ConfBridge

ConfBridge is Asterisk’s modern conferencing application that VICIdial uses to bridge agents with callers. Every active call in VICIdial is actually a conference — the agent channel and the caller channel are joined in a ConfBridge conference room, enabling features like call monitoring, barge-in, whisper coaching, and three-way transfers.

How It Works in VICIdial

When VICIdial connects an agent to a call, it places both the agent’s phone channel and the caller’s channel into a ConfBridge conference room identified by a unique conference number. This architecture is what enables VICIdial’s real-time monitoring capabilities — a supervisor can join the same conference in listen-only mode to monitor the call, or in whisper mode to coach the agent without the caller hearing.

ConfBridge replaced the older MeetMe application in newer Asterisk versions. Unlike MeetMe, ConfBridge does not require DAHDI timing hardware, uses software-based audio mixing, and supports more advanced features like per-participant volume control, video conferencing, and dynamic profile-based configuration.

When an agent initiates a three-way transfer, VICIdial adds the third party to the existing ConfBridge room. Recording captures the mixed audio from the conference, ensuring all participants are recorded in a single file.

Why It Matters

ConfBridge is the mechanism that enables VICIdial’s agent supervision and quality assurance features. Without conference-based call handling, supervisors could not monitor live calls, managers could not barge into conversations to assist agents, and three-way transfers would not be possible.

The transition from MeetMe to ConfBridge in newer VICIdial installations eliminates the dependency on DAHDI timing modules, simplifying server builds and improving compatibility with cloud-hosted and virtual server environments. For quality control and coaching workflows, see the AI coaching feature page.