Alternatively, you can set up the conference yourself. You will be given a phone number that everyone must dial, and a PIN for identification and security purposes. Audioconferences can also be set up over the Internet, via the service provider's website. Not long from now, all the work of setting up the call will be done by intelligent agents, pieces of software residing on the network. Using Internet-enabled PCs it is possible to share screens of data, slides and documents while the conference is going on.
Participants can even manipulate the data, and send one another confidential messages.
Soon, the boundary between audioconferences and videoconferences will begin to blur. Users will be able to see schematic figures representing the participants, and also view 3D representations of objects. Over the last decade, videoconferencing has evolved from an expensive boardroom luxury to one that has the potential to become ubiquitous. As with audioconferencing, you can also view screens of data, spreadsheets or slides while the conference is going on. Videoconferences tend to involve smaller numbers of participants than audioconferences.