A two-person meeting was interrupted by a pop-up warning me my meeting would end at 40 minutes

[CarolAnne]

So, I'm tutoring one student, and have never been warned by a pop-up before that I would have to upgrade to go longer than 40 minutes. The planned lesson was for an hour, and I have tutored on Zoom for far longer with no warnings in the past. There isn't supposed to be a time limit for only two people,  right? I don't know what happened, but I can't get any official support on the phone since I'm on a free plan right now. Anyone else with this kind of issue?

[Ohkawa]

Hi, CarolAnne

Do you use a Zoom integration service?
Some of the apps work by joining as a guest.

Please check and see who is participating.

[CarolAnne]

I don't know what  Zoom integration' is, but I have tutored one person in the past, often for several hours, and never was warned of timing out before. This was at the 40 minute mark, as if I were tutoring a group rather than just it being me and one other person.  I may have lost this student because of what happened, and it really concerns me that the rules have changed for the free account. I've paid for an upgrade when working with a larger group in the past, but not it's just me and one other person, so there shouldn't be any 'time outs', right?

[CarolAnne]

Oh, and also, I am on a desktop, so not using an app.

[Bort · Accepted solution]

The system will trigger the 40-minute limit when it detects 3 or more joins to the meeting, not 3 or more separate participants. So, if the student joined, disconnected, then rejoined, Zoom will count that as 2 joins. With you being the 3rd join for that session, the 40-minute limit would be started. 

This is likely what happened in this situation. If it ever happens that someone disconnects, it would be best to close the meeting from your side as well (officially ending the meeting), then restart the same meeting again, so that the number of joins for that session is reset to 0. 

Hope that helps and please make sure to mark the solution as accepted if this information is what you needed.

[CarolAnne]

Thanks so much, I actually just found that answer in the 'bot' info right now and emailed my student to explain what happened. He started on his phone (he's an adult student) and said he had to switch to his laptop, which he did during that lesson so I guess while I stayed open on my end and he logged back on, it appeared as if we were three participants. But thanks again so much for the explanation. 

[Sammie]

I am having a similar problem since zoom upgraded this week. I have not had this problem before. There is definitely only one other person online with me but the 40 minute cap is coming up on every time I am tutoring. I have spoken to few other tutors and this problem has occurred this week to all of them. Please help

[Figaro14]

I had a similar situation where a student tried to join on his laptop and his desktop at the same time.  So I saw "two participants" attempting to enter the meeting.  I only admitted the one; however, Zoom still put a 40 minute limit onto the meeting.  This should not happen if there are clearly only two people meeting.  What happened? 

[CarolAnne]

Hi Figaro14, 

While I'm the absolute opposite of an expert on this, from what I experienced in my previously answered question, maybe the student didn't log out of the other of his two devices so even though you only admitted one of them, and so Zoom still registered that other device as a part of this meeting?  Might that have been it? I'm just 'spitballing here' though...

[Sammie]

Where is this Bot please? What do you mean "student didn't log out of the other devices" gosh I'm so dense at this 

[Figaro14]

Sadly, Zoom changed its policy regarding the total amount of time you can be on, even in a one-to-one meeting.  Now it is 40 minutes regardless.  To have a one-hour uninterrupted meeting, you need to upgrade (and pay) for Zoom pro.  I did not wait to have to end tutoring sessions at the 40 minute point and start a new meeting,  so I paid them.