How to Make a 3-Way Call on the iPhone

Conference calling allows more than two people on the phone simultaneously. This can enable meetings and other business discussion to occur more easily compared to video conferencing.

Conference calls are accessible with a few simple taps. Conference calling is free, and allows up to three people to talk all on the same call. This feature works with all the carriers that the iPhone uses, but it functions somewhat differently for AT&T users compared to those on Verizon and Sprint. The special perks offered from using an AT&T iPhone are listed at the end of the post.

While there are a few minor differences, the basic conference call works the same for any iPhone. Follow the guide below to start using conference calling on your iPhone today.

How to Use Conference Calling

Go to the Phone app on the iPhone and select a contact to call. Once the phone begins to ring, pull the phone away from your ear to see the calling screen like the one below. Wait until the call is fully connected, and once it is, a plus icon should appear in the bottom right. Tap the Plus icon to add a call.

Scroll through the list of contacts and select who you would like to add into the conference call. When you find the right contact, tap on it.

With the contact selected, tap on the contact’s number for the iPhone to dial.

The first call is put on hold as the iPhone dials the second number.

Once the second number connects, tap the Merge Calls button in the bottom left to create a Conference call.

The iPhone will then merge the three calls together so that the audio syncs for all users.

Once the calls merge, the status bar at the top will say Conference Call.

Tapping the End button will close all the calls.

AT&T Special Perks.

On an AT&T iPhone there are a few special features that users have over an iPhone on Verizon or Sprint. Since the AT&T iPhone can do simultaneous voice and data, this comes into play when using the conference calling feature.

If you use an AT&T phone the Swap option is available for you to use. This option allows you to switch between two lines without merging them together. This is a nice feature to have, as multiple calls might be a common scenario for business users. Also, when ending a conference call you can stay on the line with one other person, that way not all the users have to hang up.

Posted in: Apple,iOS7,iPhone,iPhone 5S