A method for determining that an audio conference which makes use of an audio conference system (100, 150) is in a first phase of a plurality of pre-determined phases; wherein the audio conference system (100, 150) links a plurality of M terminals (120, 170), M>2 for participants of the audio conference; the method comprising - determining a plurality of sequences of events for the plurality of terminals (120, 170) of the audio conference system (100, 150), respectively; wherein an event from the sequences of events indicates that a talker activity at a terminal (120, 170) has been detected within an event time interval; - determining a sequence of feature vectors based on the plurality of sequences of events; - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of the talker activity at one or more of the plurality of terminals (120, 170) relative to the talker activity at all of the plurality of terminals (120, 170) within a feature time interval, - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of a concurrent talker activity at one or more of the plurality of terminals (120, 170), respectively, within the feature time interval, and/or - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of a number of hand overs of talker activity between different terminals (120, 170) within the feature time interval; - wherein the feature time interval comprises a plurality of event time intervals; and - determining that the audio conference is in the first phase based on the sequence of feature vectors. - determining a plurality of sequences of events for the plurality of terminals (120, 170) of the audio conference system (100, 150), respectively; wherein an event from the sequences of events indicates that a talker activity at a terminal (120, 170) has been detected within an event time interval; - determining a sequence of feature vectors based on the plurality of sequences of events; - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of the talker activity at one or more of the plurality of terminals (120, 170) relative to the talker activity at all of the plurality of terminals (120, 170) within a feature time interval, - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of a concurrent talker activity at one or more of the plurality of terminals (120, 170), respectively, within the feature time interval, and/or - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of a number of hand overs of talker activity between different terminals (120, 170) within the feature time interval; - wherein the feature time interval comprises a plurality of event time intervals; and - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of the talker activity at one or more of the plurality of terminals (120, 170) relative to the talker activity at all of the plurality of terminals (120, 170) within a feature time interval, - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of a concurrent talker activity at one or more of the plurality of terminals (120, 170), respectively, within the feature time interval, and/or - wherein a feature vector of the sequence of feature vectors is indicative of a number of hand overs of talker activity between different terminals (120, 170) within the feature time interval; - wherein the feature time interval comprises a plurality of event time intervals; and - determining that the audio conference is in the first phase based on the sequence of feature vectors.