Microsoft Teams Insider

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - August 2024

• Microsoft Earnings FY24 Q4 Modern Work Insights
• Multiple Teams Client Improvements
• Custom Emojis and Reactions
• Copilot Dashboard for all M365 Copilot users
• Speaker recognition for all Teams Rooms on Windows
• Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows 5.1.24.0
• Microsoft Teams Devices updates
• Android Teams Room and Teams Phone support date changes
• Teams Displays end of support September 2025
• Roadmap Watch

Thanks to Ribbon, this month's benefactor, for your support of Empowering.Cloud and the community.

Note that this is an audio-only version of the update, so if you would like to see the accompanying slides, please watch the video version over on Empowering.Cloud

Chandranshu Singh, Senior Product Manager for Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway discusses the evolution of SIP Gateway from initial release to today, and its value in reducing infrastructure complexities, supporting various devices and enhancing customer hardware investments.

• Evolution of SIP Gateway from basic call support to supporting a range of endpoints and scenarios
• Understanding the strategic partnerships with OEMs to maintain compatibility and security
• Licensing and support for SIP Gateway devices
• The customer-centric approach driving SIP Gateway's development

Thanks to Pure IP, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support.

Recorded live at Commsverse 2024, Gunnar Meyer, Head of IT Service Delivery at DERTOUR Suisse, the second largest tour operator in Europe, shares their Microsoft Teams journey and how they have successfully integrated Landis Contact Center to enhance their communication and service delivery.

• The transition from traditional PBX (Avaya) to Microsoft Teams
• Leveraging Landis Contact Center for real-time reporting and agent management
• The benefits of adopting granular permissions and delegating control
• Insights on the future of AI in call center operations 
• How AI can enhance both back-office processes and customer-facing interactions

Thanks to Landis, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support and for helping to make content like this possible.

James Robinson, Director & Principal AV Consultant at AVenture Audio Visual, shares his extensive previous experiences with deploying Microsoft Teams Rooms at scale at BT.

• James' transition from BT to an independent AV consultancy
• BT's journey from one of the biggest Lync and Skype for Business deployments to Microsoft Teams
• The complexity of standardizing AV equipment across managing office locations and deploying 1200 Microsoft Teams Rooms
• Mixing BYOD, Surface Hub and Teams Rooms
• Real-world challenges such as integrating and managing different AV devices
• How to evaluate and select AV solutions based on organizational needs

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode's sponsor, for supporting the community and for helping to make content like this possible.

Yoav Barzilay, Microsoft Senior Product Manager, explains the Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) and how it fits in the Microsoft Teams devices ecosystem.

• Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) is a distribution of Android Open Source Platform (AOSP) from Microsoft
• MDEP aims to provide a unified platform OEMs can choose to build on for collaboration devices
• MDEP focuses on security and manageability
• MDEP can be used as an OS for collaboration apps in addition to Microsoft Teams
• The future of MDEP includes expanding into other use cases

Thanks to Jabra, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of Empowering.Cloud and the community

John Bailey, Senior Vice President of Technology and Innovation at AVI-SPL, discusses industry changes and the convergence of AV and IT.

• The industry is experiencing a convergence of AV and IT
• The need to focus on reliability and stability in meeting room solutions.
• The current and future role of AI in optimizing the AV and meeting experience

Thanks to AVI-SPL for their support of Empowering.Cloud

Jeremy Dalton, Head of Immersive Technologies at PWC and Cathy Moya, Senior Customer Success Program Manager - Mesh Team at Microsoft, dive into Microsoft Mesh adoption and use cases and how virtual reality and virtual worlds can enhance collaboration and communication.

• Mesh features include avatars and immersive spaces within Microsoft Teams meetings, enabling more engaging and interactive meeting experiences
• Virtual reality and virtual worlds, private conversations and a greater sense of togetherness when collaborating remotely
• Mesh use cases: training, cultural events, learning and development
• Future AI integration to create and enhance virtual worlds

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode's sponsor, for your support of the Empowering.Cloud community.

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update Briefing - July 2024

• EU issues 'Statement of Objections' to Microsoft - What does this mean for Teams?
• Important Microsoft Teams Rooms and Phone update (MC804766) 
• Dynamics 365 Contact Center now GA - Pricing and Options
• Teams Phone Resource Account changes
• Copilot for Sales Teams plugin
• Microsoft Teams Bookable desks GA
• Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition

Thanks to Logitech, this month's benefactor, for your support of the community!

Note that this is an audio-only version of the update, so if you would like to see the accompanying slides then you can watch the video version on the Empowering.Cloud platform here.

Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and Founder of The Collab Collective explores the evolution of meeting room technology, AI's impact and multi-camera solutions.

• Craig's launch of The Collab Collective
• The evolution of Microsoft Teams rooms and devices
• Benefits and challenges of AI agents in meetings
• Multi-camera solutions in high-impact rooms
• The proliferation of video bars in the market, is it sustainable?

Thanks to Neat, this episode's sponsor, for supporting the Empowering.Cloud community.

Craig Cothern, National Director of IT Delivery at Century Communities, a top 10 home builder in the US, and Oli Lifely, Head of Sales at Luware UK, discuss Century Communities' Microsoft Teams journey and how Luware Nimbus addressed their unique communication challenges.

• Century Communities' transition from traditional telephony to IP phone solutions, to Skype for Business and then to Microsoft Teams
• Specific communications needs addressed by Luware Nimbus, including detailed call reporting and metrics, simplified call queue configurations and advanced routing options
• How Luware was deployed and the benefits of Luware Nimbus on sales team operations for customer experience at Century Communities

Thanks to Luware, this episode's sponsor, for supporting the podcast