Abstract: The initiator of a conference call provides conference requirements such as number and location of parties to be conferenced, time for beginning and end of conference, and telecommunications facilities requirements (e.g., bandwidth requirements for video and multi-media calls), to a conference optimization system (COS). The COS compares the requirements with information in a database, including (a) the cost for each of the paths/routes at the desired time for the conference, (b) available network paths/routes, taking into account the required bandwidth and quality of transmission, and (c) capabilities of the terminal equipment available to the participants.