InterCall is the first of Microsoft's Real-Time Collaboration (RTC) Partners to add fully-integrated audio to its new Web conferencing platform. Powered by Microsoft Office Live Meeting, Conference Place 2005 will provide easier access to cutting-edge collaboration tools.

The technological merits of new web conferencing products are changing how business is conducted. "We are creating a better virtual meeting experience by combining InterCall's audio conferencing integration with Microsoft's familiar suite of Office programs," said Robert Wise, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Development for InterCall. "Together, we are helping our customers accomplish more with web conferencing than if they had met in person."

Newly integrated and offered web conferencing productivity tools include:

1. Application sharing where the meeting leader can release control of a document to any number of participants to modify in real-time, rather than exchanging information via e-mail or through overnight carriers.

2. Mood indicators allowing participants to provide live input on the meeting based on the color of an on-screen square. Each colored "seat" at the virtual meeting table represents an individual participant, which enables the leader to easily gauge overall input.

3. Conference Place 2005 can automatically dial out to participants when the meeting begins, providing promptness for all meeting attendees.

4. Live polling allows the moderator to btain instant feedback from participants by creating multiple-choice questions and sharing the results in real-time.

5. A Meeting lobby that allows the meeting leader can place participants in a virtual waiting room before the conference begins, and grant or deny access to them individually.

6. Live instant messaging and chat so oarticipants can send instant messages to each other during the meeting. The leader can decide at any point during the meeting whether or not the chatting is confidential.

Web conferencing's steady growth is driven by demand for corporate class audio and Web conferencing services. According to Wainhouse Research, the video conferencing sector when combined with Web and audio conferencing, is expected to grow by approximately 12 percent annually through 2007. Web conferencing is expected to climb 21 percent during that same period.

InterCall, a division of West Corporation, is one of the largest service providers in the world specializing in audio and web conferencing communications. West Corporation is a leading provider of outsourced web communication solutions to many of the world's largest companies. Recently awarded Frost & Sullivan's "Audio Conferencing Service of the Year" Award for 2005, InterCall serves more than 200,000 individual conference leaders in more than 30,000 organizations. InterCall's services include audio, event, Web and video conferencing solutions. With a team of over 200 Meeting Consultants, InterCall employs more than 800 operators, customer service representatives, call supervisors, accounting, marketing, IS and IT professionals to meet the audio and web conferencing demand of it's clients. For more information, visit www.intercall.com or contact Joseph Kirch at 212-709-9743 or email him at jkirch@intercall.com.