Most of us were brought up to believe there’s no such thing as a free lunch. There’s doubtless a lot of wisdom in this proverb. So naturally, people hear about free teleconferences and think no way are free conference calls really free. Given how useful conference calling is for businesses, and for a whole world of fields and projects outside business, it’s hard to believe anybody would provide it for free. But that’s a grave mistake: genuinely free conference calls really are possible.

Sadly, doing a quick online search to investigate can seem to affirm this mistake. We’re probably all tired of the phrase ‘fake news’, but the truth is there is a lot of misinformation out there about free conference calling. Generally, it takes one of two forms. Either a paid conference call bridge or a disgruntled user pens an article insisting we’re being duped if we believe the ‘myth’ that makes free conference calls really free. Or there are conferencing platforms which are calling themselves free teleconference providers while actually having some hidden costs.

The frustrating part is that the latter only appears to confirm the former, and make it difficult not to ask: are free conference calls really free? Click onto some providers, and the answer seems to be no. But with WHYPAY?, there really are no fees or costs at all. To try to dispel some of the confusions floating around the Internet, we’re debunking the most common misconceptions regarding free conference calls.

What you save in money you lose in quality

This is a biggie in making people question free conference calls. Although it doesn’t directly contradict the facts that make free conference calls really free, it suggests there are more abstract costs. Some blog authors recall crackling, echoes and humming in their teleconferences. This could certainly prove really distracting. It makes sense that they’d consider it a big price to pay for free audio meetings. If the point of conference calls is clear and easy communication, this is the minimum any service should provide.

But luckily, WHYPAY? conference calls don’t entail any sacrifice in quality. Take a look at Trustpilot reviews from WHYPAY? users and you see for yourself. Callers are thrilled by the clarity and reliability of their calls – and all without parting with a penny. In fact, the calls are of such quality that NHS staff strongly recommend WHYPAY? to their colleagues. Not only can teleconferencing provide convenient, direct communication between medical professionals and help them reach patients, but by choosing WHYPAY?, conference calls have saved the NHS over £1 million!

Don’t believe that free conference calls can’t be of the highest quality. We firmly believe that when it comes to communication, you shouldn’t have to pay for the best.

You can’t call free conference calls really free if there are hidden costs

Sadly, a lot of providers claim to be free to grab customers’ attention, and then reveal fees further down the line. This can be based on a technicality. For example, maybe actually joining the conference call is free, but you have to pay a subscription each month. Or there are no regular charges, but there is a sign-up fee. Some are even more audacious, and misuse phrases like ‘free conference calls’ simply because they offer a free trial.

It can become exhausting to go through one provider after another, stumbling into costs constantly. Luckily you can follow our top tips for finding genuinely free conference calls. Or save yourself some time and create a truly free conference call room by clicking the button below.

Free conference call plans don’t include useful features

Much online content fuels the myth that free teleconferencing is utterly rudimentary. In fairness, we can partly see why. Some of the biggest conferencing providers do ask customers to pay for very basic features. Even things like call recording often require users to upgrade to a paid plan. Given how useful call recording is, this probably means very few users of these services can feasibly use the free option.

But WHYPAY?’s fee-free teleconferences do include free conference call recording. In fact, we provide lots of great features. We want your audio meetings to be as productive as possible, and don’t think you should have to pay for it. So already, you can expect invite functions and the ability to schedule conference calls in your calendar software, participant announcements and conference call history as part of your free conference calls.

Plans are specifically created to force users into expensive options

This links to the previous point, but paints an even more cynical picture of the telecommunications industry. While the premise of different plans of incrementing prices is to provide options which broadly fit with users’ different budgets and needs, some believe this philosophy is being betrayed. There are those who think almost indispensable features are limited to pricier plans, forcing even smaller-scale businesses with more limited budgets to shell out for premium plans.

While we like to think no company would take advantage of its customers like this, it might be true that some plans can’t meet the needs of all users. Every organisation is different and has unique needs. That’s why WHYPAY? will offer a more pick’n’mix approach when paid features arrive. As well as opting for a carefully designed pre-tailored plan, users will be able to simply choose which features they want to pay for, and which they don’t need. So even with a couple of extra fancy functionalities, conference calls won’t be making a dent in your budget.

For free conference calls to be really free, they have to be very limited

As well as restricting access to certain features, some think that free conference calls place prohibitive caps on basic aspects of teleconferencing. Again, unfortunately some teleconferencing services provide proof that this is happening.

Free plans sometimes allow a very small number of participants. Generally, limits seem to stay pretty close to single figures, with some even stopping at five or fewer. This can really detract from teleconferencing’s utility, again forcing customers to pay extra.

Limitations can also be placed on calls’ duration or frequency. It’s all well and good technically making free conference calls really free, but if you can only use the virtual room once a month, you’re probably going to have to pay for alternatives in between. Likewise, having to abruptly cut off a meeting because you’ve run out of time could cost you great discussion and ideas. Employees end the call confused about how to proceed, and clients will be left with a poor impression and dissatisfactory experience.

But claiming that customers have to pay to avoid these restrictions is not true. WHYPAY?’s free conference calls allow up to 100 participants, and there is no time limit. Once you’ve created your conference call room, it’s yours to dial into as often as you like, for as long as you like.

While the conference room might be free, the call itself isn’t

This is one of those sneaky tricks by which services claim to offer really free conference calls. And it’s true that some virtual meeting rooms are accessed using premium-rate numbers. But claiming that all free conference calls actually require callers to dial tolled numbers is false.

We know because all our conference call rooms are entered by calling an 03 number. That’s why WHYPAY? is truly free to use. If you’re unfamiliar with the background of 03 numbers, the way they work is simple. Back in 2007, Ofcom introduced them as an alternative to premium phone numbers. According to Ofcom’s rulings, calls to any 03 number has to be included within callers’ bundled minutes. So if their phone contract has any minutes of phone calls available, the call won’t cost a thing. If they’ve run out of minutes, or are on pay-as-you-go, the call costs the standard landline rate, whether they join the conference from a mobile or a landline.

The bottom line

Ultimately, you really can increase your bottom line (excuse the poor joke) by using a service like WHYPAY? which makes free conference calls really free. While there are doubtless misleading claims being made by other providers, WHYPAY? is all about transparency, quality and providing the very best without expecting customers to shell out.

We don’t place restrictive caps on any aspect of our free conference calls. By using 03 numbers, we guarantee neither you nor your participants is going to face a hefty bill for the privilege of joining the audio meeting. What’s more, you can expect high quality and reliable conference calls that will never get in the way of the productive conversations you’re having.

You could save a serious amount of money by switching to conference calls that are really free. In April, it amounted to well over £1 million in savings. And in the spirit of transparency, we’re very clear about how we work these numbers out.

You can start saving money today. Create your very own, really free conference call room by clicking the button below, or visiting the WHYPAY? homepage.