How to Join Two External Calls Into One Conference on a Polycom Phone

Introduction:
There are times when you are already on a call with one outside party and need to bring a second outside party into the same conversation — for example, looping a customer and a vendor together, or pulling a colleague onto a live call. Your Polycom phone lets you join two separate external calls into a single conference so everyone can hear each other. This is different from a transfer: with a transfer you drop off the call, while with a conference you stay on the line with both parties.

This article covers Polycom VVX series phones (VVX 150, 250, 350, 450, and the 301/311/401/411 models).

Before You Begin:

• The second call can either be an incoming call you answer, or a call you place yourself.
• Soft-key labels appear along the bottom of the screen and change depending on the state of the call. If you do not see the key referenced below, press the More soft key first to reveal additional options.
• You must have one call active (connected) and the other call on hold before you can join them.

Method 1: Join a Call You Already Have on Hold (Recommended)

Step 1: Establish the first call

1. Place or answer your first external call as you normally would. This is Call A.

Step 2: Put the first call on hold

2. Press the Hold soft key. Call A is now on hold.

Step 3: Connect the second call

3. Press the New Call soft key and dial the second external number, or answer the second incoming call if one is ringing. This is Call B.
4. Wait until Call B is connected and you are speaking with the second party.

Step 4: Join the two calls

5. From the Calls view, press the Join soft key.
   • On the VVX 301/311 and VVX 401/411, press the More soft key first, then select Join (labelled Confrnc on some firmware).
6. Both calls are immediately merged. The screen displays Active: Conference, and all three parties can now hear each other.

Method 2: Build the Conference With the Confrnc Key (Alternative)

Some older firmware uses a dedicated Confrnc key to build the conference as you go:

1. Place or answer the first external call.
2. Press More, then Confrnc. The first call is automatically placed on hold.
3. Use the dialer to call the second external number.
4. When the second party answers, press More, then Confrnc again.
5. All parties are now joined and the screen shows Active: Conference.

Managing the Conference

Once the conference is active, the following soft keys are available:

• Hold — places all parties in the conference on hold.
• Split — splits the conference back into two independent calls, both placed on hold. You can then resume either one individually or re-join them.
• End Call — disconnects your leg of the call. Depending on your account configuration, the remaining two parties may stay connected to each other or the entire conference may end.

⚠️ Please note: If you do not see the Join, Confrnc, or Split soft key, press the More soft key to reveal it. Soft-key labels and availability vary slightly between Polycom models and firmware versions. Older Polycom SoundPoint IP phones may label these functions differently — if you are unable to create a conference on your device, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

Conclusion:
Joining two external calls into one conference on your Polycom phone is a quick way to bring multiple parties into the same conversation without losing either connection. Place the first call on hold, connect the second call, and press Join to merge them. Use Split at any time to separate the parties again.

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