Learn how to initiate phone calls to participants who cannot join video sessions or prefer telephone access, either automatically at the scheduled time or manually during a live session.

## Prerequisites

- The participant must have a valid phone number saved in their contact profile
- For automatic dial-out, you need to select this option when adding the participant to the session

## Steps

### Step 1: Choose the dial-out method when adding participants

When adding a participant to your session, you'll be asked to select how they will join. Choose one of the dial-out options: 'Call them automatically at the start time' schedules an automatic phone call when the session begins, or 'The facilitator will initiate a call via Togetherly' allows you to manually dial them during the session. The automatic option is ideal for regular sessions where participants expect to be called, while the manual option gives you flexibility to call participants only when needed.

![Choose the dial-out method when adding participants](https://help.together.ly/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6ODYsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--0948c9d2f85ca58f56e2e5bde3e2c2107d43d224/step_0.png)

### Step 2: Wait for the scheduled session to start

If you selected automatic dial-out, Togetherly will automatically call the participant at the scheduled start time. You don't need to do anything - the system handles the entire process. The participant will receive a phone call and can answer to join the session immediately. For manual dial-out, simply start your session as normal and proceed to the next step when you're ready to bring participants in.

### Step 3: Manually dial participants during a live session

During an active session, open the participants panel to see everyone invited. Participants who haven't joined yet will show as 'Not Connected' with a phone icon button next to their name. Click the phone icon to initiate a call to their primary phone number. If the participant has a secondary phone number saved, you'll see a second phone button - use this if the first number doesn't answer. Once you click dial, the participant's status will change to 'Dialing' and then 'Ringing' as the call connects.

### Step 4: Monitor the dial-out status

Watch the participant's status indicator to see the call progress. The icon will animate while dialing and show different states: 'Dialing' means the call is being placed, 'Ringing' indicates their phone is ringing, 'Connected' shows they've answered and joined the session. If the call fails, you'll see statuses like 'No Answer', 'Busy', or 'Rejected', and you can try dialing again or use their secondary number if available.

## Tips

- Save both primary and secondary phone numbers for participants to have backup options if the first call doesn't connect
- Use automatic dial-out for regular befriending sessions to ensure participants don't miss their scheduled calls
- If a participant doesn't answer, wait a moment before trying again - they may need time to reach their phone

## Summary

You can now dial out to participants who need phone access, either automatically at session start or manually during a live call. This ensures everyone can participate regardless of their technical setup or internet access.