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 resel...
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 PhonesHow AI is being embedded into the Pro Management Portal to support large-scal...
Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - September 2025 Malicious URL Protection for TeamsImproved Organization Chart in Profile CardControl External Access by Domain for Specific Users and Groups5 Unify Certified Contact CentersNew Teams Desk Phone Transfer UITouch Console Support for MTRoW BoardsBrowser Support for MTRoW BoardsSales, Service, and Finance Copilots now included with Microsoft 365 Copilot LicenseImproved Copilot Chat in Office AppsEventsThanks to Ribbon, this month's benefactor, for y...
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 challeng...
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 summari...
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 deploymentsThe science behind camera angles, spatial reasoning, and reducing hyper-gaze fatigueHow AI agents are reshaping meeting dynamics—from intelligent shot selection to real-time tran...
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 casesThe evolving roles of SIs and telcos in delivering scale and strategic valueWhy partners integrating AI into Converged Comms are seeing 20%+ growthThe convergence of Teams and Dynamics in Microsoft’s AI business solutions strategyMicrosoft’s shift to...
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 tr...
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 developmentThe role of customer feedback in shaping Teams device experiencesWhy TAP is more than a preview—it’s a partnership with customers.Insights into certification, firmware updates, and the importance measuring satisfactionIf you are interested i...
Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - August 2025 Microsoft Q4 2025 Earnings In-Car Teams Video CallsTrigger workflows using emoji reactionsOn-Behalf-Of Outbound Teams Phone Calls ChangeFirst Unify Certified Contact CenterNo more Paid Teams Metered APIsGPT-5 is here in M365 Copilot and moreSummarise Email with Copilot ChatImproved M365 Copilot in WordThanks 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 ...
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 platformThe impact of the pandemic on Teams adoption and scaleWhy Teams Premium is becoming the home for advanced featuresMicrosoft’s pivot to Copilot and what it means for TeamsHow customers are approaching Copilot adoption, ROI, and data governanceJim’s perspective on...
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 inclusionHow featu...
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 Microsof...
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 solutionsThe shift from complex, bespoke AV setups to scalable, software-upgradable Microsoft Teams Rooms and how this enables sustainability and innovationThe growing importance of AI features like intelligent cameras, transcripti...
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 ...
Microsoft Teams Monthly Update - July 2025 Microsoft FY26Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition GASummarise transferred calls in Teams with CopilotTeams client health dashboardTeams client Silent Test CallsTeams Rooms Pro Portal AlResearcher and Analyst Agents GAReal-time voice is coming in M365 Copilot EventsThanks 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 t...
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 MicrosoftInsights into how enterprise organizations are navigating Microsoft's swift AI advancementsThe impact and challenges of Microsoft's Copilot and agent offerings on enterprise licensing and stra...
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 Y...
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 makin...
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 experiencesHow ClickShare integrates with existing ecosystems, providing flexibility and compatibility for diverse meeting room needsInsights into the partnership with Microsoft using the MDEP platform and how it supports enhanced security and managementAnn...