Los Angeles-based FreeConference, a provider of free conference calling services, said this morning that it has added web conferencing features to its lineup of services.

The staggering variety of free stuff available on the Internet sometimes seems to have repealed the first law of economics: There's no such thing as a free lunch. But as so often happens, the dismal science actually has it right. When it looks like you're getting something for nothing, somebody is paying, and it's often instructive to know who that is. I've been testing a new phone service called ooma that provides an interesting case in point. Once you pay $399 up front for a box called the ooma Hub and connect it to your phone and the Internet via your home network, you are promised free, unlimited phone calls over two lines, plus voice mail. Boxes called Scouts let you plug in additional phones for a one-time payment of $40 each. The system works fine and is simple to set up

FreeConference today announced the beta launch of SharePlus Desktop Sharing. SharePlus lets users share applications or presentations from their desktop with one click in real-time. Participants can join from an email invitation, or during a session.

The teleconferencing surge that took off after Sept. 11 as an alternative to business travel continues to grow. At Andrew Corp., for example, spending for conference calls tripled over the last year as the Orland Park company grew through acquisitions. Costs per minute are falling even as Andrew executives pick up the phone more frequently.

Ever hear of Integrated Data Concepts, Inc or TeleConnection.com? As we said in the sixties "read on!" Actually it was "write on!" -or was it Right On!? Just as we thought we had bottomed out in our prices this summer, with automated voice conference calls being quoted at $.09 a minute and below, a company comes along and offers ad hoc reservationless calls, or Web-reserved calls, for nada, zip, zero, at $0.0 a minute. No strings, no "zero interest this year next year or ever," no "nothing to pay until 2000-ever."