Teleclass How-To

If you are participating in a teleclass, here are the general instructions. Any specific instructions, along with the teleconference bridge phone number and conference number will be mailed to you before the class.


Classes begin ontime — please try to arrive ontime or only few minutes late.

How to call into the teleconference line

  1. Put your dogs, kids, and/or staff in another room.
  2. Please take this call where you will not be interrupted.
  3. Pick up your phone.
  4. If you have call-waiting, please disable it first by dialing *70 and waiting for the dial tone.
  5. Dial the teleconference bridge number at the scheduled time. When asked for your conference number, enter the conference number.
  6. Do not call early; you may call a few minutes late.
  7. Say nothing until you are welcomed (everyone else hears a little beep so they know someone has just dialed in) by your call leader or the group.
  8. Please don’t call the teleconference number you’ve been given at any other time than during your scheduled time. There is no one ‘there’ at the teleconference number.
  9. The system is totally automatic–there is no Operator.
  10. If you’re the first person to call in, the automated assistant will ask you to verify you’ve got the right number (it’s okay, just continue.)

Tips For Callers

  1. Use a land line–the teleconference lines have severe problems when someone makes a computer/Internet based call.
  2. If you use a portable, only use 900 MHz or 2-4 GHz portables and stay close to the base to avoid static.
  3. No speaker phones, please.
  4. No cell phones because of the static and potential for ‘cross talk.’
  5. Please do not use your speakerphone. It is annoying to almost everyone.
  6. DO NOT PUT US ON HOLD! Many offices have music on hold and the call is ‘interrupted’ by the music. If you have to leave the call, hang up and call back as soon as you can rejoin.
  7. Use a headset or high quality phone with a mute button.
  8. Portable phones often cause static heard by all callers. If you’re using a headset, make sure it’s close to your mouth so everyone can hear you.
  9. If you have a two-line phone or other phones in your room/office, TURN OFF all ringers before calling in.
  10. Don’t breathe into the mouthpiece. It’s comical, but disruptive.
  11. The system does not work well with three-way calling. Each person should call in separately to maintain the high quality of the teleconference line.
  12. On your phone bill, you will see just regular, long distance charges for dialing to the upstate New York area where the teleconference center is located.

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* Filed by  Chuck Lawson  under  Coaching