Abstract

A telephone conferencing method includes techniques for partitioning the multiple ports of a bridge into separate groups of ports which can each separately service a customer. Network management for the teleconferencing system includes displaying conference status and information to an operator or to a coordinator of a customer being services by the system. The information includes a conference name, the status of the conference, the name of a bridge for use to conduct the conference and the number of ports being used by the conference. Video conferencing is also possible with the designation of one voice leg and at least one and sometimes two data legs for each conferee to provide sufficient data handling capacity for transmitting and receiving video signals. An indication from a conferee that the conferee wishes to transmit a video signal causes the data legs of the transmitting conferee to be switched to a transmit mode while at least the data legs of the remaining conferees are switched to a listen only mode.