Conference Bridge

I recently had the opportunity to try the Conference Bridge project, a Java-based sip conference bridge. This open-source software comes with the GPL v2 license, except for commons-cli which falls under the Apache License.

While I must confess that my interest in this project waned quickly, I can confirm that it does indeed function to some extent. It is a platform-independent sip telephone conference bridge that unfortunately lacks a codec conversion or menu system. Users should be aware that all codecs must be the same, and must specifically be g.711 (ulaw) – there is simply no alternative at present.

But perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the Conference Bridge project is its lack of convenient features. For example, conference participants cannot simply enter a conference number, nor is there any support for codec conversion. During my own testing with a group of 10 people, many found that some people couldn't hear others, leading to frustration and confusion.

Overall, I would hesitate to recommend the Conference Bridge project to anyone looking for a polished, user-friendly conference bridge solution. While it may be sufficient for certain users with relatively basic telephony needs, others may find its limitations and quirks to be significant barriers to use.