Olly Henderson, Head of Video Product Management and Portfolio at Jabra, discusses the evolution of meeting room technology and how Jabra is redefining enterprise audio and video conferencing solutions.

• Launch of Panacast 40 VBS - a new Android bar designed for small huddle rooms
• The Role of Edge AI in Jabra's video solutions for optimal performance and reduced cloud dependency
• The Future of BYOD in Meeting Rooms
• Jabra's partnerships and collaborative efforts to enhance their product offerings, including the integration of the Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP)
• Simplifying the deployment process and reducing costs with features including zero-touch deployment and Jabra Plus management platform advancements

Thanks to Jabra, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Chris A. Johnson, Municipal Cyber Center Manager at the City of Independence, Missouri, shares their journey from an old analog phone system to a modern cloud-based communication infrastructure using Microsoft Teams and Five9 with the help of AVI-SPL.

• The transition from an outdated Avaya phone system to modern cloud platforms
• Collaborating with AVI-SPL accelerated the transformation timeline from a multi-year to a 2-year project
• Automating processes, improving contact center capabilities and better resident satisfaction
• Enabling hybrid work flexibility, improving job satisfaction and retention

Thanks to AVI-SPL, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Kathie Anderson, IT Change Manager at Derby City Council, shares the experience of transitioning to Microsoft Teams and meeting the unique challenges faced by local authorities.

• How Derby City Council transitioned from PBX to Skype for Business and then to Microsoft Teams during the pandemic, condensing the six-month rollout into just six weeks to facilitate remote working
• Integration of Luware's contact center solution into Microsoft Teams, improving flexibility and efficiency
• The significant positive impact on essential services, ensuring critical calls are not missed and enabling rapid response
• The power of Luware's Power BI reporting allows Derby City Council to gain valuable insights into call patterns and performance

Thanks to Luware, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Brad Hintze, EVP Global Marketing at Crestron, shares customer stories about how Crestron enhances customer meeting room experiences.

• Examples from Puma, Fortuna Entertainment Group and Blue Water Financial Services
• Crestron's wide array of solutions cater to diverse meeting room setups from small huddle rooms to large boardrooms
• The growing significance of AI features such as transcription in meeting spaces
• The importance of superior audio quality when it comes to AI
• Developments coming in 2025, including advancements in visual AI, multi-camera systems

Thanks to Crestron, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Tim Albright, President of AVNation Media, shares his insights into the convergence of AV and IT and the evolving landscape of meetings and video conferencing.

• Origins of AVNation, an online media platform dedicated to the audio-visual sector
• The critical role of video conferencing in today's hybrid work models and the importance of standardized solutions
• How Microsoft certified devices drive quality and consistency in user experiences
• Emerging trends such as multi-camera setups and the role of AI in enhancing video conferencing

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - January 2025

• SMS in Teams
• Teams Web chat widget
• Transcripts on by default
• Meeting Recap share link
• Mandatory Android Updates and AOSP
• MTR Captions additional languages
• MTR Windows 10 EOL
• Queues App Roadmap
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
• Events

Thanks to Logitech, 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

Eshan Mathur, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft, helps us understand the evolving Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) landscape within Microsoft Teams, focusing on Microsoft's aim to provide seamless user experiences and enhanced manageability for IT admins for BYOD.

• Eshan's unique career journey from game development, including 'Where's my water', to enterprise solutions
• Enhancements in Microsoft Teams BYOD experiences, including automatic audio device selection 
• Auto-association for managing shared devices
• Future BYOD developments and recommendations for organisations in BYOD scenarios

Thanks to Logitech, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst at Metrigy discusses key trends and insights in the unified communications and collaboration space and shares thoughts for 2025

• How companies are navigating the complexities of hybrid work
• Moving beyond the hype of AI to practical deployments and adoption
• Microsoft Teams' increasing presence in meetings, messaging and as a voice platform
• How companies are choosing between Teams Phone Mobile, Direct Routing and Microsoft Teams Operator Connect

Thanks to AVI-SPL, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Emily Kirby George, Microsoft Teams Product Manager at Microsoft, shares her unique perspective on product management in the world of Microsoft Teams Phone, sharing challenges of balancing innovation with fundamental reliability.

• Emily's path from support Skype for Business to a Senior Product Manager on the Microsoft Teams Calling team
• How Microsoft prioritizes features, balancing traditional phone system requirements with new AI opportunities
• The importance of maintaining robust, reliable fundamentals in Teams Phone and ensuring service stability
• How AI is being integrated into Teams Phone

Thanks to Logitech, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.

Aaron Steele, Practice Lead at SOFTEL shares his journey through Microsoft to his current role of SOFTEL, and his thoughts on the ever-evolving UC landscape. 

• The development and scaling of Microsoft Teams in unique scenarios such as global sports organizations during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Innovations in broadcasting including the use of NDI for creating interactive experiences at events such as the NBA bubble games
• The challenge small-medium businesses face with integrating Teams Phone
• How AI can be leveraged to improve use and admin experience, particularly in contact centers

Thanks to Neat, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support.