Max number of participants for conference?

[rooster]

I'm trying to convince a buddy to sign up to PublicMobile.

He regularly does 6 way conference calls (!) for work, from his Virgin line.

Is that possible with Public Mobile? I'm not sure how to test this myself..

iPhone 12 is that matters.

thanks

[rooster]

hey all,

I tried to test this using phone numbers that have long recordings, and they're hard to find. It seems PM was able to handle all 5 simultaneous calls. (kind of hard to make out the audio of all 5 calls!)

If someone wants to try the list below to confirm? Or I'm down to call someone/have someone call me!

1-844-435-7387 Free medical alert system
226-336-1437 Rick Astley
1-800-468-5865 Got Junk
416-342-9562 Recording test
250-412-5922 Recording test

[softech]

LoL. I was to say yes.. but @Nezgar tested for us already 🙂

[HALIMACS]

🙄  @esjliv 

[esjliv]

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@HALIMACS wrote:

@esjliv @softech @hairbag1 , let's try it.   

I'll find 5 others to participate and let's see what we come up with.

Any takers?

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Nope @HALIMACS 🙈🙉🙊

👻

[Nezgar]

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@softech wrote:

@hairbag1  did you use the conference call with 5 on Telus/PM system?

according to Reeddit, Bell and Rogers can do 5, Telus just 3

https://www.reddit.com/r/telus/comments/rilwvs/conference_call_support_for_up_to_5_people/

and @Nezgar in that discussion too  🙂

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Heh, you found me. 🙂 Indeed I am pretty sure more than 3 participants in a conference call was possible with Rogers when I was with them... At the expense of using 3,4,5x the minutes every minute. 🙂 Unfortunately it looks like Fongo's "free conference calling" service I linked to in that Reddit post has since disappeared... 

I just tested again with Public Mobile again now that VoLTE is in the picture, easily tested with multiple calls to the RIck Astley Hotline: 226-336-1437, who will happily many calls at once. 😂 After the first call connected, I tapped "Add Call" and dialled the same number again, after it connected chose "Merge Calls" at which time I was hearing 2x the fun with all three of us. I still had the option to "Add Call" so chose this, and still able to place yet another call, with the "conference" now on hold, but after connecting and choosing "Merge calls" I got the popup "Error message: The maximum number of participant has been exceeded." - yes "participant" and not "participants"

Curious to hear results of others testing this with other mobile carriers, though that reddit post already suggests Rogers & Bell support up to 5, and OP indicates Virgin (Bell) also does 5, so I wonder if that flows down to the other brands as well Fido, Chatr, & Lucky. Oh and I guess a data point from Freedom/Shaw & Fizz/Videotron would be interesting before that all switches around too.

Edit: Looks like Fongo free conference calling still exists, just the URL is different since I last linked to it on the Reddit post: http://account.fongo.com/features/conference-calling/ -- But methinks nowadays people will more often than not use Zoom or Teams for larger conferences anyway, which also usually include phone dial-in information.

Until Telus/Koodo/Public change anything in this regard, I guess the only workaround other than the above "Free Conference Calling" is once you've done a 3-way call, you ask one of your other two participants to add the next parties instead of yourself, or use a business phone/PBX/VoIP system that supports this functionality.

[HALIMACS]

@esjliv @softech @hairbag1 

One of you sent me your number via Private Message.

I wasn't necessarily proposing we do this amongst ourselves, however, I'll let you decide if you want to. 

PM me your contact number if interested and if 5 (including me) are in for the trial, I'll initiate the call.   [i think i have 100 calling minutes left in my plan which renews in 4 days, so why not...]

[HALIMACS]

@esjliv @softech @hairbag1 , let's try it.   

I'll find 5 others to participate and let's see what we come up with.

Any takers?

[esjliv]

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@hairbag1 wrote:

@esjliv 

I've used the conference function with more than 3 participants...I think 5 on the last call.

I'm not so sure there is a limit...I can't find mention of any limitations other than the example that you provided.

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@hairbag1 - were you the host on the call with 5?

[softech]

@hairbag1  did you use the conference call with 5 on Telus/PM system?

according to Reeddit, Bell and Rogers can do 5, Telus just 3

https://www.reddit.com/r/telus/comments/rilwvs/conference_call_support_for_up_to_5_people/

and @Nezgar in that discussion too  🙂

[hairbag1 · Accepted solution]

@esjliv 

I've used the conference function with more than 3 participants...I think 5 on the last call.

I'm not so sure there is a limit...I can't find mention of any limitations other than the example that you provided.

[esjliv]

@rooster  - you can connect 3 people with Public Mobile. 

See help article here: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/conference-calling

*  "After the new party answers, you can connect all 3 people on the call by selecting the Merge icon."

[HALIMACS]

Try it,  @rooster 

Let 5/6 others know of a preferred time- frame that you will conference them in and see how many you can get in.

To get particular to his situation, use his iPhone with your Public Mobile SIM card and have him contact the 5/6 people to test it.