It’s time, once again, for another news roundup here at UC Today.
The start of March has brought a stream of updates and reports from our favourite brands. Over the last seven days, we’ve heard rumours about Zoom acquiring a new Contact Centre Vendor and discussed the latest updates to Microsoft Teams.
For many, the biggest event of this week was Microsoft Ignite, which paved the way for a host of new features, including Operator Connect, Teams Connect, and End-to-End encryption.
Which announcements have you been discussing this week?
If you haven’t had a chance to read all our stories, here are a few you can’t afford to miss.
Microsoft Announces Teams Connect
Microsoft Ignite was the topic on everyone’s lips over this last week. Throughout the two-day event, there were plenty of great updates to discuss, including the arrival of a new feature called Microsoft Teams Connect. The Connect solution (now available in private preview), allows companies to collaborate “seamlessly” with their clients, partners, and suppliers.
According to Microsoft, the feature leverages some of the most used functions in Teams, such as document collaboration, meetings, and chat. Connect will also feature alongside other Teams channels in the standard app. Users will finally have a reliable way to communicate and connect across organisational boundaries.
Zoom Goes Shopping for a Contact Centre Vendor
Zoom executives have apparently been discussing a potential expansion into the contact centre. A recent report indicates that CEO, Eric Yuan, as well as others in the leadership crew are looking into a move to the CC environment. This step would require Zoom to choose between either developing a solution from the ground up or acquiring a pre-existing tool.
The rumours arrived at a time when Yuan was preparing to face investors and discuss the quarterly financial results of the company. While the choice to explore contact centre tech might seem odd to some, this isn’t the first time that Zoom has dipped its toes into the contact centre. The company has had plenty of partnerships with leaders like Twilio, Talkdesk, and Five9 already.
Microsoft Teams Updates for March
March is an exciting time for Microsoft, with Ignite in full swing. Our own Rob Scott, and Microsoft MVP Tom Arbuthnot, joined forces in a recent video to discuss some of the latest transformations in the Teams environment. In the video, the two pros chat about everything from the new Teams audio codec, Satin, to the introduction of Viva for Employee Experience (EXP).
Other points covered in the video include the extension to Microsoft Teams meeting sizes, the arrival of a new fluent version of Teams Desktop and Browser UI, and the changes made to PowerShell most recently. Rob and Tom also shared their thoughts on the potential of the Microsoft Ignite event.
Microsoft Teams Gets End-to-End Encryption
Security is a big deal for any company investing in collaboration and communication tools today. Fortunately, Microsoft Teams is promising a more reliable way to protect your business. During Ignite 2021, the vendor announced that end-to-end encryption will be available for Teams later this year. Previews are set to begin before the first half of 2021 is over.
Microsoft notes that the arrival of end-to-end encryption should ensure that customers can meet their security and compliance demands with additional protection for online conversations. In the first release, customers will have the option to add encryption to unscheduled calls. Further updates will support the evolving compliance needs of various companies. This could be an important step forward for peace of mind in the hybrid work environment.
What is Microsoft Operator Connect?
Microsoft announced the planned arrival of Operator Connect at Ignite 2021. This new solution will allow companies to directly enable PSTN conversations from existing carriers within Teams. The solution is set to enter private preview in the second quarter of 2021, with a hand-picked selection of carriers, including BT, NTT, Pure IP, Verizon, and Swisscom.
Microsoft notes that the new service will give customers a way to quickly enable PSTN calling for Teams with support from non-Microsoft telephony solutions. Operator Connect ensures that companies can leverage their existing operator contracts with a simple and easy-to-deploy service. Users can access an operator-managed infrastructure with advanced support and reliability.
Which stories caught your eye this week? Remember to stay tuned for more on UC Today and check out our social accounts.
