Microsoft is introducing a new way of managing incoming calls when a user is already busy with an existing call or meeting.
According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, the feature will be called ‘busy-on-busy’.
The new setting will allow Teams users to decide whether calls can come through, play a busy signal, or redirect the call based on their unanswered call routing preference.
The roadmap post states: “Manage how incoming calls are routed when you are busy in an existing call or meeting directly from your Calls settings in the Teams app.
“Choose from the option to allow calls to come through, play a busy signal, or redirect the call based on your unanswered call routing preference.”
The busy-on-busy setting will be available to Microsoft Teams users on the desktop client and Mac devices.
Microsoft states that the setting will be generally available to users in February and coincides with several new features scheduled to come to the platform next month.
The first is a new Teams licence called Microsoft Teams Premium, which will provide admins and end users with extra features on top of their current Teams subscription.
The new licence is in a preview phase, with Microsoft giving organisations 25 free trial licences for the Teams Premium package so users can test the new features.
The free licences will only last for 30 days and will be available to customers who purchase a Microsoft 365 subscription.
According to the Microsoft 365 roadmap, Microsoft is introducing a new type of meeting to its Microsoft Teams platform in the form of Virtual Appointments in February.
Virtual Appointments will be tailored for business-to-customer (B2C) meetings with people outside your organisation.
The Virtual Appointments feature will be available to Microsoft Teams users who use the platform’s desktop client.
Many features for Virtual Appointments are included in the Microsoft Teams Premium licence, including the following:
- Customise lobby waiting rooms with themes and logos
- Send SMS notifications to participants
- Chat with attendees in the lobby waiting room
- Organisational and departmental analytics are available
- Manage scheduled appointments in the queue
- Manage on-demand appointments in the queue
- Send follow-ups following the virtual appointments
These new features come on top of Microsoft’s many updates to its Teams platform throughout December 2022.
