# Placing a Call

You can place a call by choosing a name from your Contacts list, the Directory, or your Recent Calls. You can also call by entering the calling information yourself. Depending on the type of system you're using and the type of system you're calling, you can place a video call, place an audio call, or chat.

To place a call by choosing a name from your Contacts list:

>> Do one of the following:

- Double-click a Contact to place a video call. If the Contact's system does not support video, an audio call starts. If the Contact's system supports neither video nor audio, the chat window opens.
- Select a Contact, and then click to place a video call or click to chat.
- Right-click a Contact and choose Place a Call.

To place a call from the Directory:

1. Click to open the Directory.

2. Type a name in the Search Text field. For example, if you type and, your search may find Contacts such as Andrew Jones, Christine Anderson, or Andover Conference Room.

Tip: For faster searches in large Directories, click and choose the Group that contains the person you're looking for, if you know it.

3. Click a name and then click Call to start the call.

4. If the person is registered with Polycom CMA Desktop as well as another Polycom video conferencing system, you are prompted to choose which system to call.

To place a call from your Recent Calls:

1. From the main window, do one of the following:

- If your system is configured to include Recent Calls as a Contacts list group, click to open the Recent Calls group, and select a name.
- Click in the manual dial box at the bottom of the main window and start typing. If the Polycom CMA Desktop finds the name you want, you can click to select it.
- In the manual dial box at the bottom of the main window, click , then select a name.
- Right click on one of the Recent Calls items.

2. Click Call to start the call.

To place a call by entering the calling information:

1. Type the calling information in the field at the bottom of the main window. As you type, the system finds matching Contacts from your Recent Calls. If Polycom CMA Desktop finds the name you want, you can click to select it.

2. Click Call to start the call.

To call a virtual meeting room on a bridge:

1. Do one of the following:

- If Polycom CMA Desktop and the virtual meeting room are registered to the same gatekeeper, enter the extension (E.164 address).
- For SIP calls, enter the address in this format: RoomNumber@IP_Address. For example, 1000@11.12.13.14.
- For H.323 calls, enter the address in this format: IP_Address##Extension. For example: 11.12.13.14##1000.

2. Click Call to start the call.

Tips for great calls

- While you are in a call, you can open a chat window and exchange messages with the other participant without affecting the call. You may want to do this if you are troubleshooting a problem, for example.

- Your administrator may have set a maximum time for calls. After the specified time limit, you are prompted to confirm that you want to stay in the call.

- Your administrator may have configured Polycom CMA Desktop to encrypt calls with systems that support encryption. When you see at the bottom of the screen, the call is encrypted. When you see at the bottom of the screen, the call is not encrypted.

Related Topics

Searching for a Contact

Participating in a Multipoint Call

Seeing Who's Available

Answering a Call

Ending a Call