Sipcom has launched its new HALO Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams solution in the UK.
With plans to expand the product globally in the future, HALO Operator Connect will empower businesses to integrate Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) calling into Teams, producing a cost-effective and unified communications experience.
Eleri Gibbon, Director (UK), Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft, said:
At Microsoft, we’re thrilled to partner with Sipcom, an Advania Company, to bring our Partners and their customers the benefits of Operator Connect. With Sipcom’s expertise in voice and collaboration solutions, combined with Microsoft Teams’ powerful capabilities, businesses can enjoy a seamless communication experience unlike any other. We’re excited to see how this partnership will transform the way organisations connect with their customers and partners.”
HALO Operator Connect is a cloud-based solution devoid of the need for initial investments in hardware or software, offering businesses a streamlined alternative by avoiding the complexities associated with a self-assembled solution. By circumventing laborious project setups and infrastructure configurations, HALO Operator Connect enhances connectivity throughout the workforce, encouraging virtual collaboration across devices and locations within the framework of HALO Solutions for Teams.
This method simplifies the provisioning and oversight of PSTN calling, allowing businesses to centralize their PSTN calling requirements through a singular portal. Prioritizing voice quality, HALO Operator Connect ensures superior voice calling through a cloud-based voice network. This network is meticulously crafted to deliver crystal-clear voice quality, even across extensive distances, elevating the communication experience for businesses.
“We’re thrilled with the addition of Operator Connect to our HALO platform,” added Mike Harvey, Product Director at Sipcom. “This will create even more value for our Channel partners and their customers with continued alignment to the Microsoft voice strategy.”
HALO Operator Connect is predicated on the consideration of Sipcom’s Channel partners, offering an accessible market entry for organizations unable to assume the role of a direct Operator Connect Partner. This innovative approach empowers them to effectively resell HALO alongside Sipcom’s array of voice services.
Designed as a scalable solution adaptable to businesses of diverse sizes, HALO seamlessly incorporates PSTN calling into Microsoft Teams through Operator Connect, producing a next-gen calling experience. Streamlining administrative tasks, the platform enables easy selection and authorization of HALO as the preferred operator, accessible through a straightforward click on the HALO tile within the Microsoft Teams Admin Centre.
What Other Teams News Has Happened This Week?
Microsoft is launching the OneDrive for Teams app to enhance collaboration and productivity.
The OneDrive for Teams app will replace the Teams Files app and will roll out for the new Teams client this December. The new updates to OneDrive in Teams will roll out to classic Teams in early 2024, but the Files app name will be unchanged in that circumstance. There is also no update to the Files app on Teams mobile.
The updated OneDrive app consolidates files, Loops, dashboards, and design boards from Microsoft 365 into a unified workspace, and new Teams users will notice that the OneDrive app now appears in place of the Files app in the left-hand navigation.
In other Teams news, the platform is introducing the functionality to tag entire groups of colleagues with one click in private and shared channels, enhancing collaboration.
While Teams allows tagging users in channels or meetings, it currently lacks the capability to tag and mention groups, leading to individual tagging for department meetings. This new functionality means introducing entire departments in Teams discussions and meetings is easier as all members of the tagged group can participate in and view the conversation. This will make collaboration and interaction between leaders, employees and coworkers more effective and easy.
The functionality will be previewed next February, with a general rollout planned for March. It will initially be released for the desktop version of Teams, with the web iteration coming later.
Additionally, Microsoft has warned that the end of support for Teams’ legacy messaging infrastructure may lead to service disruptions. The end of life for the legacy service infrastructure for chat messaging has been planned for March 31, 2024.
To avoid disruptions to user service and other issues, Microsoft advises any Classic Teams users to upgrade to the latest version of its software within at least three months of the end-of-life date. The changes are due to impact Microsoft Teams Desktop, Teams on iOS and Android, and Virtual Desktop Interface clients (VDI).
