Conference system

An apparatus capable of connecting a group of users via a communications network for a conference call, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a conference calling system to place a conference call via a communications network, the conference calling system comprising a conference calling server connected to the communications network via a bridge and hub;
• and
• (b) a web portal system comprising program code operating on a web portal server to maintain a web portal that is accessible by a user, the web portal capable of:
• (i) detecting an initialization signal from an initializing user,
• (ii) allowing the initializing user to select a predefined user group comprising a list of users and their associated phone numbers,
• (iii) accessing a web portal database to retrieve the selected user group,
• (iv) communicating with the conference calling system to connect to the users listed in the user group via the communications network,
• (v) determine the availability of each user listed in the user group for a conference call by announcing the initializing user to each connected user and requesting a response from the connected user to determine if the connected user is available for the conference call;
• and
• (vi) receiving the responses from the connected users and communicating with the conference calling system to connect available and connected users to allow the users to communicate in a conference call.