Patent ID: 8917633

Claim:
A method for automated conferencing, which initiates a conference call, that reduces conference call setup time, comprising: using an automated conference call system to assign one of n available parallel connection processes to manage establishment of maintenance of a connection to a selected conferee from a plurality of n selected conferees; simultaneously initiating connection attempts by outdialing, using said automated conference call system, to said plurality of n selected conferees, wherein each of the connection attempts is routed through a corresponding one of the n available parallel connection processes using separate available parallel telecommunication connection resources selected from a plurality of parallel telecommunication resources of said automated conference call system, so as to carry out a simultaneous, parallel outdialing to n selected conferees, without waiting for connection to a selected conferee before proceeding to out-dialing other of said plurality of n selected conferees; wherein for each connection attempt resulting in an answered call, using said automated conference call system to determine when the answered call is answered by one of a person, a fax machine, or an answering machine; using said automated conference call system to automatically initiate the conference call when said automated conference call system has determined that a minimum number of n selected conferees have joined the conference call; using said automated conference call system to redial failed calls and continue to initiate connections to other n selected conferees during the conference call; and adding a speaker to the conference call, using said automated conference call system, after said minimum number of n selected conferees have joined said conference call.