Patent ID: 8731170
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A system, comprising: a first conferencing platform based in a first country; wherein the first country is The United States; a second conferencing platform based in a second country; and a third conferencing platform based in a third country; wherein each of the first, second and third conferencing platforms provides each of a plurality of participants to dial a local number that links the first, second and third conferencing platforms by interconnecting bridges of the first, second and third conferencing platforms, wherein the bridges are enabled to become participants of a host bridge of a conference call; wherein the first conferencing platform triggers US-originated international telecom rates for dialed conference calls; wherein a single interlinked conference call is initiated between the first, second and third conferencing platforms; wherein each of the first, second and third conferencing platforms are coupled to at least one of a plurality of private data networks located in a different country than a location of each of the first, second and third conferencing platforms, wherein the at least one private data network of the plurality of private data networks provides additional bandwidth requirements, minimizes distance and latency of the conference call associated with the location of each of the first, second and third conferencing platforms and a more distributed conferencing environment whereby certain functions of the conference call are performed by the at least one private data network of the plurality of private data networks and other functions are performed by at least one another private data network of the plurality of private data networks; wherein the first conferencing platform dials the second conferencing platform and the third conferencing platform and connects the conference call via the bridges linked between the second conferencing platform and the third conferencing platform after an indication that a first participant is present at the second conferencing platform and that a second participant is present at the third conferencing platform; wherein to ensure that the first, second and third conferencing platforms do not get linked without the first and second participants being present, at least one of the first, second and third conferencing platforms terminates the connection if the indication is not received within a certain time frame before the conference call is scheduled to occur or has occurred; wherein the establishing of the conference call by the first conferencing platform is less expensive than a direct connection between the second conferencing platform and the third conferencing platform; and wherein a cost for connecting each of the plurality of participants into the conference call from their respective country comprises a local charge to connect each of the plurality of participants to their respective conferencing platform and a cost of transmitting conferencing streams between each of the first, second and third conferencing platforms over the at least one private data network of the plurality of private data networks.