Tips on Eliminating Background Noise
Make sure you can be easily heard by your audience. These tips will go a long way to ensuring your message comes across clearly.

Select A Quiet Environment.
Participate in a quiet setting where you can concentrate and the group can hear you. If possible, avoid common distractions such as air conditioners, printers, ringing phones, fax machines, paper shuffling and loud voices. Closing your office door will minimize these distractions.

Test Your Speakerphone.
If you’re using a speakerphone, set it up before your conference begins. Some speakerphones with the volume set too high create feedback. In addition, many conference room speakerphones need to be adjusted according to the room’s dynamics. You may test your speakerphone with one of our conference support specialists by dialing in 15 minutes prior to your conference call. Ensuring proper speakerphone setup before your meeting’s start time will save the group time and aggravation.

Activate Your Mute Button.
Use the mute button on your phone or speakerphone if you are unable to move to a quiet location. Loud voices, noisy office equipment and ringing office phones can divert the group’s attention. Using your mute button helps eliminate these distractions.

Signal For Help.
If you are calling from a noisy location or using a cordless phone with a lot of static, press “*0” and ask a conference support specialist to mute your line. Signal again to re-open your line if you need to participate in the discussion.

Turn Off Call Waiting.
Prior to your conference call, you may be able to temporarily deactivate your call waiting to ensure an uninterrupted discussion. To cancel call waiting, press “*70” and do not hang up. Wait for the dial tone and make your call. Call waiting will return once you disconnect. If “*70” doesn’t work for you, contact your local phone company to find out how to temporarily disable your service.

Do Not Place Your Line On Hold.
If you need to step away from the meeting, do not place your line on hold. On-hold music or recordings will feed into the conference and will disrupt the group’s discussion. If you must step away, hang up and dial in again when you are able to rejoin the conference.