services you use. To establish an account, go to https://data.georgetown.edu/uis/accounts/audioconf/, log in with your NetID and NetID password, and complete the Audio Conference Request Form. Within two business days you will receive an e-mail message with your conference dial-in number, instructions on conducting your conference, and other information needed to complete your call. Within ten business days you will receive a plastic card with this information. You can use your account for the rest of your time at Georgetown University.
Once you have established an account, you can initiate a conference call at any time for up to 75 people. If you require enhanced operator services or have more than 75 participants, Premiere Conferencing's operators will assist you in setting up the call. An operator-assisted conference call can accommodate up to 3,000 participants.
Georgetown University's new affiliation with Premiere Conferencing is allowing us to offer Web conferencing services for the first time. Using Web conferencing, you can exchange documents and applications, write and draw using a virtual whiteboard, and "talk" via chat and instant messages.
Premiere Conferencing offers fixed rates that are lower than our previous vendor's. Previously, charges were variable, started around 20¢ per minute, and did not include overtime. Now audio conferencing costs 11¢ per minute per caller, while Web-enhanced conferences cost 40¢ per minute per caller. These charges will be billed to your cost center as part of your monthly departmental TMS billing statement.
Audio conferencing and Web conferencing are easy and cost-effective ways to communicate with the world outside of Georgetown University. Visit https://data.georgetown.edu/uis/accounts/audioconf/ to learn more and get started.
800 Number Service
Departmental 800 numbers are available for use by employees who travel or telework, or to allow people outside of Georgetown University to call your department without incurring any cost.
To apply for an 800 number, call your HelpDesk. Provide the HelpDesk with your cost center, billing address, and a contact person. You will also need to tell the HelpDesk if you want the 800 number to be a remote access (GU Express) number, an audix (voice-mail enabled) number, or another departmental line. The standard 800 number will accept non-local domestic long-distance calls.
The 800 number service costs $4.95 per month plus 2.9¢ per minute.
Tammy Closs is senior network engineer for UIS.
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