Microsoft Teams Insider

Craig Durr, The Collab Collective: Why the Device Market Forecast Dropped From 6% to 3%

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Craig Durr, Chief Analyst and Founder at The Collab Collective, discusses his revised five-year video conferencing device market forecast and why he has taken his compound annual growth rate prediction down from roughly 6% to just under 3%.

• The "triple replacement wave": Windows 10 to 11, Android 10 to 12, and ageing BYOD devices are driving room refresh priorities across enterprises

• Budget compression: rising DRAM costs are pushing device prices up, meaning IT teams can refresh fewer rooms with the same budget (for example, 85 rooms instead of 100)

• How the Mythos AI model creates an unexpected new variable. Cisco reviewed over a billion lines of code, and upcoming network infrastructure refreshes could pull budget away from collaboration devices

• Regional outlook: North America stays competitive, EMEA remains strong, and Asia Pacific (including India) emerges as a key growth opportunity

• AI in the room: the "brain in the room" concept is driving excitement, but feature velocity continues to outpace adoption

• OEM competition: with more vendors entering a slower-growing market, management platforms and support models are becoming key differentiators

Thanks to Nuwave, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update July 2026

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0100

It's the start of Microsoft's new financial year and there's already a lot to unpack. In this month's update we cover the new Microsoft Frontier company, Cowork going GA (and the new consumption cost model), a wave of Copilot and model updates, plus a huge run of Teams calling, meetings and devices news from InfoComm - including the big Teams Phone Agent announcement.

Huge thanks to this month's benefactor, Neat, for their continued support of the community. Neat have just announced an MCP server for their management platform (a first for OEM tooling) and their intelligent framing beta. Details on the Neat blog — and check out Graham's video on the Neat MCP server.

🔑 Key topics
• Microsoft Frontier - new $2.5bn company, 6,000 embedded ("forward deployed") engineers to drive enterprise AI adoption
• M365 price rises now live (business/frontline/enterprise up ~8-15%, frontline up 25–33%); annual local currency adjustments coming each January
• Cowork now GA - fully consumption-based (Copilot credits); example use cases range from ~$1 to $7+ and can climb fast with heavier models. GPT-5.5 available in the EU data boundary
• Copilot - Sonnet 5 selectable, Work IQ reasoning over Power BI, new vision capabilities, Notebooks rolling out to Copilot Chat
• Models - Fable back in Claude, GPT-5.6 rumoured, Microsoft leaning more on first-party models
• Agents - Planner agent GA, Sales agent GA (in M365 Copilot license), Dynamics Service agent announced, AI content watermarking
• Copilot Super App due August - merges Copilot Chat, Cowork & GitHub Copilot; plus a look at Anthropic's Claude Tag
• Teams Phone Agent - Microsoft's AI auto/mainline attendant, tied into Copilot Studio
• Multi-line GA, Queues app GA on mobile, dedicated Recap app, Facilitator with internet access + voice mode
• Admin - new transcript access controls, auto-block bots; Live Events and Together mode retiring
• Rooms - 1.5M active rooms (1,000+ added/day), IntelliFrame People Labels (Huddly first), Express Enrollment, new AVIXA training
• Devices - Android devices coming to Pro Management portal; Cisco native Zoom Rooms, Crestron Compute GA, Jabra new service plans

📅 July events
• 21 Jul - Teams Devices AMA (with AudioCodes)
• 22 Jul - Microsoft Partner Kickoff (summary to follow)
• 23 Jul - Teams Phone Agent webinar (with Pure IP & Microsoft)
• Late July - Copilot Fireside Chat
• Ongoing - M365 Community Change Roundup

🔗 Links
• Empowering.Cloud
• Ilya InfoComm keynote (speed edit)
• Neat MCP server + Graham's video
• Teams Phone Agent demo
• Slides and Links

Microsoft Teams Phone and Recording - API Integrations, Automations - Ben Richardson at SmartSearch

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Ben Richardson, Infrastructure Engineer at SmartSearch, and Andy Whiteside, VP of Sales at Numonix, discuss SmartSearch's move from legacy on-premise call recording to Numonix's IX Cloud platform for Microsoft Teams.

• SmartSearch needed more than compliance recording, with usability, QA reporting, and third-party integration as critical requirements

• How SmartSearch integrated Numonix with Attention to automate sales call scoring and update HubSpot CRM via API

• Deploying Numonix took just 20 minutes and five PowerShell commands, compared to days with legacy on-premise recording systems

• Bring-your-own Azure storage allowed SmartSearch to meet strict InfoSec and data sovereignty requirements

• Practical advice for organisations evaluating Microsoft Teams compliance recording, from cross-department requirements gathering to vendor certification checks

Thanks to Numonix, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

How Microsoft, Zoom, and Cisco Are Approaching AI Differently With Kevin Kieller, enableUC

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0100

Kevin Kieller, Co-Founder and Lead Analyst at enableUC, discusses how the major unified communications vendors are taking distinctly different approaches to AI and what this means for IT professionals and organisations.

• How Microsoft, Zoom, and Cisco are each pursuing different AI strategies, from rapid deployment to simplicity-first to proactive ambient intelligence

• Why UCaaS platforms have reached feature parity on core capabilities and what that means for vendor selection

• The shift towards consumption-based AI pricing and the challenge of balancing enterprise cost predictability with encouraging adoption

• Why data and context matter more than having the best model, and the risks when AI assistants access information without clear boundaries

• Google's underappreciated position in the AI and collaboration space despite strong foundations in DeepMind and Gemini

• Why vendors may be over-rotating on agentic AI and the importance of focusing on real business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake

• How AI is reshaping the role of IT admins and why technology professionals need to keep pace with rapid change

• The growing importance of edge AI processing for meeting rooms and video systems

Thanks to Momentum, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Microsoft Scout Explained: Microsoft's OpenClaw-based AI Autopilot Agent That Works for You 24/7

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Michel Bouman, AI Powered Workplace Lead EMEA, India and SEA - Teams Engineering at Microsoft, shares a deep dive into Microsoft Scout, the new desktop AI autopilot that acts on your behalf around the clock.

• What Microsoft Scout is, how it evolved from Project Lobster, and how it differs from Copilot Chat and Copilot Cowork

• How Michel onboarded a personal agent called Red to manage email triage, calendar scheduling, and complex multi-step reporting tasks

• Real-world autonomous workflows including expense filing, booking appointments, and even monitoring EV battery charge for road trips

• Agent-to-agent orchestration in practice and how teams share skills and automations across their agents

• The security model behind Scout, including resistance to prompt injection and impersonation safeguards

• The psychology of working alongside AI agents, why treating them as human can be a risk, and Michel's upcoming book "When Your Next New Hire Isn't Human"

Thanks to Momentum, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Copilot Cowork vs. Scout with Microsoft's Alev Tamer and Chris Wheeler

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Alev Tamer, Sr. Partner Solution Architect at Microsoft, and Chris Wheeler, Senior Copilot Solution Engineer at Microsoft, discuss the latest Microsoft Copilot announcements fresh from Microsoft Build.

• Multi-model strategy: how Microsoft brings together models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Microsoft AI to offer genuine choice

• Critique and Council: using multiple models to validate and challenge each other's outputs for improved accuracy

• The DRACO (Deep Research Accuracy, Completeness, and Objectivity) benchmark and how Research with Critic achieves the highest score for deep research completeness and accuracy

• Copilot Cowork vs Scout: cloud-based fire-and-forget task execution versus local desktop agent capabilities

• Work IQ as the personalisation layer that makes Copilot genuinely relevant to your role and daily work

• Real-world use cases including automated demo pack generation, fitness apps built on Azure, NHS website creation and AI-assisted performance reviews

• Skills and plugins: creating reusable instruction sets for repetitive tasks and new integrations including Dynamics 365 and Fabric IQ

• Data residency and security: navigating Anthropic data processing, EU data boundaries and flex routing for European organisations

Thanks to Shure, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Planner Roadmap - AI Agents, API and MCP With Howard Crow, Director of Product, Microsoft

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Howard Crow, Director of Product at Microsoft, joins the podcast to discuss the evolution of Microsoft Planner, its deep integration with Microsoft Teams, and the growing role of AI agents in work management.

• Howard shares his nearly 30-year journey at Microsoft, from the founding days of SharePoint to leading the Planner and Project teams

• The genesis of Microsoft Planner and how it democratised project management beyond specialist tools like Microsoft Project

• Microsoft's unification strategy, bringing To Do, Planner, and Project for the Web together under a single Planner brand

• How Planner integrates deeply with Microsoft Teams across meetings, channels, and chats

• The Planner Agent and Microsoft's multi-agent runtime service, the first production multi-agent harness shipped at Microsoft

• How MCP (Model Context Protocol) is becoming the "USB for APIs" and unlocking new integrations for Planner

• The future of work: managing teams of humans and AI agents together, and why a visual planning surface matters for knowledge workers

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

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update June 2026

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0100

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for June 2026.

Many thanks to Pure-IP for their continued support.

The Copilot Super App Is Coming
Scout and Autopilots
NVIDIA-Powered Laptops
Windows Optimisations for Open Claw and Local Agents
Work IQ and Web IQ APIs GA
Project Solara — Agent-First Hardware Devices, Powered by MDEP
7 New Microsoft AI Models
Teams Devices News

Link to the deck

Useful Links:

Briefings

• 4 Ways to Improve Customer Experience With Landis Contact Center for Microsoft Teams

• First Look at the Neat Board 32 Microsoft Teams Rooms With MDEP

• The Lenovo Microsoft Teams Rooms Portfolio Explained and the Huddly Partnership

• Decoding Dynamics 365 Contact Center: Microsoft Teams Voice, New AI Agents, and Licensing

Teams Insider Podcasts

• Microsoft Teams Facilitator: The First Group AI Agent for Meetings With Madhu Sudan, Microsoft

• Microsoft Teams Call Quality Dashboard (CQD): Intelligent Classifiers, Silent Test Call and Power BI

• Microsoft 365 Message Center and M365 Change Explained with Brian McGough, Principal Program Manager

• Microsoft 365 Agents Explained - Declarative, Copilot Studio, Pro-Code or Skills in Copilot Cowork?

Microsoft Build 2026: Be yourself at work

GitHub Copilot app: the agent-native desktop experience

What's New in Microsoft 365 Copilot — May 2026

Microsoft 365 Copilot release notes

Introducing Microsoft Scout: your always-on personal agent

Project Lobster is Microsoft Scout

Introducing Surface Laptop Ultra: Made for world makers

Surface Laptop Ultra product page

Windows platform security for AI agents

Announcing the new Work IQ APIs

Work IQ: production-ready intelligence for every agent

Announcing Microsoft Web IQ

Composing a new platform for agent-first devices

Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform documentation

Microsoft Build 2026 Live blog

Building a hill-climbing machine: launching seven new MAI models

Build, scale, and monetize apps and agents with Microsoft Marketplace

Certified Android-based devices for Microsoft Teams

More choice and flexibility: Cisco Board Pro Certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms

Q-SYS QSP-11 Scheduling Panel

Microsoft Teams Facilitator: The First Group AI Agent for Meetings With Madhu Sudan, Microsoft

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0100

Madhu Sudan, Partner Director of Engineering at Microsoft, discusses Microsoft Teams Facilitator, a first-of-its-kind group AI agent built to actively collaborate with entire teams during meetings.

• How Facilitator differs from Copilot: group-level support vs one-to-one assistance

• Real-time note-taking, action item assignment, and meeting moderation built into Microsoft Teams

• Proactive capabilities including knowledge gap detection, quorum checking, and late-joiner recaps

• The permissioning model that keeps group conversations secure and prevents data leakage

• Plans for meeting series memory and bringing cross-meeting context to future sessions

• Extensibility with other Microsoft Teams agents and Microsoft 365 data

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

Microsoft Teams Call Quality Dashboard (CQD): Intelligent Classifiers, Silent Test Call and Power BI

Tue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0100

James Parkes, Senior Product Manager for Microsoft Teams Call Quality Management, Siunie Sutjahjo, Principal Product Manager for Microsoft Teams Meeting, and Victor Guzman, Senior Technical Program Manager, all at Microsoft, discuss the latest advances in Microsoft Teams call quality tools and reporting.

• How CQD has evolved from on-prem monitoring to cloud-scale Power BI reporting with over 45 report pages in the latest v5.3 release

• The new intelligent classifiers: around 40 models that move beyond legacy network averages, using real user feedback as ground truth to pinpoint issues at the device, compute and network level

• How remote and local models identify whether a quality issue originates from a user's machine, their network or a dominant participant affecting others in the call

• A walkthrough of the Power BI QER reports, including the search report, user health details and media health as starting points for troubleshooting

• Silent test call: a full bi-directional media stream test for proactively evaluating network readiness, available for Microsoft Teams Premium users

• Admin-initiated remote log collection: how IT admins can now pull client logs directly from the Teams Admin Centre without relying on end users

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

Microsoft 365 Message Center and M365 Change Explained with Brian McGough, Principal Program Manager

Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Brian McGough, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, gives a behind-the-scenes look at how change communications work across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and what's coming next.

• How Message Center has grown from 50 posts a month to over 225, and the operational complexity behind keeping hundreds of live posts up to date

• The targeting system behind Message Center, from licensing-based filtering to tenant-specific notifications across multiple clouds including GCC, GCC High, and DoD

• Microsoft's modernised approach to change management, introducing frontier, standard, and deferred release options that give admins more control over when changes reach their users

• The new MCP servers for Message Center and Roadmap data, and how they unlock conversational, tenant-grounded insights

• Why customer feedback on Message Center posts genuinely drives change, including stopping feature rollouts and reversing retirements

Thanks to Landis, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update May 2026

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:00:00 +0100

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for May 2026.

Many thanks to Logitech for their continued support.

• Microsoft 365 E7 and Agent 365 GA

• New Models in Copilot • Cowork gets Skills, Plugins and Mobile

• AI Skills in SharePoint • Modernising M365 Change Management – New MCPs

• Teams Phone Multi-line GA

• Teams Devices News & New Devices

• Upcoming Events

Useful Links:

Briefings

Understanding Express Install for Microsoft Teams Rooms

Microsoft 365 Roadmap and Azure Updates (Roadmap) MCP Explained

FIRST LOOK: Neat Board 32 & Neat Pad Pro - Devices for Every Meeting Room

NEW Neat Board 32 & Neat Pad Pro: Full Product Walkthrough & Key Features

Teams Insider Podcasts

What is Microsoft 365 Frontier, Work IQ, Cowork and Agent 365 with a Copilot Global Black Belt

Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork Explained with Bas Brekelmans, Software Engineer at Microsoft

Creating a First Class Microsoft Teams Rooms Experience at Their New London HQ with Damian Lewis at BSI

Microsoft Teams for Frontline Workers: Market Opportunity and Enterprise Mobility with Spectralink

Microsoft 365 Agents Explained - Declarative, Copilot Studio, Pro-Code or Skills in Copilot Cowork?

Tue, 12 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Graham Hosking, Senior AI Solutions Engineer at Microsoft, discusses Copilot Skills, Cowork, and the rapidly evolving world of agentic AI across the Microsoft stack.

• How businesses are navigating AI adoption and why there is no silver bullet for enterprise AI

• What Copilot Cowork is and how it takes Microsoft 365 Copilot to the next level with multi-threaded task automation

• Skills as reusable blocks of instructions that simplify complex business processes like RFPs without needing multiple agents

• The spectrum from declarative agents to Copilot Studio to pro-code solutions on Azure Foundry

• MCP servers and plugins extending Cowork's reach to third-party systems like Salesforce

• Computer use arriving via Windows 365 plugins, unlocking automation for legacy systems without APIs

• Sovereign data considerations and Anthropic model availability across Europe

Thanks to Barco, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

What is Microsoft 365 Frontier, Work IQ, Cowork and Agent 365 with a Copilot Global Black Belt

Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 +0100

Brett Johnson, Copilot Global Black Belt at Microsoft, returns for a second discussion to decode some of the biggest developments in the Microsoft 365 Copilot ecosystem.

• What the Frontier Program is, how it differs from public preview, and how organisations can get early access to the latest AI innovations on a per-user basis

• How Anthropic models are now integrated into Microsoft 365 Copilot, including data sovereignty considerations and the path to EU availability

• Work IQ explained: the intelligence layer combining Microsoft Graph, memory and real-time inference to supercharge Copilot experiences

• Cowork in action: how the Anthropic-powered agent creates documents, manages calendars and processes complex multi-step tasks in a secure cloud container

• Brett's vibe coding journey, building an astrophotography automation tool with Claude and VS Code, and why personal AI projects accelerate workplace adoption

• Agent 365 goes GA: what it means for governing, managing and securing the growing number of AI agents across organisations, including third-party integration via the Agent 365 SDK

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

Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork Explained with Bas Brekelmans, Software Engineer at Microsoft

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Bas Brekelmans, Software Engineer at Microsoft, focused on Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork, explains its architecture and use cases.

• How Copilot Cowork runs entirely in the Cloud, unlike local machine-based alternatives, enabling enterprise-grade security, audit and compliance

• The multi-model approach using Anthropic's Sonnet and Opus, with the flexibility to switch to the best available model

• Built-in and personal skills for calendar management, document generation and automated workflows

• Extensibility through MCP servers, enabling integration with third-party and line-of-business applications

• Scheduled tasks and autonomous email handling that save hours of manual work each day

• Enterprise compliance features including Purview integration, eDiscovery support and rich audit logs

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

Damian Lewis at BSI on Creating a First Class Microsoft Teams Rooms Experience at Their New London HQ

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Damian Lewis, Digital Workplace Specialist at BSI, shares the story of designing and deploying Microsoft Teams Rooms across BSI's new London headquarters, the Acre.

• Moving from an antiquated AV setup to a fully cable-free, Microsoft Teams-centric environment

• The spectrum of room types: from Jabra PanaCast BYOD “hot offices” to Neat Board Pro casual spaces, and full multi-camera divisible Q-SYS rooms with presenter tracking

• How proof-of-concept testing in the old office helped shape vendor selection for Jabra, Neat, and Q-SYS

• Room booking with Matrix integrated into Microsoft 365, including scheduling panels across hot offices, parenting spaces, and multi-faith rooms

• User adoption lessons: building champions, online inductions, and fortnightly AV "ask me anything" sessions to bring colleagues up to speed

• Managing a global Microsoft Teams Rooms footprint from Sydney to San Jose using Jabra Pro Portal and OEM tooling

• Replicating the adoption playbook at BSI's North America office and planning for smaller-scale rollouts at existing sites

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

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update April 2026

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0100

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for April 2026.

Many thanks to AudioCodes for their continued support.

PowerPoint Deck

Places Insider Live
Microsoft 365 Copilot Cowork Updates
Anthropic Models for Copilot
AI Flex Routing in EU and EFTA
New SharePoint Experience
Microsoft Teams & AI Powered Workplace News and Roadmap
Teams Devices News & New Devices
Upcoming Events

Useful Links:

Briefings

NEW Neat Board 32 & Neat Pad Pro: Full Product Walkthrough & Key Features with Darin Worthington
Microsoft Places Deep Dive with Microsoft - Customer Feedback, Deployment, Licensing with Chris Fitzsimmons, Brennan McReynolds & Craig McClellan
Enterprise Voice Infrastructure Options On-Prem. Private Cloud and Cloud-Native with Ribbon and AWS with Gordon Eddy (Ribbon Communications)
Multi-Platform UCaaS at Scale with NUWAVE iPILOT with Tony at NWN

Teams Insider Podcasts

Frontline Workers: Market Opportunity and Enterprise Mobility with Patrick Watson (Cavell) & Stewart Wright (Spectralink)
Teams Queues App Explained — Shared Call History, Copilot, and What's Next with Sean Gilmour (Microsoft)
Novo Nordisk's Microsoft Teams Rooms Journey — Thousands of Rooms with Christopher Amdi Mark (Novo Nordisk)
Work IQ, Agent Types and the Road to the Frontier Firm with Alev Tamer & Chris Wheeler

Microsoft Teams for Frontline Workers: Market Opportunity and Enterprise Mobility with Spectralink

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0100

Patrick Watson, Director of Research at Cavell, and Stewart Wright, Business Development Director for Spectralink EMEA, discuss the untapped opportunity in enabling frontline workers with Microsoft Teams.

• 80% of the global workforce is classified as frontline, yet many organisations neglect these workers in their Microsoft Teams migrations.

• Frontline workers are often forgotten, given devices not fit for purpose, or left on legacy on-premises systems running in parallel with Microsoft Teams.

• Spectralink's DECT and Wi-Fi solutions, including the Versity smartphone and 8440 feature phone, are designed for challenging environments like healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.

• Unique features include Man Down alerts, pull cord alarms, hot-swappable batteries, disinfectant-resistant builds, and the AMIE cloud management platform.

• Market research highlights massive potential: nearly 2 million frontline workers in UK healthcare, 2.6 million in UK manufacturing, and 7.5 million in German manufacturing.

Thanks to Spectralink, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Microsoft Teams Queues App Explained — Shared Call History, Copilot, and What's Next

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0100

Sean Gilmour, Principal Lead PM for Advanced Calling Experience at Microsoft, discusses the evolution of the Microsoft Teams Queues app — from its origins as a purpose-built workspace for collaborative calling to the latest capabilities, including shared call history and some of what is coming next.

• How the Queues app was designed for "citizen agents" — workers who handle customer calls alongside their primary roles, from HR and internal help desks to healthcare professionals and financial services

• Supervisor capabilities including delegated admin, monitor, whisper, barge, and takeover — traditionally higher-end contact centre features now available in the native Microsoft Teams experience

• Shared call history: why giving agents and supervisors visibility of all calls across a queue, including missed calls and shared voicemails with lightweight management, is a significant step forward

• How the Queues app fits into the broader Microsoft Teams Phone ecosystem alongside Dynamics 365 and certified contact centre partners through Teams Phone Extensibility

• The role of Copilot and AI in enhancing call queue intelligence, from in-call assistance to proactive insights for part-time supervisors

• Endpoint support across desktop, web, and IP phones, with a mobile-first experience in development for frontline workers

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

Inside Novo Nordisk's Microsoft Teams Rooms Journey — Thousands of Rooms and Counting

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Christopher Amdi Mark, Senior IT Architect at Novo Nordisk, shares how the global pharmaceutical company transformed its meeting room estate — from traditional Cisco room systems and telepresence to over 2,500 Microsoft Teams Rooms with plans for more

• How the shift from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams during COVID changed what users expected from meeting rooms

• MTR Windows with Logitech and Lenovo, and the early challenges of scaling too quickly

• Why Cisco's Android-based Microsoft Teams Rooms brought Novo Nordisk back to a trusted partner

• Why BYOD is "Bring Your Own Disaster" — and how that might evolve

• Managing a mixed estate of Cisco MTR Android, MTR Windows, and traditional Room OS devices with Cisco CVI across thousands of rooms

• Replacing Cisco IX5000 telepresence suites with immersive front-row MTR experiences at a fraction of the cost

• Where AI fits in — from intelligent camera framing to Microsoft Copilot Facilitator in the meeting room

Thanks to Cisco, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Explaining Microsoft Work IQ, Agent Types and the Road to the Frontier Firm in Microsoft 365 Copilot

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Alev Tamer, Senior Partner Solution Architect for AI Business Solutions at Microsoft, and Chris Wheeler, Senior Copilot Solution Engineer at Microsoft, break down the rapidly evolving world of Microsoft 365 Copilot agents — from personal assistants to autonomous digital colleagues.

• What agents actually are and the spectrum from declarative no-code to low-code Copilot Studio agents and pro-code solutions in Microsoft AI Foundry

• The frontier firm concept — three levels of AI maturity, from personal AI assistant through team-level agents to agent-operated, human-led organisations

• Real-world agent examples in use today, including career coaching agents, Chris’ pub quiz agent in Microsoft Teams meetings, and autonomous complaint triage in NHS healthcare

• Multi-agent teaming — how chaining specialised agents together is enabling end-to-end workflows like RFP processing without human intervention

• Work IQ explained — how Microsoft Graph data, memory, personalisation, and inferencing combine to ground Copilot responses in organisational context

• Governance, identity, and the challenge of managing thousands of agents with Agent 365 and existing Power Platform controls

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

How to RFP for Global Microsoft Teams Migration and Managed Services

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Chris Styczynski, Service Owner for Unified Communication and Collaboration at Clifford Chance, shares how the global law firm approached their RFP process for migrating from Cisco on-prem telephony to Microsoft Teams.

• How Clifford Chance structured their RFP into six lots for flexibility: telephony migration, switchboard, contact centre, Operator Connect, on-site support, and managed services.

• Why conducting an RFI first helped pre-qualify vendors and identify the right partners for a firm of their size.

• The importance of understanding user requirements before going to market, especially as telephony needs evolve with AI and collaboration tools.

• How to evaluate partners beyond technical skills—considering culture, flexibility, and communication style for an 18-month project.

• Key considerations for global telephony migrations, including regulatory challenges across 20+ countries.

Thanks to Numonix, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update March 2026

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for March 2026.

Many thanks to Ribbon for their continued support.

PowerPoint Deck

Microsoft 365 Copilot Wave 3
Anthropic in M365 Copilot
Copilot Cowork
Agent 365
Microsoft 365 E7
AI Workplace Roadmap
Teams Devices Roadmap
New Teams Certified Devices
Events

Useful Links:

Briefings

Real AI Use Cases in the Contact Centre with Luware Nimbus - Costs, Risks and Benefits - Marcel Gaufroid, Head of Sales – EU, at Luware
Microsoft Places in 2026: APIs, Desk Booking, and Copilot Context - Brennan McReynolds, Product Strategy Lead for Microsoft Places
Pure IP's Platform Strategy that Simplifies Enterprise Communications - Adnon Dow, Chief Strategy Officer at Pure IP
AI Voice Agents - Sean Keegan, Developer Evangelist for Azure Communication Services at Microsoft
Tony at NWN Explains How They Deliver Multi-Platform UCaaS at Scale with NUWAVE iPILOT

Teams Insider Podcasts

CTO of LabourNet on Microsoft Teams Phone and Contact Centre with a Dispersed National Workforce with Mike Love, CTO at LabourNet, Janet Souter-Dantu, Co-founder at ScopServ Integrated Services, and Vanesia Raborethe, Head of Sales at ScopServ
SharePoint at 25, Past, Present, and AI Future with Microsoft's Jeff Teper
AI enabling real-time communications with Adam Jacobs, IC3 Principal Program Manager at Microsoft
Scaling Microsoft Teams Phone and Teams Rooms at BAE Systems with Andrew Wigmore

CTO of LabourNet on Microsoft Teams Phone and Contact Centre with a Dispersed National Workforce

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Mike Love, CTO at LabourNet, is joined by Janet Souter-Dantu, Co-founder at ScopServ Integrated Services (Pty) Ltd, and Vanesia Raborethe, Head of Sales at ScopServ Integrated Services (Pty) Ltd, to discuss LabourNet's move to a Microsoft Teams-based contact centre with Landis.

LabourNet, established in 1996, is a large labour law consulting firm with a national footprint in South Africa.

• Why LabourNet standardised on Microsoft Teams as a single communications platform to support time-critical, high-importance client interactions

• How Landis Contact Centre queues, presence-based routing, and reporting improved visibility and support availability-based call distribution across a geographically dispersed workforce

• Lessons learned on adoption, process change, and why senior leaders tested the customer experience daily to drive improvements

• What's next, including better use of contact centre data and a cautious, data-first approach to AI augmentation for agents

Thanks to Landis, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft's Jeff Teper - SharePoint at 25, Past, Present, and AI Future

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Jeff Teper, President of Microsoft 365 Collaborative Apps and Platforms, discusses 25 years of SharePoint — from its humble origins as an intranet product to a cloud platform supporting over a billion users and exabytes of data.

• Origin story: How two separate Microsoft projects merged to create SharePoint, filling a massive need for intranets, document management, and collaboration in one customisable platform

• The cloud transition: From Bill Gates announcing SharePoint Online in 2008 through years of architectural challenges to an elastic cloud service handling billions of requests per second

• From MySite to OneDrive: The feature IT initially rejected that eventually became OneDrive, now serving over a billion accounts on the SharePoint platform

• AI and large language capabilities: How LLMs and reasoning models are enabling zero-shot metadata tagging, AI-assisted site design, and agent capabilities across SharePoint

• What's new: A refreshed design language, reimagined information architecture with five core pillars (Intranet, Build, Publish, Discover, and OneDrive), and AI woven throughout the experience

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

AI enabling real-time communications with Adam Jacobs, IC3 Principal Program Manager at Microsoft

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Adam Jacobs, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, works in IC3—the real-time communications platform team behind Microsoft Teams. With four years at Microsoft and a decade at Polycom before that, Adam shares insights from the backend of one of the world's largest communications platforms.

• How IC3 supports Microsoft Teams at massive scale, including cost considerations for new features and AI capabilities

• The current state of Cloud Video Interop and why it remains important for some enterprise customers

• Moving transcription to new platforms to support AI and M365 Copilot strategy

• Real-time processing challenges for AI features, including face and voice recognition technologies

• Adam's journey from IT director to Polycom to Microsoft, and the value of understanding both customer and partner perspectives

Thanks to Pure IP, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Scaling Microsoft Teams Phone and Teams Rooms at BAE Systems with Andrew Wigmore

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Andrew Wigmore, Teams Product Owner at defence contractor BAE Systems, shares insights from his 40-year career and the company's journey to Microsoft Teams and the cloud.

• Migrating 45,000 phone numbers from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams in a single morning

• Managing 65,000 E5 users and doing over a third of a billion minutes of Teams audio annually

• The cultural shift from on-premises infrastructure to evergreen cloud services at a defence company

• Rolling out Microsoft Teams Rooms across 180 meeting spaces, including executive home offices

• Operator Connect telephony across 11 countries, including challenging regions

• Cloud adoption, security, and export control requirements in defence

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update February 2026

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for February 2026.

Many thanks to Neat for their continued support.

PowerPoint Deck

Enhanced M365 Copilot Memory
Copilot Chat (free) in Outlook with all emails and Calendar
Ilya Bukshteyn's ISE keynote
Microsoft Teams Licensing Changes April 2026
Places Roadmap Updates
Express voice enrolment
Meet App Becomes Events App
Teams Live Events and API are retiring
Multiple phone numbers on Teams Phone Devices
Transitioning Teams Android Device Management
Events

Useful Links:
Briefings:

Real AI Use Cases in the Contact Centre with Luware Nimbus - Costs, Risks and Benefits - Marcel Gaufroid, Head of Sales – EU, at Luware
Microsoft Places in 2026: APIs, Desk Booking, and Copilot Context - Brennan McReynolds, Product Strategy Lead for Microsoft Places
Pure IP's Platform Strategy that Simplifies Enterprise Communications - Adnon Dow, Chief Strategy Officer at Pure IP
AI Voice Agents - Sean Keegan, Developer Evangelist for Azure Communication Services at Microsoft

Teams Insider Podcasts

The role AV Distribution play in Microsoft Teams Rooms with Jenny Hicks, Technical Director at Midwich UK
Logitech's New Rally AI Cameras and Multi-Camera Microsoft Teams Rooms with Henry Levak, VP of Product for Logitech for Business
Microsoft Places in 2026: APIs, Desk Booking, and Copilot Context Brennan McReynolds, Product Strategy Lead for Microsoft Places
Microsoft Teams Rooms and Phone Journey at Toyota Financial Services JT Elliott, Unified Communications and Collaboration Manager, at Toyota Financial Services

Inside Microsoft’s IC3 and the future of AI Communications with Microsoft CVP Mahendra Sekaran

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Mahendra Sekaran, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, leads product management and data science for IC3 (Intelligent Conversations and Communication Cloud)—the core communications platform powering Microsoft Teams.

• IC3's role as the backbone for Microsoft Teams, supporting 320 million monthly active users and 26 million PSTN users

• How AI is transforming internal productivity at Microsoft, from daily briefings to real-time data insights

• Microsoft's vision for AI-native phone experiences and the future of intelligent call handling

• Why 2026 is the year of scaling agentic AI, with Microsoft Teams evolving into a hub where agents interact with humans

• How AI tooling is changing product management and engineering, from coding agents to AIOps for incident response

• The potential for granular personalisation in user experiences based on AI-driven insights

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

The role AV Distribution play in Microsoft Teams Rooms with Jenny Hicks

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Jenny Hicks, Technical Director at Midwich UK, joins the podcast to share insights on AV distribution and the evolving Microsoft Teams Rooms landscape.

• What distribution is and the value it brings to the Microsoft Teams Rooms ecosystem

• How the pandemic accelerated UC adoption and shaped hardware preferences

• The rise of all-in-one devices and why refresh cycles have slowed

• Sustainability, ESG reporting and the case for modular systems

• Why Microsoft certification matters and how hardware choices affect long-term support

• AI readiness and future-proofing meeting room investments

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

Logitech's New Rally AI Cameras and Multi-Camera Microsoft Teams Rooms with Henry Levak

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Henry Levak, VP of Product for Logitech for Business, shares exciting new product announcements ahead of ISE 2026.

• Rally AI Camera Pro: a dual-camera PTZ solution combining optical zoom with a wide-angle digital camera, designed with a shallow profile

• Rally AI Camera: a compact digital-only variant with in-wall mounting options and fabric covers for discrete, design-friendly installations

• Multi-camera support for Microsoft Teams Rooms, enabling up to four cameras on Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows

• Logitech’s native bluetooth headset portfolio

• Logitech Spot: the battery-powered environmental sensor now shipping, with upcoming Microsoft Teams and Places integration

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

Microsoft Places in 2026: APIs, Desk Booking, and Copilot Context

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Brennan McReynolds, Product Strategy Lead for Microsoft Places, at Microsoft, shares what changed during Places’ first full year in general availability and what is coming next as hybrid work patterns continue to shift.

• How Places supports flexible work planning in Microsoft Calendar and Microsoft Teams, including building and room context

• The evolution of desk booking on maps, location check-in signals, and improving confidence in finding the right space

• Why Places is focused on in-person connection and collaboration, not desk booking for everyone

• How the Places directory and Microsoft Graph APIs enable partners to manage buildings, floors, rooms, desks, and maps at scale

• Three integration patterns: spatial data in and out, occupancy and check-in signals, and extensible experiences like visitor management and digital signage

• How location context feeds Work IQ and future Copilot experiences for planning, scheduling, and room selection

Thanks to Brennan for his valuable insights.

Microsoft Teams Rooms and Phone Journey at Toyota Financial Services

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

JT Elliott, Unified Communications and Collaboration Manager, at Toyota Financial Services, shares his journey from traditional AV to deploying over 300 Microsoft Teams Rooms with Logitech.

JT's career path from courtroom AV systems through 7-Eleven to Toyota Financial Services
The decision to standardise on Logitech Rally Bars and Rally Board 65 for 300+ rooms and plans to deploy 150 more.
Experience deploying 125 Rally Boards in just six weeks with integration partner AVI-SPL
Why Toyota chose Android-based MTRs and the flexibility of Logitech's platform
The importance of observability and reliability in room system operations
Migrating from Direct Routing to Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams Phone

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

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace Update January 2026

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for the first update of 2026.

Many thanks to Landis for their continued support.

Deck

Microsoft 365 AI Workplace - 2026 Focus Areas
Microsoft’s continued AI Focus in 2026
7 New Microsoft Copilot Roadmap Features
26M Teams Phone Users
8 Microsoft Teams New Features and Updates
7 New Teams Rooms and Devices
Events

Useful Links:

Briefings

AI Voice Agents with Azure Communication Services - Sean Keegan, Developer Evangelist for Azure Communication Services at Microsoft
Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents, Features and Control - Deep Dive with Rolf Tröndle - Rolf Tröndle walks through what’s new with Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Contact Center Options for Microsoft Teams - Native vs Connect vs Extend vs Unify - Alistair Pidd, Professional Services Director, at Pure IP discusses contact center strategies for Microsoft Teams

Teams Insider Podcasts

Scaling Microsoft Copilot Adoption 22,000 Diverse Users at Centrica with Bill Compton, Head of Digital Adoption at Centrica
Copilot and Agent Adoption in the Big Four Professional Services Firms with Mo Khalifa, Workforce AI Specialist at Microsoft
From PBX to Microsoft Teams and Voca Contact Centre at the Chartered Institute of Housing with Richard Sewell, IT Manager
Working from Sea: Virgin Voyages Transforms Remote Work with Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO, at Virgin Voyages, and Michael Levy, CEO, at Numonix
What Cisco Rooms bring to Microsoft Teams Rooms with Tom Richards, Senior Director, Strategy and Planning at Cisco

Scaling Microsoft Copilot Adoption 22,000 Diverse Users at Centrica

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Bill Compton, Head of Digital Adoption at Centrica, shares how he's driven Microsoft Copilot adoption across a diverse 22,000-person organisation—from field engineers to call centre agents to knowledge workers.

Building a strong digital champions network through gamification and peer-led change
Leveraging the included Copilot Chat to build AI literacy across the entire organisation before scaling premium licences
Taking a measured approach to Copilot rollout: starting with 25 licences and scaling to 2,000 paid M365 Copilot based on demonstrated value
Creating hybrid adoption events that reached over 3,000 employees through live streaming and on-demand content
Gathering real user prompts and use cases to build internal stories and identify champions
Addressing the challenges of reaching diverse workforces in protected environments like call centres and offshore platforms

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

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - December 2025

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for December 2025.

Many thanks to AudioCodes for their continued support.

PowerPoint Deck

Anthropic models on by default in Microsoft 365 Copilot
GPT-5.2 in Microsoft 365 Copilot
Microsoft Copilot Roadmap
Agentic AI Foundation
Microsoft Planner Major Update in 2026
Express Voice Enrollment in Microsoft Teams
Teams Meeting Recap and Recording APIs
Teams Devices Update
Teams Roadmap
Events

Briefings

All the Microsoft Ignite 2025 announcements in 24 minutes - Microsoft MVP Rolf Tröndle gives a comprehensive walkthrough of the news from Microsoft Ignite 2025
AI Voice Agents with Azure Communication Services - Sean Keegan, Developer Evangelist for Azure Communication Services at Microsoft
Microsoft 365 Copilot Agents, Features and Control - Deep Dive with Rolf Tröndle - Rolf Tröndle walks through what’s new with Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Contact Center Options for Microsoft Teams - Native vs Connect vs Extend vs Unify - Alistair Pidd, Professional Services Director, at Pure-IP discusses contact center strategies for Microsoft Teams

Teams Insider Podcasts

Copilot and Agent Adoption in the Big Four Professional Services Firms with Mo Kahlifa, Workforce AI Specialist at Microsoft
From PBX to Microsoft Teams and Voca Contact Centre at the Chartered Institute of Housing with Richard Sewell, IT Manager
Working from Sea: Virgin Voyages Transforms Remote Work with Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO, at Virgin Voyages, and Michael Levy, CEO, at Numonix
What Cisco Rooms bring to Microsoft Teams Rooms with Tom Richards, Senior Director, Strategy and Planning at Cisco
Telcos Moving Into AI With Microsoft Teams and Copilot With Rick Garcia
Microsoft Teams and AI Powered Workplace, Perspective From Ignite 2025 with Ilya Bukshteyn and Irena Andonova

Copilot and Agent Adoption in the Big Four Professional Services Firms

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Mo Khalifa, AI Workforce Specialist at Microsoft, discusses enterprise AI adoption, agent workflows, and Microsoft Copilot strategies with the Big Four professional services firms.

• Personal productivity with Copilot: morning briefings, email summaries, and building the habit of AI-first workflows

• Creating custom agents with Copilot Studio to manage customer information and support team productivity

• WorkIQ and organisational memory: personalising Copilot with company-specific terminology, abbreviations, and context

• The evolution from individual agents to agentic conversations where agents collaborate to complete business processes

• Data sovereignty, compliance, and the EU data boundary—how Microsoft is addressing enterprise concerns around AI data processing

• Adoption strategies: the 28-day habit formation, starting with Microsoft Teams meeting recaps, and making prompts relevant to specific roles

• Data classification with Purview as the foundation for safe Copilot deployment and avoiding oversharing concerns

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

From PBX to Microsoft Teams and Voca Contact Centre at the Chartered Institute of Housing

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Richard Sewell, IT Manager, at the Chartered Institute of Housing discusses the organisation's decade-long telephony transformation, from traditional PBX through hosted VoIP to Microsoft Teams with Voca contact centre.

• The journey from restrictive on-premises PBX systems to flexible cloud-based solutions

• Challenges of hot-desking with legacy systems and how Microsoft Teams solved them

• Why user adoption and training matter more than the technical migration itself

• Managing contact centre users with Voca's presence controls, analytics, and supervisor dashboards

• Lessons learnt about extension numbers, call transfers, and user expectations in Teams

• How visibility and reporting encourage accountability in hybrid working environments

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Working from Sea: Virgin Voyages Transforms Remote Work

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO, at Virgin Voyages, and Michael Levy, CEO, at Numonix, discuss how Virgin Voyages is pioneering the work from sea movement with unlimited Wi-Fi and innovative remote work packages.

Virgin Voyages' unique approach to crises —boutique hotel experience, no kids, free Wi-Fi, and no nickel-and-diming
How Richard Branson's vision for free Wi-Fi for crew and passengers enabled the work from sea programme
Working remotely from the Caribbean using Microsoft Teams with Starlink connectivity
How the shift to remote work post-COVID has made working from anywhere, even sea, a reality

For the full video, watch here.

Thanks to Numonix, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

What Cisco Rooms bring to Microsoft Teams Rooms

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Tom Richards, Senior Director, Strategy and Planning at Cisco, discusses the evolution of the Cisco and Microsoft partnership and how Cisco Microsoft Teams Rooms brings enterprise-grade management, AI capabilities, and multi-platform flexibility to Microsoft Teams Rooms.

• How Cisco and Microsoft moved from competition to collaboration, delivering full MTR experiences without compromising RoomOS capabilities

• The engineering behind containerising Android and MTR within RoomOS, creating a unified management architecture that scales to thousands of devices

• Distance Zero AI at the edge: intelligent camera framing, microphone beamforming, and background noise removal that adapts in real time

• Multi-platform flexibility allowing organisations to run native MTR mode or RoomOS UI mode with seamless Webex and Zoom integration

• How Cisco devices are evolving beyond collaboration tools into workplace investments, providing occupancy sensors and building data for facilities teams

• The MDEP (Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform) initiative and what it means for the future of Android-based Teams Rooms devices

Thanks to Cisco, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Telcos Moving Into AI With Microsoft Teams and Copilot With Rick Garcia

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Rick Garcia, EVP Product & Marketing at Momentum, discusses moving from simple workflows to AI‑assisted experiences in the Microsoft stack, from SMS agents to contextual insights across Teams data.

Find out how ideas proven in tools can translate into Outlook, Power Automate and Copilot, and what's next as Microsoft brings advanced AI capabilities into the platform more quickly.

Packaging practical AI texting workflows that sales teams can adopt immediately
Translating "bleeding‑edge" ideas from third‑party automation platforms into Microsoft 365
Using Power Automate and Azure AI to build real business solutions beyond basic attendants
Why unified Teams, email, chat and SharePoint data enables true contextual insights
The path from BI metrics to actionable signals for leaders and product teams

Thanks to Momentum, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Teams and AI Powered Workplace, Perspective From Ignite 2025

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Ilya Bukshteyn, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft Teams Calling Devices and Premium experiences, and Irena Andonova, who leads the Teams devices product team, discuss the latest in Microsoft Teams and AI Powered Workplace from Microsoft Ignite 2025.

“Secure, Simple, Smart” - URL protection, domain impersonation detection, and simplified threading and multi-tenant activity feed
The power of Work IQ and Copilot integration across chats, channels, calls and meetings
Ambient intelligence in Teams Rooms, including face and voice recognition for proper attribution in meeting transcripts and AI-powered note-taking
Teams Admin Center AI for policy management using natural language
AI assistant in Teams Roomos Pro Management Portal for deployment, insights and estate management at scale
Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) partnership to enhance Android device security, management and capabilities

Thanks to Ilya and Irena for their insights.

Unifying UCaaS and CCaaS: Teams Phone Extensibility, Unify and Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Listen to Sean Gilmour, Principal Product Manager Lead for Advance Calling - Microsoft Teams, and Pratichi Dash, Product Manager - Dynamics 365 Contact Center Voice and Conversational AI , explain Teams Phone Extensibility (TPE), Unify and how they enable a single, unified phone system across UCaaS and CCaaS.

• What TPE is, how it works with Azure Communication Services, and why the Unify certification matters for a level playing field

• How Dynamics 365 Contact Center uses TPE to reuse existing Teams Phone architecture and Operator Connect carriers

• Coexistence with Azure PSTN/Direct Routing today, with Microsoft recommending TPE going forward

• Practical AI today: agent-assist with summaries, translation and guidance, plus the roadmap towards intelligent IVR and smarter routing

• Seamless call movement between Dynamics agents and Teams SMEs for faster resolutions across the organisation

Thanks to Numonix, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, New Features, Business Value and How to Drive Adoption

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Gareth Bleasdale, Senior GTM Manager: Modern Work and AI at Microsoft, explains what Copilot Chat is, how it differs from consumer AI, and practical steps to adopt it safely across your organisation.

What’s included in the free Copilot Chat with Entra accounts
Security and governance: enterprise protections, encrypted web queries, audit and e‑discovery
New capabilities: unified history, memory and personalisation, in‑app chat in Word and Excel, GPT‑5 access
Adoption playbook for IT, business decision makers and end users, plus Microsoft‑funded programmes and resources
Where agentic patterns fit: web‑grounded agents on the free tier and pay‑as‑you‑go options for tenant‑grounded workflows

Check out Gareth’s webinar on 17 November 2025

Thanks to Landis, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - November 2025

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:00:00 +0000

MVP Tom Arbuthnot shares all the latest Microsoft Teams and Copilot news and announcements in less than 15 minutes for November 2025.
Many thanks to Landis for their continued support.

PowerPoint Deck

Microsoft-OpenAI Partnership Changes
Microsoft Earnings Numbers (FY26 Q1)
Teams Mode for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Teams Channel Agents
Teams Chat with Anyone
1080p 4Mbps Town Halls
Copilot Researcher with Computer User
Microsoft Teams Rooms New Features
Teams Devices News
Events

Briefings

Customer and Agent Assist AI Demos in Landis Teams Contact Center and Attendant Console with Preston Martin and Shannon Martin, Account Exexutives at Landis
Microsoft Teams Pro Management Portal AI: What’s Possible Today and Roadmap with Alvin Tsou, Product Manager at Microsoft and Andrew George, Principal Eningeering Manger at Microsoft
Understanding Microsoft Teams Channel Agents: Use Cases, Features, Workflows and Demo with Sandhya Rao, Principal Group Product Manager, Teams Core AI at Microsoft
Copilot Agents, No-Code to Pro-Code Options - Paolo Pialorsi, Senior Developer Advocate at Microsoft

Teams Insider Podcasts

How IQVIA scaled 650 Microsoft Teams Rooms with Global Standards & Smart Operations with Andre Razzuri, Associate Director at IQVIA
How Partners can Accelerate Copilot Success – Wesley Budd, Partner Solutions Architect at Microsoft
The Future of Meeting Rooms with Tormod Ree, Chief Product and Engineering Officer at Neat
The Importance of Standardisation: Rolling out Microsoft Teams Rooms to 450 Rooms Globally with Andrew Liptrot, Service Owner for AV and Workplace Technology at Haleon
Making Microsoft Teams Great on Mac, iPad and iPhone with Microsoft Engineering with Hari Krishna Reddy Juturu, Partner Group Engineering Manager at Microsoft and Avinash Prasad, Partner Director of Engineering at Microsoft

Making Microsoft Teams Great on Mac, iPad and iPhone with Microsoft Engineering

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Hari Krishna Reddy Juturu, Partner Group Engineering Manager, and Avinash Prasad, Partner Director of Engineering, both at Microsoft, talk through the importance of the Apple Platforms, user experience and new features.

How the team “sim‑ships” features across platforms while embracing earned, Mac‑native integrations like Menu Bar Extras, AirPods support, and native screen sharing.
Why day‑zero readiness for new macOS releases matters, and how close collaboration with Apple plus early beta testing protects reliability and performance.
The update stance: older Teams clients are actively blocked after three versions, with visibility and remediation via the Teams Client Health dashboard for IT admins.
Advances on iPad including dedicated multi‑window for chats and channels, external monitor support, and keyboard workflows.
CarPlay improvements for safer commutes: hands‑free replies, notifications that respect system focus modes, and a continued push toward voice‑first experiences as the platform evolves.

Thanks to Crestron, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

The Importance of Standardisation: Rolling out Microsoft Teams Rooms to 450 Rooms Globally

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Andrew Liptrot, Service Owner for AV and Workplace Technology at Haleon, shares how a global estate is moving from traditional video rooms to Microsoft Teams Rooms with clear standards, fewer components, and stronger operations.

Four room archetypes to match business outcomes: Meet, Create, Engage, and Influence
Consolidation on a lean set of components, with emphasis on reliability, supportability, and lifecycle
Internal design capability, visual room design, and partner delivery against agreed standards
Governance and service maturity across policies, SOPs, and continuous improvement
Proactive monitoring and the push towards “self-healing” rooms at scale
Broadening from room uptime to overall digital employee experience, including booking, signage, and workspace tools

The Future of Meeting Rooms — with Tormod Ree, Chief Product and Engineering Officer at Neat

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Tormod Ree, Chief Product and Engineering Officer at Neat, shares his view on where meeting room technology is heading and how Neat plans to differentiate while staying simple and reliable for customers.

AI across the experience: device-side media understanding, and platform features will move meetings from basic framing to experiences that adapt to the interaction in the room.
Hybrid work isn’t solved: organisations still struggle to give remote participants equal presence for video, audio and collaboration.
Rooms must support more than a “video window” and enable local, collaborative and mixed scenarios.
Neat’s approach to scale: multi‑device architecture for larger and more complex spaces, companion devices like Neat Center, and an App Hub to use devices for more than meetings.
Platform alignment without losing identity and partnership on Microsoft’s Devices Ecosystem Platform to improve quality, provisioning and integrations, while retaining Neat’s own innovations and simplicity focus.

Thanks to Neat, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

How Partners can Accelerate Copilot Success - Wesley Budd, Partner Solutions Architect at Microsoft

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Wesley Budd, Partner Solutions Architect at Microsoft, explains how partners are driving real-world impact with Microsoft 365 Copilot.

The role of partners in readiness, security, adoption and change
Why agentathons are gaining traction and what they mean for Copilot Studio
How partners are using AI Builder and Copilot Studio to build tailored solutions
How the Copilot Jumpstart programme is helping partners accelerate customer success
Opportunities for partners to unlock business transformation with Copilot

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

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - October 2025

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - October 2025

Copilot Chat (free) in Office Apps
Unified Copilot Chat in Teams
Agent Mode in Excel and Word
Teams Channel Agents
Anthropic Claude Models Come to Copilot
Office Agent (Anthropic)
Bring Consumer Copilot to Work?
New Teams Features
Teams Devices News
Events

Thanks to Neat, 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 on Empowering.Cloud

How IQVIA scaled 650 Microsoft Teams Rooms with Global Standards & Smart Operations

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Andre Razzuri, Associate Director at IQVIA, explains how IQVIA rolled out Microsoft Teams Rooms to 650 rooms globally, creating standards and managing a global environment.

Why IQVIA standardised on Lenovo Windows 11 MTRs for cost, supportability, remote management and user experience
Deploying 200 rooms per year with a small core team through strict global standards and robust remote tooling
Where they partnered with AVI-SPL for boardrooms and global rollouts, and how responsibilities are shared
Getting leadership buy-in using usage data and trusted internal champions

Thanks to AVI-SPL, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Teams Rooms - How to Choose Beyond the Specs

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Simon Dudley, independent consultant and with extensive former experience at Polycom, Lifesize, and Logitech, examines how customers, OEMs and resellers can navigate the increasingly commoditised video conferencing market.

Simon and Tom discuss:

• Why most video bars are “good enough” and what that means for differentiation
• How ESG, financial transparency, and global distribution are becoming key buying factors
• The importance of understanding your A/B/C brand status as a vendor or reseller
• Why customers should look beyond specs and prioritise reliability, support, and management tools
• Lessons from the PC industry and how they could apply to the future of MTR devices

Thanks to Pure-IP, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support.

Find Simon’s website here: Excession Events

AI in Teams Devices: What’s New and What’s Next? Irena Andonova, Head of Product for Teams Devices

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Irena Andonova, Head of Product for Teams Devices at Microsoft, discusses the evolution of Teams Rooms, Phones and Devices

AI is transforming physical meeting spaces—supporting speaker attribution, voice isolation, and real-time summarisation, even in unscheduled in-person meetings.
Voice and face enrolment enables accurate transcript attribution across Windows and Android platforms.
AI-powered features in Teams Phones
How AI is being embedded into the Pro Management Portal to support large-scale operations, automate issue resolution, and deliver actionable insights.
The importance of usage analytics for facilities planning—e.g. identifying underused or overbooked rooms by floor and day.
Ongoing investment in cross-platform scalability, including Autopilot for Windows and Android, and integration with MDEP (Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform).

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - September

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - September 2025

Malicious URL Protection for Teams
Improved Organization Chart in Profile Card
Control External Access by Domain for Specific Users and Groups
5 Unify Certified Contact Centers
New Teams Desk Phone Transfer UI
Touch Console Support for MTRoW Boards
Browser Support for MTRoW Boards
Sales, Service, and Finance Copilots now included with Microsoft 365 Copilot License
Improved Copilot Chat in Office Apps
Events

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 on Empowering.Cloud

Telco Infrastructure Evolution - Automation, AI and Containerisation Explained

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Matt Hurst, Senior Director of Strategic Business Architecture at Ribbon, joins Tom Arbuthnot to discuss the significant changes occurring in telco infrastructure with AI, analytics, and automation. Matt clearly explains how Automation, Containerisation and AI work and apply in telco and also large enterprise infrastructure.

The telecommunications industry is embracing containerisation and automation to address competitive pressures, security requirements, and operational efficiency challenges. Traditional hardware deployment models are being replaced by flexible, cloud-native approaches that enable rapid scaling and automated management.

Containerisation breaks network functions into modular components that scale dynamically based on demand
Automation reduces manual patching, testing, and configuration whilst improving security compliance
AI-powered chatbots guide junior engineers through complex troubleshooting using integrated documentation
Infrastructure as code creates single source of truth for network configurations across multiple sites
Adoption is being driven by security operations requirements and specialised skills shortages

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support.

Scaling M365 Copilot Adoption Across 20,000 Users

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Tom Arbuthnot discusses Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption with Karoliina Kettukari, Head of Modern Work at OP Financial Group in Finland.

OP Financial Group has licensed approximately half their workforce for M365 Copilot, with strong support from senior management and eager employee adoption. The organisation also utilises Copilot Chat for an additional 50% of their licensed user base, particularly for roles working primarily in customer systems rather than M365 applications.

Meeting summaries and note-taking represent the primary use case, delivering immediate time savings
Organisation uses a tiered approach with basic training for general users and advanced documentation for power users
Teams-based sharing of use cases within departments proves more effective than organisation-wide libraries
Agent development shows promise but faces technical barriers requiring Copilot Studio expertise
Regulatory compliance creates additional approval processes for new AI features in financial services
Support delivered through Teams channels and Viva Engage communities rather than traditional training methods

The transition from personal productivity use cases to team-based and process automation represents the next phase of their adoption journey.

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

AV, AI and Meeting Equity - Multi-Camera, Multi-Agent, Multi-AI with Bo Pintea

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Bo Pintea from Huddly talks about the evolution of multi-camera setups and their role in creating more immersive and equitable meeting experiences.

Bo shares insights from his Microsoft journey and current role at Huddly, covering:

Why IP-based AV and edge AI are critical for scalable multi-camera deployments
The science behind camera angles, spatial reasoning, and reducing hyper-gaze fatigue
How AI agents are reshaping meeting dynamics—from intelligent shot selection to real-time transcription
The future of corporate knowledge, digital twins, and who owns the data we generate
Why SMBs might leapfrog larger enterprises in adopting AI-first business models

Bo also reflects on the shift from human-centric UC to AI-augmented collaboration, and what it means for the next generation of workplace tools.

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

The Future of Converged Communications – Leon Wright, Global Lead at Microsoft

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Leon Wright, Global Lead for Converged Communications at Microsoft, discusses how AI is transforming Teams Phone, telco partnerships and customer engagement.

How AI is driving renewed interest in Teams Phone and enabling new productivity use cases
The evolving roles of SIs and telcos in delivering scale and strategic value
Why partners integrating AI into Converged Comms are seeing 20%+ growth
The convergence of Teams and Dynamics in Microsoft’s AI business solutions strategy
Microsoft’s shift to transparent roadmap sharing and early partner feedback

Thanks to Pure IP, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Microsoft Teams Desk Phones - AI Features and Roadmap

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Prashi Badkur, Senior Product Manager Lead for Teams phone devices at Microsoft, talks about the evolving role of physical desk phones.

Despite predictions that physical phones would disappear, there remains a strong demand for Teams phone devices across various industries, including healthcare, finance, and emergency services. Specific roles value the tactile buttons and instant functionality for high call volumes and efficiency.

AI features including Copilot-powered call summaries for transfers and voice commands for device navigation
Enhanced line key capabilities with remote configuration through Teams Admin Centre
Shared line features with LED indicators and custom ringtones for multi-store scenarios
Queues app now available on desk phones for agent opt-in/opt-out functionality
Contact management for common area phones allowing admins to preload emergency contacts
Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) support for phones
Future roadmap

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support.

Inside the Microsoft Teams Technology Adoption Program (TAP) - Building in Quality

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Alexander Ivanov, Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Teams explains how the Technology Adoption Programme (TAP) helps shape Microsoft Teams Android devices and drive quality.

How TAP enables customers to test features early and influence product development
The role of customer feedback in shaping Teams device experiences
Why TAP is more than a preview—it’s a partnership with customers.
Insights into certification, firmware updates, and the importance measuring satisfaction

If you are interested in participating in the Technology Adoption Program, you can fill in this form here to be considered: aka.ms/TeamsDevicesTap

Thanks to Logitech, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Teams Update - August 2025

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - August 2025

Microsoft Q4 2025 Earnings In-Car Teams Video Calls
Trigger workflows using emoji reactions
On-Behalf-Of Outbound Teams Phone Calls Change
First Unify Certified Contact Center
No more Paid Teams Metered APIs
GPT-5 is here in M365 Copilot and more
Summarise Email with Copilot Chat
Improved M365 Copilot in Word

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 on Empowering.Cloud

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Microsoft Teams: From Slack Rival to AI for Work – Jim Gaynor, Directions on Microsoft

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Jim Gaynor, Editorial Vice President at Directions on Microsoft, reflects on the evolution of Microsoft Teams and its shifting role in Microsoft’s strategy.

How Teams evolved from a Slack competitor to a central productivity platform
The impact of the pandemic on Teams adoption and scale
Why Teams Premium is becoming the home for advanced features
Microsoft’s pivot to Copilot and what it means for Teams
How customers are approaching Copilot adoption, ROI, and data governance
Jim’s perspective on Microsoft’s long-game approach to AI and platform strategy

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode’s sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud.

Understanding AI Assisted Tech and the European Accessibility Act

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Neil Milliken, Global Head of Accessibility at Atos, looks at how accessibility is evolving in the enterprise—driven by AI, inclusive design, and upcoming regulation.

Neil shares insights from over two decades in assistive technology and accessibility, including how mainstream tools like Microsoft 365 are increasingly embedding features that benefit everyone—not just those with disabilities.

The growing role of AI in assistive tech and how it’s improving productivity and inclusion
How features like captions, voice input, and personalisation are becoming everyday tools
The impact of the European Accessibility Act and what it means for private sector organisations
The convergence of enterprise audio tech and hearing support, including innovations from Jabra and others
Why accessibility is a business imperative, not just a compliance checkbox

Neil also discusses how organisations can prepare for the European Accessibility Act (EAA), the importance of inclusive design in product development, and how accessibility features are increasingly used by a wider audience—including those with temporary or situational needs.

For more on this, check out Neil’s podcast

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

Scaling Partner Management of Teams Phone in SMB and Midmarket

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0100

Mark Herbert (https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbertmark/), co-founder of Call2Teams (at Qunifi, acquired by Dstny) and now launching Haptap Call Manager, explores how partners are enabling Microsoft Teams Phone for SMB and mid-market.

Mark shares industry insights from his Teams journey and working with UCaaS vendors and partners to bridge SIP trunks into Teams. He gives a demo of Haptap Call Manager (https://www.haptap.com/), a cloud-hosted management tool for simplified management of Microsoft Teams phone services.

The evolving Teams Phone opportunity in SMB and mid-market • How AI and Copilot are driving interest in Teams Phone
The challenges partners face managing voice at scale
Haptap’s approach to multi-tenant Teams Phone management
Why Dstny backed Haptap as an innovation-led startup within the group

AI, AV, and the Evolving Role of the Integrator

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Dave Hatz, VP of Machine Intelligence at CTI, a major AV integrator and events company, shares his journey from AV programming into AI leadership.

How AI is reshaping the AV integrator’s role, from hardware-centric deployments to software-driven, experience-focused solutions
The shift from complex, bespoke AV setups to scalable, software-upgradable Microsoft Teams Rooms and how this enables sustainability and innovation
The growing importance of AI features like intelligent cameras, transcription, and meeting recap, and how AV professionals can support these capabilities
From personal productivity tools to organisational workflows, Dave discusses how CTI helps clients integrate AI

Thanks to Neat for sponsoring this podcast episode and for their ongoing support.

Managing Microsoft Teams at Enterprise Scale

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:00:00 +0100

Callum Moore is an Enterprise Product Manager for Microsoft Teams at a global organisation supporting nearly 400,000 users. Drawing on his experience across professional services, healthcare, retail, and banking, Callum shares practical insights into managing Teams at scale.

• Client Health and Admin Tools: New Teams Admin Center dashboards are available for monitoring client version compliance, crashes, and update failures. These tools offer a more accessible way to identify issues that may otherwise go unreported and influence user perception.

• User Experience and Communication: The benefits of promoting smaller, user-focused features—such as keyboard shortcuts—and using tools like Viva Engage or Copilot to support internal communications. Callum encourages creating informal spaces for users to explore features at their own pace.

• AI and Copilot Integration: The conversation touches on how AI is influencing product management and organisational structures. Callum notes the growing need for concise, actionable information to keep pace with Microsoft’s evolving roadmap.

• Feedback and Community: Emphasising the importance of two-way dialogue, Callum encourages organisations to share feedback with Microsoft and engage with peers to surface common challenges and influence product direction.

• Troubleshooting and Network Testing: The episode also explores upcoming features like silent test calls and remote log collection

Thanks to Landis for sponsoring this podcast episode and for their ongoing support.

Microsoft Teams Update - July 2025

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - July 2025

Microsoft FY26
Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition GA
Summarise transferred calls in Teams with Copilot
Teams client health dashboard
Teams client Silent Test Calls
Teams Rooms Pro Portal Al
Researcher and Analyst Agents GA
Real-time voice is coming in M365 Copilot Events

Thanks to Pure IP, 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 on Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft's AI Shift and Fastest Ever Changes with Mary Jo Foley

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:00:00 +0100

Mary Jo Foley, celebrated tech journalist and current Editor in Chief at Directions on Microsoft, joins the podcast to delve into the rise of AI and Copilot at Microsoft and the ever-increasing pace of change.

Mary Jo's journey from tech journalism to leading content strategy at Directions on Microsoft
Insights into how enterprise organizations are navigating Microsoft's swift AI advancements
The impact and challenges of Microsoft's Copilot and agent offerings on enterprise licensing and strategy
Challenges understanding the complexities of Microsoft's pricing and licensing models, particularly regarding new AI services

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

Operators Driving Customer Success - Colt and AudioCodes Live Platform strategic partnership

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0100

David Renfree, Manager of UC Sales Specialists at Colt Technology Services, and Jason Wyatt, EMEA Marketing Director at AudioCodes, discuss evolving operator services and how Colt is innovating in enterprise connectivity through their partnership with AudioCodes.

Strategic Partnership: Colt utilizes AudioCodes Live Platform to enhance enterprise voice services and efficiency

Award-Winning Cooperation: Colt recognised by AudioCodes for excellence as Live Platform and Service Provider of the Year

Tailored Solutions: Offers flexible, multi-vendor integration to meet diverse enterprise requirements

Advanced UC Management: Provides comprehensive service management for both cloud and on-premise environments

AI and Business Impact: Focuses on AI-driven solutions for superior business outcomes beyond traditional telecom

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

Transforming Meeting Spaces with AI: The year ahead, Mehryn Corrigan, WW Channel Sales Teams Rooms

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0100

Mehryn Corrigan, Microsoft Global Channel Sales lead, Microsoft Teams Rooms, discusses the evolution of Teams Rooms and AI and the future of meeting spaces.

AV and IT Convergence: Exploring the integration of AV and IT in meeting room setups and how partners are evolving their roles

AI in Meeting Rooms: Enhancements such as speaker recognition, AI assistants, and Copilot are transforming meeting experiences

Simplifying Room Deployments: Efforts to streamline setup and management are making modern meeting rooms more accessible

Future Opportunities for Partners: With the addition of Microsoft Places and AI, partners are poised to expand their service offerings beyond hardware

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

Dan Root explains Barco's ClickShare Microsoft Teams strategy and why they chose MDEP

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Dan Root of ClickShare by Barco offers insights into their new Microsoft Teams Rooms solutions and use of Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform

ClickShare's new Android-based modular compute systems supporting Microsoft Teams Rooms and BYOD experiences
How ClickShare integrates with existing ecosystems, providing flexibility and compatibility for diverse meeting room needs
Insights into the partnership with Microsoft using the MDEP platform and how it supports enhanced security and management
Announcement of partnerships and certified bundles

Thanks to Dan Root for sharing his expertise and to Landis, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support

Video Rooms market perspective and latest news from Jabra with VP of Product, Olly Henderson

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Olly Henderson, VP of Product at Jabra, discusses the evolution of meeting room technology and what Jabra is focused on based on customer feedback and insights.

Launch of Panacast 40 VBS: A new Android bar for enhancing small huddle rooms with affordable, high-quality AV solutions.
Role of Edge AI: Utilising edge AI for optimal performance and less cloud reliance in Jabra's video solutions.
Future of BYOD: Jabra enables adaptable BYOD experiences, allowing easy upgrades to native conferencing systems.
Strategic Collaborations: Leveraging MDEP integration and partnerships to enrich Jabra's enterprise solutions.
Streamlined Deployment: Reducing costs with zero-touch setup and Jabra Plus management platform improvements.

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

Microsoft Teams Update - June 2025

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - June 2025

Microsoft 365 Leadership Changes
New Microsoft Teams 'Thread" Layout for Channels
Teams Phone extensibility - Public Preview
Remote collection of diagnostic logs from users' Teams clients
Operator Connect Updates
Immediate SBA Upgrade Required
Microsoft Retiring Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel
Teams Devices News from InfoComm
Events

Thanks to Landis, 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 on Empowering.Cloud

Microsoft Teams Recording and Transcription Uncovered, Ritika Gupta, Microsoft Group Product Manager

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Ritika Gupta, Microsoft Group Product Manager, delves into the power of AI in Microsoft Teams, focusing on recording, transcription, and intelligent recap.

Ritika highlights the shift of recording and transcription from convenience to essential for AI capabilities like intelligent recap and Copilot.
Overcome language barriers with Interpreter Agent
Real-time transcription challenges and AI improvements for more accurate language processing and cultural understanding.
Compliance controls and policies for IT to ensure secure and effective use of recording and transcription.

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

MDEP (Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform) Explained: Microsoft Teams Android devices and beyond

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Chris Johnson, Senior Director, Android Product & Engineering for MDEP at Microsoft, sheds light on the intricacies of Android and the Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform (MDEP)

MDEP's objective to deliver a secure, manageable Android OS tailored for enterprise environments
How Microsoft collaborates with chipset vendors and OEMs to support device innovation and reduce fragmentation
The importance of regular updates and patches in maintaining security, and how long-term support works
Looking ahead to new developments, including upcoming features in Android 15 and MDEP’s continued evolution

Thanks to Chris Johnson for offering great insight into MDEP and the devices landscape.

Big thanks to Jabra for sponsoring the podcast

Unpacking Teams Phone Mobile with VMO2's Duncan Finlay

Wed, 28 May 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Exploring Teams Phone Mobile with Virgin Media O2's Duncan Finlay

Duncan discusses his extensive telecom experience and current role at VMO2, sharing insights into the integration of fixed and mobile technologies.
We explore the significant benefits of Teams Phone Mobile, focusing on its seamless integration with Microsoft ecosystems to enhance corporate communication strategies.
The conversation highlights potential cost and operational efficiencies, offering a new vision for businesses tackling legacy technology transitions.
We delve into VMO2's innovative deployment solutions with Microsoft and PingCo, which simplify the setup and management process for enterprises.

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

Microsoft Teams Update - May 2025

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - May 2025

Microsoft Earnings FY25 Q3 – M365 Highlights
Microsoft 365 news from Microsoft Build
Office 365 / Microsoft Teams EU antitrust update
9 Microsoft Teams Roadmap Highlights
Operator Connect and Teams Phone Mobile updates
Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android updates
Teams Devices updates
Events

Thanks to AudioCodes, 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 on Empowering.Cloud

Trends in UCaaS and AI with Craig Durr and Kevin Kieller

Wed, 21 May 2025 09:00:00 +0100

Kevin Kieller, EnableUC and Craig Durr, The Collab Collective, discuss their perspectives with Tom Arbuthnot live from Comms vNext, exploring how AI is reshaping workplace collaboration.

Comparing AI developments across UCaaS platforms, Microsoft's Copilot, Zoom's AI companion, and Google's Gemini.
How AI is evolving from a tool to a teammate, with discussion on platforms integrating AI to enhance meeting and workflow effectiveness.
The role of trust in AI adoption and how reliable AI interactions can increase productivity and streamline work processes.
Future AI developments including agent orchestration and the integration of multiple AI systems

Thanks to Kevin Kieller and Craig Durr for their insightful contributions and to SCB Global for sponsoring podcasts at Comms vNext

Inside Gong’s AI Microsoft Teams Integration

Wed, 14 May 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Patrick Burke from Gong shares insights on how they are using AI to maximise RevOps and how they use Numonix TRaaS to pull insights from Microsoft Teams meetings.

Gong's evolution into a revenue AI platform, how it helps sales teams improve performance by integrating insights directly into CRM systems.
Integrations with platforms like Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and HubSpot allow seamless data gathering and analysis to refine and support data-driven sales strategies.
Media capture and compliance capabilities enabled by Gong's partnership with Numonix, ensuring secure and efficient use of call data for business insights.
Patrick offers a glimpse into the future of AI in sales, including potential chat centric integrations

Thanks to Patrick Burke for sharing his expertise and to Numonix for sponsoring this insightful discussion.

Rolling Out 200 Teams Rooms globally in 90 Days and driving savings at SCOR

Wed, 07 May 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Tom Arbuthnot talks with Reto Schadegg, Global IT Infrastructure Manager at SCOR, about how they rolled out 200 Microsoft Teams Rooms across 35 countries in just 90 days.

SCOR's delivered a rapid global deployment by leveraging prior standardization and planning.
Neat Bar Pro was selected after hands-on testing, becoming the core device for most rooms.
The rollout achieved a 40% reduction in operational costs and six-figure savings overall.
A streamlined support model now manages 200 rooms with just 1.5 FTEs on second-line support.
SCOR's shift to Teams Phone continues, aiming to phase out desk phones and reduce telecom costs.

Thanks to Neat, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support and for helping to make content like this possible

Compliance Recording in Microsoft Teams: What It Really Takes and How to Choose

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Tom Arbuthnot chats with Michael Levy, CEO of Numonix, about what it really takes to deliver compliance-grade recording in Microsoft Teams.

Compliance recording is centrally managed, encrypted, and built to meet regulations like GDPR and MiFID II.
Microsoft certification requires rigorous audits, financial commitment, and ongoing platform alignment.
Vendors must continuously adapt to Teams updates to maintain compatibility and compliance.
Numonix powers advanced features like filtered recording, native Teams app support, and AI integration.

Thanks for listening to this deep dive into compliance recording and how it’s evolving with Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams Update - April 2025

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - April 2025

Teams clients older than 90 days will be blocked
General Channel is back
Detect sensitive content screen shared in meetings
Share PowerPoint control with all presenters
New Unify Contact Center to Microsoft Teams Integration model
Enforcement of Teams Phone license checks for Extend Contact Centres and Attendant Consoles
M365 Copilot Chat will be pinned by default in Teams and Outlook
Teams Devices Updates
Roadmap Watch

Bookable Desks in Microsoft Teams Explained

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Tom Arbuthnot is joined by Microsoft’s Evie Grimshaw to dive into bookable desks in Microsoft Teams and how they fit into the broader solution with Microsoft Places.

Bookable desks work with existing Teams devices and software—no new hardware or installs are needed.
Bookable desks supports end-to-end booking, from remote reservations to automatic in-office check-ins.
Employees maintain control over location visibility with flexible opt-in privacy settings.
Admins get actionable insights into desk usage via integrated analytics in Teams and Places.
Upcoming updates will expand desk booking options and enhance intelligent peripheral mapping for admins.

Thanks to Pure IP, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support and for helping to make content like this possible

Exploring Teams Phone Mobile: Mobile UCaaS Integration in Enterprise

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0100

Tom Arbuthnot speaks with Adam Holtby, a Principal Analyst at Omdia, about the evolving landscape of Teams Phone Mobile, mobile UCaaS integration and its strategic impact on organizations.

Discussion Points:

Challenges: Tom and Adam discuss the slow adoption of mobile UCaaS, highlighting the need for better integration between cellular networks and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams and Cisco WebEx
Opportunity: The opportunity for telcos to become key integrators of advanced communication solutions, enhancing their business value.
Strategic Benefits for Enterprises: A centralized approach to managing mobile and fixed collaboration tools can significantly reduce costs and improve operational efficiency for multinational companies
Security and Compliance: Benefits for regulated industries like financial services, where secure and compliant communication is essential.

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support and for helping to make content like this possible

Copilot and AI in the Legal Sector and Work Transformation - Matt Peers, Global COO, Pinsent Mason

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0100

Matt Peers, the Global COO of Pinsent Masons, shares his insights on the adoption of modern work technologies, particularly AI and Microsoft's Copilot, within the legal sector.

Matt discusses his professional journey, including his experiences as both a CIO and COO in prominent legal and professional services firms. He focuses on how he's led efforts to modernize workplaces through technology.
How the legal sector is embracing AI—not as a replacement for lawyers, but as a tool to augment their capabilities. AI enables legal professionals to deliver higher-quality work and respond to clients more quickly.
How AI has become an important tool in legal operations, helping streamline tasks like meeting notes, summarizing conversations, and managing workloads more effectively.
Matt highlights the importance of continuous training, storytelling, and leveraging early adopters to drive the adoption of Copilot and AI technologies within organizations.

Thanks to Pure IP, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support and for helping to make content like this possible.

Thoughts on the Future of Collaboration with Greg Baribault, VP of Product & Portfolio Management, HP

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0100

In this episode, we’re joined by Greg Baribault, who leads the HP business and brings a 26-year legacy from Microsoft, offering unique insights into the evolution and future of collaborative technology.

Greg reflects on his transition from Microsoft, where he worked across Exchange Server, Skype for Business, and Microsoft Teams, to leading hardware innovation at HP.
He discusses the evolution of Skype Room Systems to Microsoft Teams Rooms and the importance of seamless, instant meeting starts.
Greg shares how HP is integrating technologies from Polycom, Plantronics, HP, and now Vyoppta to create a cohesive, user-friendly experience in both physical and virtual meeting spaces.

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

Microsoft Teams Queues App with Scott Plette, Partner Group Product Manager - Calling and Premium

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Scott Plette, Partner Group Program Manager for Teams Calling and Premium shares his insights into how the Queues app is offering new capabilities and value to customers.

How Queues App is enhancing team collaboration, managing customer calls, and providing reporting and insights
Upcoming features include shared call history, integration with Microsoft Shifts, and enhanced mobile capabilities
How the integration of AI, including Copilot features, will provide intelligent insights, automate call recaps, and enhance customer interaction analytics.
Advanced call monitoring features coming soon include barge, whisper, and monitor functionalities

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support and for helping to make content like this possible

Microsoft Teams Update - Enterprise Connect Special - March 2025

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - Enterprise Connect Special - March 2025

10 Teams Client Updates
Live Web Chat
Interpreter Agent Demo
8 Meetings and Events Updates
Facilitator Agent on MTR
9 Teams Rooms and Places Updates
Teams Phone Extensibility Explained
9 Teams Phone Updates
Events

The Path from PBX to Microsoft Teams Phone with Tom Garland, Global Service Delivery Manager

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Tom Garland, Global Service Delivery Manager at Willis Towers Watson shares an insight to the journey from traditional PBX systems to Skype for Business, and then to Microsoft Teams.

Key considerations and challenges in implementing such large-scale telephony changes across a diverse global workforce
The importance of aligning projects with business requirements and managing user expectations to prevent operational complications
Specific regional challenges, and experience in implementing Operator Connect in countries like India
The importance of adhering to compliance requirements through sophisticated call recording systems and practical approaches for managing call data efficiently

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

Mastering Microsoft 365 Change with Ally Ward, M365 Global Service Owner

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Ally Ward, M365 Global Service Owner at a major legal firm, unravels the complexities of managing Microsoft 365 change, sharing effective strategies for handling frequent updates and ensuring seamless IT operations.

Ally's role in managing Microsoft 365 changes, focusing on assessing the impact of updates and determining necessary actions for adoption or compliance
How change information can be distributed through Teams channels and how to alert relevant subject matter experts to the appropriate information
Balancing the need for awareness with the risk of information overload in terms of end-user communication
The value of investing in resources to manage Microsoft 365 change effectively

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

Copilot Practical Applications and Success Stories with Sarah Miller

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Sarah Miller, Senior Product Marketing Manager - Microsoft 365 Copilot at Microsoft, dives into practical applications of Microsoft Copilot Agents

The concept of Copilots and the journey organisations take to adopt and integrate this AI technology effectively
Real-world use cases, including how Pets at Home are using AI agents to improve operations and efficiency
Importance of enterprise security in AI adoption
The concept of AI agents, their functions and business value across different industries
How Copilot Dashboard and Success Kit can assist organisations in measuring AI impact and managing AI deployment

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

Microsoft Teams Phone and Rooms at Kingfisher, Revolutionising Retail Communications

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Matt Sheldrick, M365 Product Designer at Kingfisher, a multi-national retail group with renowned brands including B&Q and Screwfix, shares how the organisation has embraced Microsoft Teams to revolutionise collaboration.

How Kingfisher deployed video capabilities in all meeting rooms and even stores
The importance of quick, efficient and robust room setups
The transition to Teams Phone and streamlining communication, focusing on flexibility and local presence
AI adoption and automation enhancing productivity

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

Understanding Microsoft Teams Premium: Features and Use Cases

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Mansoor Malik, Principal Group Product Manager - Microsoft Teams at Microsoft, explores the world of Microsoft Teams Premium, a significant focus for Microsoft in 2025.

Teams Premium enables organisations to better manage communications and advanced workloads efficiently in a hybrid workplace.
Headline features include Intelligent Recap, Queues app and Microsoft Places
Find out about lesser-known but still valuable features
Realising the ROI for Teams Premium

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

Microsoft Teams Update - February 2025

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - February 2025

Microsoft Teams Rooms Express Install
ISE News and New Devices
MDEP – New OEMs and ODMs
MTRoW Boards + Edge WebApps
MTRoW Multiple Camera View
Microsoft Teams Super Resolution
New Teams Phone Mobile Provider
Roadmap
Events

UC Status Podcast Crossover- Thoughts on 2025 from a combined 40+ years in UC

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:00:00 +0000

In a podcast crossover, Tom Arbuthnot joins friends Randy Chapman, Mark Vale, and Shawn Harry in episode 65 of the UC Status Podcast, where they discuss all things Microsoft Teams, AI, and future innovations.

What were the big Microsoft Teams features of 2024, and a look at the Roadmap for 2025
The impact of Teams Premium on user experiences and how businesses are leveraging its features, including branding, intelligent recaps and integration with external platforms
The increasing support of BYOD rooms
Copilot's future trajectory and how AI will impact contact center

Chandra Chivukula, Vice President, Engineering Microsoft Teams

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Chandra Chivukula, Vice President of Engineering for Microsoft Teams, talks to Tom about the engineering strategies behind Microsoft Teams and how moving all users to the new client in 2024 has enabled more efficient and agile collaboration and a foundation for future innovation.

Evolution of Microsoft Teams and Architecture
How Microsoft successfully transitioned over 320 million users to the new Teams client
The goal of consistency of Teams features across different platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS and Android
Release management, internal rings and the TAP program

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

Video Rooms in 2025 with Olly Henderson, Head of Video Product Jabra

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

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.

City of Independence, from Analog Phones to Microsoft Teams and Five9 over 20 locations

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

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.

Microsoft Teams Phone Success at Derby City Council

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

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.

Customer Stories and Enhancing Meetings with AI, Brad Hintze, Crestron

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

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.

"AV and IT have converged", Tim Albright AVNation

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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 Update - January 2025

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

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

Bring Your Own Device Microsoft Teams Meetings with Eshan Mathur, Senior Product Manager

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0000

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.

Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone in 2025 with Metrigy's Irwin Lazar

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0000

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.

Teams Phone Product Management - Balancing Innovation and Fundamentals

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000

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.

From Microsoft to SOFTEL: Aaron Steele's Teams Journey

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:00:00 +0000

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.

Truly Cloud Native SBCs and voice services with Mark Cobbold at Ribbon

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Mark Cobbold, Vice President of Product Management at Ribbon Communications, explores the evolution of telecom networks from hardware to cloud-native solutions.

The benefits of cloud-native deployments include reduced operational costs, improved software velocity and robust network security
The variety of cloud deployment models and how they cater for different business needs
Using real-time insights into network performance to help pinpoint and resolve issues efficiently
Ribbon's innovative approach to cloud architecture, enabling flexibility, security and operational efficiency

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

Deploying Teams Rooms and Teams Phone in Finance

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Charles Mason, Head of Digital Workplace at TP ICAP shares insights into the deployment of Microsoft Teams Rooms and Teams Phone, and the impact of Copilot.

Selecting and standardizing Teams Rooms equipment across a global office network
Complexities of integrating Teams Phone with legacy and trader voice systems in the finance industry
TP ICAPs' journey with Copilot, including compliance considerations and how AI is streamlining productivity and innovation
Managing fast-paced changes in Microsoft 365 environments whilst ensuring compliance and operational efficiency in the finance industry
The future of digital workplace technologies in optimising collaboration and business operations

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

Multicam and Multistream video with Logitech's Henry Levak

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Henry Levak, Vice President of Product at Logitech for Business, discusses the company's innovations in video conferencing technology and workplace experiences.

The Logi Sight was recently recognised among Time's best innovations of 2024
Development of multi-camera and multi-stream technology
Logi's new software capabilities, including auto-booking and releasing meeting rooms to combat 'ghost meetings'
Future innovations in Logi product offerings, including insights and analytics

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

Teams Phone Theme Parks and Attractions Globally

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Paul Cornish, UC Architect at Merlin Entertainment, dives into the unique challenges of deploying communications in large theme parks, hotels and attractions globally.

Merlin operates around 140 attractions worldwide, each with unique telephony needs
The transition from Skype for Business to Teams
Cloud-based telephony and its cost-effectiveness
Standardisation in meeting room technology
Best practices for managing complex deployments

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

Jabra Enhance Value with Device Updates

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Josh Blalock, Chief Video Evangelist at Jabra, discusses the latest developments in Jabra's video solutions, focusing on the PanaCast 50 and VBS.

Jabra's PanaCast series includes innovative video solutions for meetings
The significant feature adds over the life of the PanaCast 50
Jabra's Android Bar - features and flexibility
Working closely with Microsoft and MDEP

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

The Future of Event Management with Microsoft Teams

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:00:00 +0000

Preethi Ramarathinam, Head of Product - Microsoft Teams Virtual Event at Microsoft, dives into Teams capabilities for hosting large external virtual events, webinars, and town halls.

Microsoft Teams is expanding beyond traditional collaboration scenarios
Internal large use cases for Microsoft Teams include AMA sessions and Town Halls
External use cases such as training and product launches
Recent key features
Future Roadmap for Teams event and AI integration

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

Microsoft Teams Impact on Telephony, Patrick Watson, Head of Research Cavell

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Patrick Watson, Head of Research at Cavell, discusses the evolving landscape of telephony, the impact of Microsoft Teams, market trends and the role of AI in Contact Centers.

Microsoft Teams has significantly disrupted the telephony market
Direct routing remains the dominant solution for Teams telephony users
Discussing market dynamics and trends in telephony and differences in the enterprise and SMB markets
AI is set to transform contact centers
Look out for Cavell Enable London in December

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

Reinventing Workplace Collaboration with AI

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Mohammed Khalifa, Microsoft Alliance Manager HP Poly and Kimberly Tee, Lenovo Smart Collaboration EMEA join Tom to dive deep into the evolving landscape of collaborative tools and meeting room technology

The shift in innovation focus from major updates to software and hardware hardware refinements
Exploring AI's role in the meeting room: automatic enhancements vs user-driven experiences
Barriers to adoption including IT administration, cyber security concerns and organizational readiness

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

Key Considerations for Greenfield Workspaces, Pardeep Gill, Senior Enterprise Architect

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Pardeep Gill, Senior Enterprise Architect at a global legal firm, shares his insights on the role of technology in modern workspaces.

Flexible workspaces are becoming essential in professional services
User experience is a key focus in modern office designs
Sustainability must also be considered in technology procurement
AV design must be integrated early in new builds
Interoperability between meeting platforms is crucial in enterprise environments

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

The Need for Meeting Interop with Pexip CEO Trond Johannessen

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Trond Johannessen, CEO of Pexip, discusses the evolution of video conferencing, the increasing demand for interoperability between UCaaS solutions and the customer use case for secure self-hosted meeting.

Pexip's Microsoft certified solution connects meeting rooms to cloud meeting platforms, enhancing collaboration and catering for both cloud and on-premise deployment needs
Why meeting platform interoperability is becoming essential as organizations use multiple platforms
Explaining Pexip Secure meeting solutions and where they meet a need in regulated industries and the public sector

The Year of Recovery for Video Rooms and the Relevance of BYOD

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Roopam Jain, Vice President of Research, Information and Communications Technologies at Frost & Sullivan, explores the evolution of room video systems, the impact of hybrid work and office modernisation.

The influence of the UC/Collab platform on room system decisions
The transformative role of AI in enhancing meeting experiences
BYOD is becoming a significant part of the meeting experience
Sustainability is a key consideration in workplace technology

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

What is the Microsoft 365 CAPE team?

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Anthony Woodruff, Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, discusses his role working with customers in the Microsoft 365 Customer and Partner Ecosystem Team, Copilot in Microsoft Teams and the wider challenges and impact of AI adoption.

AI-powered tools can significantly improve productivity and efficiency
Copilot use cases: summarizing conversations, onboarding new employees and streamlining workflows
The potential of AI to revolutionise education

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

The Benefits and Challenges of UC Standardisation with Ryan Herbst

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Ryan Herbst, Vice President and Chief Strategist at UnifiedCommunications.com discusses the evolution of the unified communications industry and the challenges and opportunities it presents. He highlights the importance of standardisation and the balance between innovation and maintaining a consistent user experience.

The importance of standardisation in customer deployments
The challenge of balancing innovation and maintaining a consistent user experience for organisations
Impact of AI in meetings including transcription and multi-camera capabilities
Factors beyond technical specifications to consider when choosing devices

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

Microsoft Teams Update - October 2024

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - October 2024

Gartner 2024 UCaaS MQ
3 New Teams Phone Features
Operator Connect 100 countries, 103 providers
Microsoft Teams New calendar experience
Limit Frontline Worker access to Teams when off shift
Block the AI bots
Voice and face enrollment on by default
Microsoft Places - Core and Premium GA November
End of Support for Skype for Business Server 2015 and 2019
Microsoft Teams Rooms & Devices News
Microsoft 365 Copilot News
Events

Unified Communications Challenges and Success in the Legal Sector

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0100

Ryan McCarty, Senior Unified Communications Engineer at a legal firm explores the unique challenges of unified communications within the legal sector, the need for interoperability, user education and technology standardisation.

Unique challenges of the legal sector presents
Interoperability is crucial as clients dictate meeting platforms
Managing change and user adoption strategies in Microsoft Teams Rooms
The importance of daily system checks to ensure reliability in high-stakes environments

Thanks to Landis, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of the community.

Teams Phone Mobile, a perspective from Harold Wortman, Senior Product Manager, Verizon

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Harold Wortman, Senior Product Manager - Mobile Unified Communications at Verizon, discusses the journey of deploying Teams phone mobile, feature development and mobile as a default mode of communication,

Teams Phone Mobile offers a seamless mobile communication experience within the Teams platform
Significant, with interest from small to medium-sized businesses, enterprises, and government organizations
Widespread adoption may take time due to the complexity of integrating with different mobile operators
Security and compliance are important considerations for organizations, and Teams Phone Mobile can help

Thanks to Ribbon, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of the community.

Tampa International Airport - Embracing Microsoft Teams and AV Innovation

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0100

Doug Wycoff, Director of Digital Technologies and Innovation at Tampa International Airport, and Rebecca Criswell, Account Manager at AVI-SPL, explain the technological innovations at Tampa International Airport, including use of Microsoft Teams, digital signage, and advanced AV solutions.

The rapid technological transformation from pre-Covid to present and the acceleration of Microsoft Teams adoption
Importance of standardisation across different room sizes and configurations in the airport's SkyCenter to ensure efficiency and ease of maintenance
Hot desking solution enabling flexibility for employees to reserve and use spaces efficiently with real-time location tracking
Tampa Airport's outdoor parking lot video wall offering up-to-date flight information to help manage traffic and improve customer experience
The importance of innovative solutions and strong vendor relationships

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

Microsoft Copilot's Role in Compliance, Governance and Adoption

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0100

MVP Ragnar Heil, Business Development Manager Microsoft at HanseVision explores the role of Copilot in governance and compliance, as well as the importance of user adoption and change management in successful implementation of Copilot.

The need for organisations to prioritise governance and compliance for Copilot
Copilot's role in making governance more accessible
The role of user adoption and change management in Copilot implementation
Managing content freshness and organizing content with labels in Copilot
Building a Copilot community with Viva Engage and Viva Insights' potential to enhance governance and adoption efforts

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

Comparing Dynamics 365 Contact Center to Teams Contact Centers with Chris Goodwill

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Chris Goodwill, Strategic Partner Manager and Solutions Specialist at Symity discusses the evolution of Microsoft's Contact Center and the new Dynamics 365 Contact Center

Understanding Dynamics 365 Contact Center, Microsoft's Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)
How Microsoft is driving with AI features
Dynamics 365 Contact Center vs Teams Ecosystem solutions
Licensing and pricing considerations
The future of chatbots and multi-lingual support

Thanks to Logitech, this episode's sponsor, for their support of Empowering.Cloud and the community.

AudioCodes CEO Shabtai Adlersberg - The AudioCodes journey, Hardware to SaaS to AI

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0100

Shabtai Adlersberg, Co-Founder, CEO and President of AudioCodes shares the fascinating journey of AudioCodes over the past 31 years, from its establishment to becoming a leader in the voice industry and more recent journey into SaaS and AI.

Shabtai's background in engineering and digital signal processing, before co-founding AudioCodes
AudioCodes evolution from focusing on algorithms to developing chipsets and then progressing to gateways and SBCs
The impact of partnering with Microsoft on AudioCodes success, from Lync to Microsoft Teams
Challenges and opportunities during market disruptions caused by technological advancements and the pandemic
The transition from hardware to SaaS platforms
The future vision for AudioCodes, leveraging conversational AI to enhance products and solutions

Microsoft Teams Update - September 2024

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - September 2024

No more General Channel
Callback for call queues
Microsoft Teams Intelligent recap coming for ad-hoc meetings and calls
Teams Client Updates Channel Improvements
5 Town hall Updates
Additional languages - Copilot for Microsoft 365
CNS Retirement Updates - old phones will get an update
6 Microsoft Teams Rooms Updates
New Certified Devices
Events

Microsoft M365 Telco Strategy with Taimoor Husain

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Taimoor Husain, Global Telco M365 GTM Strategy Lead at Microsoft, discusses the Microsoft Teams telephony landscape, the rise of Operator Connect and the future of Teams Phone.

The transition from Skype for Business to Teams and the resulting changes in operators' business models
The growth of Microsoft Teams Operator Connect
Teams telephony options including Microsoft Calling Plans, Direct Routing, Operator Connect and Teams Phone Mobile
How Copilot is set to revolutionize telephony by enhancing productivity and support
The SMB and mid-market opportunity
Future developments in telephony, including new tools, APIs, features and incentivised partner programs

Thanks to Numonix, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of Empowering.Cloud

What is the True Value of Copilot?

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Brett Johnson, Microsoft 365 Copilot GBB (Global Black Belt), shares his personal and customer experience of how Copilot in Microsoft Teams and beyond is streamlining meetings, communications and workflows.

Examples of Copilot for driving efficiency in customer operations
How Copilot is revolutionising data handling
The future of Copilot, including agent-based capabilities and customer Copilots

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

Mahendra Sekaran, Corporate Vice President Teams Phone, M365 at Microsoft

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Mahendra Sekaran, Corporate Vice President, Teams Phone, M365 at Microsoft discusses the journey of Microsoft Teams, his role, Understanding IC3 (Intelligent Conversations and Communications Cloud) and ACS (Azure Communication Services) and how they related to Microsoft Teams and leveraging AI in development.

The Microsoft Teams journey and Mahendra's perspective
Understanding IC3, ACS and Microsoft Teams PSTN connectivity
Thoughts on Teams Phone Mobile
The importance of reliability, security and customer feedback in driving improvements
Future developments include leveraging AI to enhance communication experiences and simplify telephony adoption

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

Dynamics 365 Contact Center Explained with Alan Ross, Partner Group PM Manager

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Alan Ross, Partner Group PM Manager, Dynamics 365 Contact Center at Microsoft delves into Dynamics 365 Contact Center and the role of Copilot in improving agent productivity and customer experience.

Features and capabilities of Dynamics 365 Contact Center
Decoupling from Dynamics 365 customer service
How Copilot enhances the agent experience by providing context-aware suggestions, knowledge search and conversation summaries
How Dynamics 365 Contact Center relates to/integrates with Microsoft Teams
Customer success stories and future developments in Dynamics 365 Contact Center

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

Neat and Shure’s Integration: What is the Benefit to Customers?

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Sherri Pipala, Senior Director Global Alliances at Neat, and Tyler Troutman, Strategic Market Development Team at Shure, discuss the partnership between Neat and Shure and their collaboration which addresses challenges faced in larger rooms with complex audio requirements and the need for seamless integration between Neat and Shure devices.

Neat and Shure have partnered to provide audio and video solutions for Microsoft Teams Rooms
Challenges faced in larger rooms with complex audio requirements
Seamless integration between Neat and Shure devices is essential for a seamless user experience
Importance of audio quality
Options available for customers include table arrays, ceiling arrays and wireless microphones
The value of proof-of-concept programs and testing in your specific environment

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

Shawn Harry's Journey Deploying Microsoft UC in Big & Complex Customers

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Shawn Harry, Microsoft 365 Solutions Architect, shares his journey in the Microsoft Unified Communications space. Tom and Shawn talk about the evolution of the UC landscape and the challenges of managing and deploying Microsoft Teams in enterprise environments.

Shawn's early experiences in the Unified Communications space
The shift from on-premises solutions to cloud
Complexities and challenges of managing Microsoft Teams in enterprise environments
The role of a Teams and Microsoft 365 Product Owner
Maximising the full potential of your Microsoft 365 investment by staying on top of the constant changes

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

Support Timelines for Android Teams Rooms and Phones - a Customer Perspective

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0100

Dan Hall, Global IT Collaboration Solution Owner at a large manufacturing company gives us a view on using Android-based Phones and Rooms for Microsoft Teams and support timeline considerations.

The impact of an upcoming Microsoft infrastructure change on older Android phones and Teams Rooms
The need for organisations to understand the support timelines of Android-based devices
The importance of working closely with OEMs to understand their devices, chipsets and support timelines
Considering using SIP phones for common area phones and BYOD

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

Microsoft Teams Update - August 2024

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:00:00 +0100

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

Understanding Teams SIP Gateway with Chandranshu Singh, Senior Product Manager

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 09:00:00 +0100

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.

DERTOUR Tour Operator and Travel Agency on Microsoft Teams and Enhancing Customer Experience

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Lessons from BT's Large Scale Microsoft Teams Rooms Deployment

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Microsoft Devices Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) Explained

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0100

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

AV and UC Converging with John Bailey, Senior Vice President AVI-SPL

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 20:00:00 +0100

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

Microsoft Mesh, Real-world Use cases and AI Futures

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0100

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 July 2024

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0100

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.

The Evolution of Microsoft Teams Rooms and Devices with Craig Durr

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0100

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.

Enhancing Efficiency at Century Communities with Microsoft Teams Phone

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0100

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

Making your Microsoft Teams Meeting Room Intelligent

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Chris Fitzsimmons, Senior Solutions Architect at AVI-SPL and MVP Tom Arbuthnot explore Copilot and AI in Microsoft Teams Rooms and BYOD, what is available today, what is coming, and the value it brings

Intelligent Meeting Recap and Copilot
Intelligent Speakers and speaker recognition in MTR and BYOD
Intelligent Camera and identity recognition in the meeting room
Hardware considerations for optimising AI experiences.
The dilemma of AI progress and user preferences

Thanks to AVI-SPL, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of the Empowering.Cloud community.

Microsoft Teams Update - June 2024

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:00:00 +0100

Microsoft Teams (and Dynamics 365 Contact Center and Places) Monthly Update Briefing - June 2024

New Dynamics 365 standalone "Copilot" Contact Center
Microsoft Places Public Preview
Team Copilot and Custom Copilot Agents - Copilot gets proactive!
New Teams Devices
9 Teams Roadmap Updates

Thanks to AudioCodes, 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.

Truly Working from Anywhere with Teams Phone Mobile

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Robert Skyrme, BT/EE Technical Pre-Sales Consultant and Tom Arbuthnot explore everything Teams Phone Mobile, including its benefits and real-world use cases for field workers, sales teams and engineering teams.

Teams Phone Mobile is an integration of the mobile identity with Microsoft Teams, eliminating the need for separate telephone numbers and voicemails
It allows users to make and receive calls from Teams on various devices, seamlessly migrating calls between the native mobile dialer and Teams
The integration is done at the network level, allowing users to take advantage of Teams features for every call, including compliance recording.
The service is currently available through select mobile operators
Use cases for Teams Phone Mobile include field workers, sales teams, engineering teams, and those focused on compliance or CRM integration

Thanks to Landis, this episode's sponsor for helping to make content like this possible!

The Importance of Employee Education in Adopting AI to Drive Meaningful Change

Wed, 29 May 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Jamie Wheeldon, Chief Architect at Symity and MVP Tom Arbuthnot dive deep into the impact of generative AI on the Modern Workplace. Listen to their discussion around the challenges and opportunities that adopting AI technologybrings, and the need for organisations to educate employees on using AI tools effectively to drive meaningful change.

Potential for AI to solve productivity and information overload challenges
Ethical considerations including data security and intellectual property
Microsoft's role in AI adoption including Copilot tools across Microsoft 365, GitHub and Power BI
The need for a structured approach to adopting AI and continuous learning to leverage AI tools effectively
The potential for AI to revolutionise education

How to be More Efficient whilst Staying Compliant: Considerations for Teams Meeting Recordings & Transcripts

Wed, 22 May 2024 10:00:00 +0100

Richard Barrett, Microsoft 365 Technical Specialist and Tom Arbuthnot discuss the power of meeting recording, transcription and AI tools in Microsoft Teams, and how organisations balance the importance of explicit consent, controls and policies.

How explicit consent for recording and transcribing meetings works
The ability to control access and also easily share recordings where appropriate
Importance of controls and policies regarding transcripts for industries dealing with sensitive data such as law firms and financial services
The value of AI-powered features such as Copilot and Intelligent Recap in saving time and enhancing productivity

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

Microsoft Teams Rooms, BYOD and making the right choices with MVP Randy Chapman

Wed, 15 May 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Randy Chapman, Microsoft MVP and Solutions Engineer at Logitech, shares his views on the current state of meeting rooms and BYOD, including manageability of devices at scale and the increasing importance of sustainability for customers when selecting room solutions.

Different options for bring-your-own-device (BYOD)
The challenges of updating and managing BYOD devices at scale
Importance of hardware quality and reliability when choosing room collaboration devices
A growing emphasis on sustainability in the industry

What's Happening now in Teams Phone, Meeting Rooms and Contact Center with Cloud Revolution's Adam Ball

Wed, 08 May 2024 12:00:00 +0100

Fellow MVP Adam Ball, Co-founder of Cloud Revolution and Tom Arbuthnot discuss the role of AI in contact centers, and the trends in cloud phone migration and meeting room technology.

The potential of AI to disrupt the contact center industry
The growing trend of cloud to cloud migration for Phone
What customers really want from meeting room technology
Optimising project efficiency and cost-effectiveness through large scale, fast and concurrent deployments

Thanks to AudioCodes, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of the Empowering.Cloud community and helping to make content like this possible.

Microsoft Teams Update - May 2024

Thu, 02 May 2024 12:00:00 +0100

May Microsoft Teams Update -all the news and updates you need to know in 15 minutes!

Microsoft Teams Rooms 5.0 - new client, QR code join, Autopilot and more
'Follow a meeting' in Outlook
Teams voice isolation GA
GA Multi-tenant organization capabilities in Microsoft 365
New hardware - Neat Bar Gen2 and DTEN DCR200 Bar
Neat and Shure Incorporated partnership

Thanks to Neat, 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.

Neat and Shure partner to bring advanced audio to Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android

Wed, 01 May 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Recorded live at Comms vNext, Luke Kannel, Product Specialist at Neat and Tyler Troutman, Market Development Specialist at Shure discuss Neat's and Shure's new integration and use case. Luke also gives an overview of Neat's newly released products.

New Neat and Shure partnership
Neat's latest innovations: Bar Generation 2, Pulse and Center
Shure's integration with Neat: Enhancing audio in large spaces
Shure's diverse portfolio of microphone solutions for Teams Rooms

Thanks to Neat, this episode's sponsor, for their support of the Empowering.Cloud community and helping to make content like this possible!

From Tetris to Minecraft, the Gen-Z Changing Work Mindset

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Richard Trestain, Product Marketing Manager at Jabra and MVP Tom Arbuthnot discuss the research conducted by Jabra on hybrid work and the preferences of Gen Z employees. They cover current trends in hybrid work, the expectations and challenges faced by Gen Z workers, and the role of technology in creating an inclusive and engaging work environment.

Hybrid work is becoming the norm, with around 6% of people working fully remote and 43% working fully in the office.
Gen Z employees value flexibility and demand it in their jobs, with 89% of them having jobs that allow full flexibility.
Gen Z workers have a different mindset about work, seeing it as a sandbox where they can do what they like, rather than a pre-constrained task like Tetris.
Technology plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive and engaging work environment for Gen Z employees, with high expectations for audio and video quality.
Companies need to focus on providing personal connection and engagement opportunities for Gen Z workers to prevent burnout and retain talent.

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

The Evolution of Enterprise AV and UC with Jason Moulden, Crestron

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Jason Moulden, Global Alliances Technical Lead at Crestron and Tom Arbuthnot explore the changing dynamics of the AV industry and the impact of UC and AV increasingly coming together.

The continuous interplay between AV and UC/IT domains as they converge with modern workspace
Adaptation of AV technology in office spaces
The trend of Android-based solutions for simplicity in setup and integration
How Crestron address diverse customer needs across room sizes
Role of cloud computing and advancements in self-configuration

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

Is AI the new UC? Enterprise Connect thoughts with Kevin Kieller

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 16:00:00 +0100

Freshly back from Enterprise Connect, Kevin Kieller, Co Founder of enableUC and Microsoft MVP Tom Arbuthnot dive into the current state of AI in the UC and discuss its future impact on UC and how Microsoft Teams might play a central role for many organisations.

Thoughts on Enterprise Connect 2024
Understanding AI terminology
Importance of user adoption and training in driving the value of AI in UC
Role of IT Pros in AI landscape
Potential for AI to disrupt the Contact Center space

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

Enterprise Connect Special: Microsoft Teams Update - April 2024

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0100

The Microsoft Teams Monthly Update for April 2024 is here, covering the Microsoft Teams news from Enterprise Connect and all the usual updates.

Microsoft unbundle Microsoft Teams globally
Teams Phone service level agreement 99.999% uptime
Survivable Branch Appliance enhancements
Intelligent call recap (Premium)
New operators for Teams Phone Mobile
Operator Connect Updates
Queues app
Voice isolation
Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) RTM
Microsoft Teams Rooms Updates

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.

The Clearest Explanation of Microsoft Teams Premium I have heard with Microsoft Digital Technology Specialist Jason Waite

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 11:00:00 +0000

In this podcast episode, Jason Waite, Digital Technology Specialist at Microsoft, discusses the features, benefits and use cases of Microsoft Teams Premium.

3 main use cases for Teams Premium: intelligent meeting recap, governance, advanced webinar and advanced virtual appointments
Value of intelligent recap in Teams Premium for summarizing meetings using generative AI
The benefits of applying sensitivity labels to meetings
Importance of broad adoption and proper deployment to maximize the value of Teams Premium

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

Deep AI Insights from Collecting Teams Meeting Media with Numonix CEO Michael Levy

Sun, 17 Mar 2024 20:00:00 +0000

In this podcast, Tom Arbuthnot interviews Michael Levy, the CEO of Numonix, who offers a Microsoft-certified compliance recording solution but can do much more with the media collection bot.

Numonix offers media acquisition solutions for AI platforms, allowing customers to record calls and meetings for analysis and insights using either third-party or in-house solutions.
Numonix's bot-as-a-service solution offers simplified maintenance, certification with Microsoft
Leverage AI capabilities with call and meeting data.
Numonix's commitment to Azure ensures secure and compliant data storage while also allowing it to take advantage of Microsoft's diverse AI capabilities.

Special thanks to Numonix for being a supporter of Empowering.Cloud

Demystifying Microsoft Copilot: Real-world Use Cases & Experience

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000

MVP Kevin McDonnell, Copilot Strategy and Modern Workplace AI Lead, Avanade, and MVP Tom Arbuthnot dive deep into Copilot! They discuss its various applications, potential for transforming modern workplaces.

Understanding Microsoft Copilot
Data Protection and Privacy in Copilot
Licensing of Copilot
Copilot Real-world Use Cases and Applications
Challenges and Opportunities

Understanding E911 in Microsoft Teams with Eric Marsi

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Microsoft MVP Eric Marsi and Tom Arbuthnot discuss the intricacies of E911 regulations and requirements and strict compliance requirements with Microsoft Teams.

Understanding E911
E911 Laws and Regulations
E911 in Microsoft Teams Phone
Determining User Location for E911
Dynamic Emergency Calling in Teams
E911 Microsoft Teams compatible Service Providers

Thanks to AVI-SPL, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of the Empowering.Cloud community.

Deploying 1,000 Microsoft Teams Rooms globally at AstraZeneca with Stephen McClellan

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Stephen McClellan, Associate Solutions Engineering Director, Conferencing at AstraZeneca, and Tom Arbuthnot discuss the technology journey at AstraZeneca, deploying over a thousand Microsoft Teams rooms.

The journey from full Cisco to Microsoft Teams
Impact of COVID-19
Evaluation and Deployment of Microsoft Teams Rooms
Challenges and Successes in Implementing Microsoft Teams Rooms
Exploring the Future: AR/VR Scenarios and Mesh

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

The Importance of Standards in Designing Meeting Spaces with Greg Jeffreys

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Greg Jeffreys, co-owner at Visual Displays is back for a second podcast with Tom Arbuthnot, to discuss a holistic approach to room design.

The role of user experience in room design
The importance of standards in designing meeting spaces to maintain the quality and repeatability of the design process
Considering room attributes including lighting and acoustics
Performance standards as a guideline to achieve quality and consistent results
Current and future trends in room design including multi-camera setups and spatial audio

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

Modern Work Transformation Trends: AI, BYOD, and the Long Tail of PBX with Tim Banting

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Tim Banting, Practice Leader, Digital Workplace at Omdia and Tom Arbuthnot discuss key trends in digital transformation, including generative AI, BYOD strategy and the persistence of PBX.

The increasing role of AI in meetings and communications
The shift in device usage towards mobile phones
Persistence of traditional PBX systems in the face of UCaaS
Challenges and opportunities relating to hybrid working models

Many thanks to Landis, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of the Empowering.Cloud community.

Microsoft Teams Update - February 2024

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000

The Microsoft Teams Monthly Update for January 2024 is here! Covering the following and much more in only 13 minutes!

Teams and Microsoft Apps on Apple Vision Pro
Shared Calling now in Teams Admin Center
Teams 2.1 Client New Bulk Installer
Improved Copilot in Teams and in Windows
Microsoft 365 Backup Public Preview
Android 9 and Android 10 Device Certification Extensions
Pexip bringing a "Teams-like experience" to CVI
Thanks to this month's sponsor Luware for your continued 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.

The Role of AI in Contact Centers and Regulatory Considerations with Philipp Beck

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Philipp Beck, co-founder of Luware and Tom Arbuthnot discuss key developments in the world of Microsoft Teams and Contact Center.

The journey of Luware from on-premises to the cloud
The importance of SOC2 Type 2 Attestation for data security
New Luware Nimbus features and omnichannel capabilities
Adoption of power platform for line of business automation
Impact of AI in the contact center space and training and implementation considerations

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

Complex Voice Strategies for Global Organisations

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Zach Bennett, Principal Architect at LoopUp and Tom Arbuthnot discuss Teams Phone options for complex and global organisations.

Different options and challenges with Teams Phone deployment
Migration from legacy PBX systems to cloud telephony
The complexity of certain countries like Dubai, China, and LATAM
Usage of analog devices and methods to integrate them with cloud-based solutions,
Importance of selecting the right Operator Connect provider based on specific requirements

Microsoft Teams Rooms in a Global Digital Workplace

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Tom Arbuthnot and Mark Licinio, Service Owner of Video Conferencing & Teams devices at BP dive deep into Marks' experience with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Digital Workplace.

Discussion of transitioning to Microsoft Teams from Skype for business
The journey to enabling Microsoft Teams in the meeting room
Mark speaks about managing and operating multiple OEMs, BYOD, Android, and Windows.
BP's approach to testing, operations and deployment
How their teams evaluate and select equipment and OEMs
The significance of community engagement and networking which eases their decision-making process in the UC realm.

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

Microsoft Teams Update January 2024

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

The Microsoft Teams Monthly Update for January 2024 is here! Covering the following and much more in only 13 minutes!

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available to all user accounts, including business plans, with no seat minimum. This is a big unlock for small businesses and E plans.
Copilot Pro is launched for Microsoft 365 personal and family plans, offering AI assistance integration into Office apps.
Teams Android Auto integration is coming in February, offering a full Teams client experience for Android users.
Microsoft has made improvements to the Teams invite interface, making it clearer and easier to use.
Thanks to this month's sponsor Pure-IP for your continued 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: https://app.empowering.cloud/briefings/328/Microsoft-Teams-Monthly-Update-January-2024

The Role of AI in Microsoft Teams Phone and Modern Work, Real-world Thoughts with Rohan Milne

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Rohan Milne, CEO at Switch Connect and Tom Arbuthnot discuss the impact and role of AI in the workspace, with a focus on its potential and limitations in different applications
The importance of understanding experience or voice and PSTN within the Managed Service Provider (MSP) community
Strategies for optimizing Microsoft Teams as a collaboration platform rather than just a PBX
Impact of AI in the contact center space and its potential to disrupt current models
Examples of challenges of implementing Teams Calling in government and enterprise settings due to existing contracts and siloed operations are highlighted
Limitations of AI in areas like the order of actual execution of tasks
Potential for AI to evolve to a state where it can provide real-time insights and analytics for businesses
How Teams can be leveraged for an ROI rather than being seen as an expense for businesses

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

The Importance of Standards & Room Design with Microsoft Teams Rooms with Greg Jeffreys

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Greg emphasizes the importance of thinking critically about each component of a room and using standards as a guide
The importance of standards and proper room design for Microsoft Teams rooms and technology-enabled spaces
The real-world challenges of room design, the need for audio quality and the opportunity for improvement in remote experiences
The ROI of investing in technology-enabled spaces

Thanks to Crestron, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of the community and for helping to make content like this possible.

Migrating to Teams Phone Real-World Experience & Dealing with the Pace of Microsoft 365 Change

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Damian Lewis is a digital workplace specialist at a global enterprise responsible for Teams telephony, Microsoft Teams Rooms, and other Teams-related projects.
Tom and Damian discuss the challenges of migrating legacy telephony into Teams, especially the porting of numbers, which can be unpredictable and time-consuming.
An ideal operational model for telephony in Teams is still being defined, including allocating responsibilities between the network team and the collaboration/digital workplace team.
Damian's organization has established a weekly Microsoft Message Center review board to stay on top of updates, assess their impact, and communicate them to users through a "did you know?" communication.
Keeping track of Message Center updates is crucial to avoid surprises and ensure smooth operations, especially for significant changes like the retirement of Stream Classic or introducing new features.
Damian recommends following the YouTube channel "365 Message Center Show" hosted by Daryl Webster and Daniel Glenn for additional insights into Microsoft updates.

Thank you to Numonix, this episode's sponsor, for your continued support of the community.

Teams Phone Mobile - what's coming in 2024 with Vandana Thomas

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

In this podcast episode, Tom Arbuthnot speaks to Vandana Thomas, Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile Product Leader about what we've seen in Teams Phone Mobile throughout 2023 and what we can expect to come in 2024.

Thanks to Luware for sponsoring this episode, check out their Microsoft Teams Contact Center solution here: Luware | Contact Center and Routing Solutions

Teams Phone Mobile has launched in nine countries with six operators.
There are plans to expand the market coverage, aiming for 10 more markets next year.
The integration of AI features, such as CoPilot, in Teams Phone Mobile is a big focus.
We discuss features planned in the future.

The Future of Enterprise IT with Kurmi Software CEO, Micah Singer

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In this Microsoft Teams Insider Podcast episode, Micah Singer, CEO of Kurmi Software, and Tom Arbuthnot discuss a range of topics around the future of Enterprise IT:

potential impact of generative AI on software development
shift towards remote work and how it's driving demand for more IT infrastructure
role of AI in IT security
the rise of low-code and no-code applications
monetisation of cloud infrastructure
the need for greater automation in IT management

Michael Tressler, from Tandy RadioShack to Microsoft to Jabra

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Michael Tressler is a Senior Solutions Consultant at Jabra, focusing on pre-sales technical support for Jabra products, including audio and video devices.
In this podcast Michael explains his journey from early coding, to IT roles to Microsoft and then to Jabra
Jabra has also recently launched an Android-based video bar, providing an all-in-one solution for video conferencing.

Thanks to Jabra, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of the community and helping making content like this possible.

Outside Looking in with Crestron Automate VX

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 15:00:00 +0000

In this podcast episode, Tom Arbuthnot and Sam Kennedy, discuss Crestron's product Automate VX for outside-in camera views in meeting rooms. The multi-camera solution aims to provide a more equitable meeting experience by intelligently selecting the best camera angle for each moment during a meeting. The Automate VX has also recently been Microsoft Teams certified, making it the first multi-camera solution to have been certified by Teams.

Thanks to Crestron, this episode's sponsor, for their continued support of the community and helping to make this podcast possible.

Teams Contact Center Options, Chris Goodwill's Perspective

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 09:00:00 +0000

In this podcast episode, Tom Arbuthnot and Chris Goodwill discuss the impact of AI on contact centers and the opportunities it opens up for innovation and improvement in content centers.

AI will have a significant impact on contact centers in terms of driving efficiencies and improving customer experience.
Quick wins in the B2C space include using chatbots for simple tasks like waste collection or ordering recycling bins.
Digital transformation is essential for contact centers to drive better customer experiences and satisfaction.
The use of AI in contact centers can lead to cost savings, skill changes, and job opportunities in different areas.
Microsoft has introduced Dynamics Contact Center platform and Digital Contact Center platform (DCCP) to provide contact center solutions.
Dynamics Contact Center platform is tightly integrated with Dynamics CRM and offers voice and omni-channel capabilities.
Partners and customers need to understand the options available, leverage the best solutions, and stay open to the evolving contact center market.

Thanks to Ribbon, the sponsor of this episode, for your continued support and making it possible for us to produce content like this.

Microsoft Teams Phone in Large Enterprise with Alistair Pidd

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this podcast, Tom Arbuthnot interviews Alistair Pidd from Pure IP, discussing the maturity and scale of Microsoft Teams in the enterprise market.

Thank you to Pure IP, the sponsor of this episode, for helping to make this podcast possible.

Microsoft Teams has undergone significant changes and improvements in the last year, such as the introduction of SIP gateway, shared calling with auto-attendant administration, and the migration away from 3PIP devices.
Managing the scale and complexity of Teams deployments in large enterprises requires careful planning and change control to ensure stability and minimize disruptions to service.
Responsibilities for managing Teams deployments in enterprises often involve multiple teams, including network, voice, applications, and meeting room teams.
Automation and outsourcing services, such as managed SBCs, are becoming more common as enterprises seek to simplify their Teams deployments and reduce the complexity of managing phone systems.
Reporting and analytics capabilities in Teams, especially for call queues and support desks, remain an area where improvements are needed to provide better visibility and insights.

How to be a TeamsBoss with Michael LaMontagne

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 23:00:00 +0100

In this podcast episode, Tom Arbuthnot interviews Michael LaMontagne, a Microsoft Teams expert and the creator of TeamsBoss. TeamsBoss a cloud voice admin and voice operations solution for Microsoft Teams that helps organizations simplify and manage their Teams phone and meeting room operations. It eliminates the need for complex PowerShell commands and allows users to easily manage phone numbers, policies, profiles, and resource accounts for Teams.

Thanks to Numoix, the sponsor of this episode. Check out their Teams recording solution Microsoft Teams Recording | Cloud Compliance Recording | IXCloud (numonix.cloud)

Michael LaMontagne is an independent consultant and principal product manager for TeamsBoss.
TeamsBoss a cloud voice admin and voice operations solution for Microsoft Teams.
It offers features like phone number management, profile creation for users based on policies, bulk management of user configurations, and resource account management.
The service aims to simplify and automate tasks that are challenging with PowerShell or the Teams Admin Center.
TeamsBoss is Azure-based and can be procured from the Azure Marketplace.
It uses delegated permissions and does not store tokens or credentials,

Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile Deep Dive with Vandana Thomas

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +0100

In this pod, Vandana Thomas, Product Leader for Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile gives us insight into what Teams Phone mobile is and how it has been going in market

20,000 users, 50 countries, 4 weeks to Microsoft Teams with Chul-Young, Collaboration Product Manager at Parexel

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

I really enjoyed this conversation. Chul-Young, Product Manager, Collaboration Platforms & Services at Parexel, takes us through his and their Microsoft Teams journey.

- Rolling Microsoft Teams out to 20,000 users in 50 countries in 4 weeks
- Keeping things as standard as possible
- How is Team creation and lifecycle managed?
- With great power comes great responsibility
- Experience rolling out Teams Phone and reducing the number of Phone users
- Looking at this year and Microsoft Viva

Aaron Steele, Microsoft Technical Program Manager talks about NDI with Microsoft Teams

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 20:00:00 +0000

Aaron Steele, Microsoft Technical Program Manager takes us through what is Network Device Interface (NDI) and how can it be used to broadcast Teams meeting content, and how organizations like the NBA and Christie's have used the technology for their events.

More about Teams and NDI:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/broadcasting-audio-and-video-from-teams-with-ndi-and-sdi-technology-e91a0adb-96b9-4dca-a2cd-07181276afa3

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/use-ndi-in-meetings

The Graham Walsh talks career, Neat Frame use cases and new Neat Center

Sun, 08 Jan 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Graham Walsh is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and works for Neat where he is the Product Specialist / Strategic Alliances in EMEA

We get into the neat portfolio. Talk about the neat frame and where we think it fits in the market. Also, the neat bar pro and how it compares to the neat bar and the extensibility there, and a little bit about the upcoming Neat center and where that will play.