Call Queue Callback, better copy paste and older phone updates
September's Microsoft 365 round-up from Tom Arbuthnot: the General channel disappears from new teams, callback lands in call queues, copy-paste loses its metadata, Intelligent Meeting Recap reaches ad hoc calls, plus MTR on Windows and Android updates and a reprieve for out-of-support Teams phones.
Many thanks to Pure IP, this month's Empowering.Cloud Benefactor.
Pure IP has been working with Microsoft UC since OCS. One of the original and leading Teams Operator Connect providers, also providing DRaaS, Managed SBC and other Teams services for global organisations.
Do you prefer a video update? 13 minutes and 26 seconds of everything you need to know for September on LinkedIn and on EC (with chapters and PowerPoint) and the podcast feed
September is usually quieter off the back of the August break, but there is still plenty to talk about: the death of the General Channel, callback in call queues, MTR and BOYD updates, and updates for out-of-support phones.
Also, check out the podcasts, which include Mahendra Sekaran, CVP for Teams Phone M365 at Microsoft, and Alan Ross, Partner Group PM Manager, explaining Dynamics 365 Contact Center.
Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 News
Teams General Channel is no more, coming September (MC814583). For a while, you have been able to rename the General Channel, but soon, when you create a new team in the Teams client, you won't be able to create a channel called General. You will be prompted for the name of the first channel, which must be something other than General. And once you've renamed General channels, you can't return them to General.
Teams created by TAC/PowerShell/Graph will still have the default General Channel; that change has no ETA.
A really exciting coming feature is call queues is callback. This is the ability for someone waiting in a queue to press a digit to indicate they'd rather be called back than wait on hold. Documentation TBC, but we are seeing some of those settings in PowerShell. It doesn't seem limited to the queues app or premium, either.
Intelligent Meeting Recap is coming for ad hoc meetings and calls (roadmap November). Previously, it was only for scheduled meetings, but now it is also for Meet Now or ad hoc calls, i.e., you start from a chat and escalate to a call. When you hit record, you will automatically get that intelligent recap.
No more metadata when you copy-paste chat messages from Teams (MC878422). I'm a big fan of this, but I have heard others who like it. A good use case I heard was coping chat messages for an incident report (Isn't Copilot Generating those now?).
Other client updates are rolling out: Request to join a shared channel via shared channel link – if you are not a member and get the link, you will see a button to request joining. Channel cards (MC797474) - a quick overview of a channel using its channel card. Show/hide Discover feed and Apps now supported in group chats with external users (MC779844).
Town hall is getting many updates: Intelligent meeting recap review on Android phones for unscheduled town halls, town hall reactions, town hall Graph APIs (not premium), Teams webinar creation and registration APIs, and Town hall export Q&A questions.
I mentioned in previous updates that the Teams Chat Notification Service retirement on 30th September would cause some older out-of-support Teams Phones to stop working; now, Microsoft has decided to update some of those phones to keep them working (still unsupported). If you have old phones, check out MC875186 or the monthly update briefing for more details.
Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows are getting the ability to Start Stop recording on the MTR (Pro) (MC884009). Dynamic video tile size based on occupancy count - 1 person in the room, normal video tile size, 2+ people in the room, tile expands to be four times larger and Text and UI resizing.
Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android Custom Backgrounds (Pro) are now rolling out, and you can Join Zoom meetings with ID and passcode on Teams Rooms on Android.
Also, PowerPoint live support for Cloud Video Interop (CVI) coming November.
Not loads on Copilot this month, but we will undoubtedly get a lot of news on the M365 Copilot Wave 2 event on 16th Sept (I'll be covering it and will report back the key news). Copilot for Microsoft 365 will support 12 new languages this month (roadmap)
As always, for more detail, check out the monthly update briefing.
Expert Briefings
- Copilot Usage Reports - Kevin Kieller
- Teams Private Line - MVP Carsten Lund Meilbak
- Deep Dive into AudioCodes Live Platform - an all-in-one Microsoft Teams SaaS Solution with Ran Inbar, CTO for Unified Communications and Benny Matityahu, VP for Unified Communications and Collaboration
- Hands-on with Microsoft Teams Walkie Talkie, iPhone and Android with the Jabra Perform 45 push-to-talk headset
Teams Insider Podcast
I have been busy with the podcast with great guests and topics.
I would always appreciate it if you could leave a review Apple or Spotify. Thanks.
- Dynamics 365 Contact Center Explained with Alan Ross, Partner Group PM Manager
- Understanding Teams SIP Gateway with Chandranshu Singh, Senior Product Manager for Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway
- Microsoft M365 Telco Strategy with Taimoor Husain, Global Telco M365 GTM Strategy Lead
- Customer perspective on support Timelines for Android Teams Rooms and Phones with Dan Hall, Global IT Collaboration Solution Owner
- Shawn Harry's Journey Deploying Microsoft UC in Big & Complex Customers
- Neat and Shure's Integration: What is the Benefit to Customers?
- Mahendra Sekaran, Corporate Vice President Teams Phone, M365 at Microsoft
- What is the true value of Copilot? Brett Johnson, Microsoft 365 Copilot Global Black Belt
On Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube
Events
Online:
- Teams Fireside Chat Microsoft Loop with Ron Pessner, Corporate Vice President - September 12th
- Microsoft 365 Copilot: Wave 2 - Satya Nadella and Jared Spataro on September 16 to discover the next phase of Copilot for work.
- Microsoft Teams Devices Ask Me Anything - EMEA/NA and APAC - September 16th / 17th
- Metaverse One - Community event on Microsoft Modern Work, AI, Copilot and Metaverse - September 18th
- Teams Rooms Learning Hour - Diving into AOSP - October 1st
In-Person
- Ribbon INSIGHTS - September 10-12th, Prague
- Microsoft UC User Group London - September 19th, London
- Collabdays - September 25th, Bletchley Park, UK
- UC Expo London - October 2nd-3rd, London
Thanks for the great turnout and feedback for the online events. If you see me at an in-person event, please say hello!
I read all email replies. Let me know if you have questions, comments, or feedback.
Thanks
Tom
Empowering.Cloud, 78 York Street, London, W1H 1DP
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