The iPhone is well-known for its touchscreen interface, interactive applications and bold design. But did you know it also has reliable and impressive capabilities for conducting a conference call? To ensure you get the best experience out of a collaborative meeting via conference call, read on for step-by-step instructions brought to you by KnowYourCell.com.

To get things started, make a normal call on the iPhone by dialing a contact’s number, or selecting the contact from your list. 

During the first call, press “add call.” This will put the first call on hold and introduce the second participant to the call.

Now that the first and second callers are connected, tap “merge calls” to begin the conference call.

In many cases, you’ll need to add more than two callers. All you need to do is simply repeat Steps Two and Three. As for removing a person from the conference call, tap on the “hang up” icon, which can be found adjacent to the caller you want to drop. Then, press “end call.”

Do you have something private to discuss with a particular caller? In order to do so, simply tap “conference,” then “private” next to said caller.

If you happen to get a call from another person you’d like to join the call, just tap “hold call + answer,” then press “merge calls,” and the caller will be added to the conference call. 

These steps work for both the iPhone 3GS and iPhone (News - Alert) 4 versions, so soon you’ll be on your way to seamlessly setting up a call on your trusty smartphone device. Whether you use this capability for a business meeting, or for just a casual conversation with long-distance friends and family, the iPhone is a reliable resource for this function.

Unfortunately, conference calls can go awry, and most often, it’s because the individuals involved are unfamiliar with the unspoken rules that come along with any call involving a large number of people. Just remember, a conference call has the tendency to be annoying, boring and a big waste of time without the appropriate energy, organized agenda, or strong moderator. Whether conferencing via an iPhone or a professional business conferencing solution, the same conference call etiquette applies.