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You will soon be able to use your phone as a walkie-talkie with Microsoft Teams

By Maria Santos
1 min read
IDC Philippines
IDC Philippines
In this article (4)

A new roadmap update by Microsoft shows us a Microsoft Teams feature you will be able to use starting September and it is: walkie-talkie with your phone, over a wireless or cellular connection. The new feature will make communicating with your co-workers quicker.

Figuratively speaking, with the new feature, your phone or a tablet will be able to be used as a walkie-talkie (of course, via the MS Teams app). The new feature will be available in September worldwide. The walkie-talkie option seems quite convenient for first-line workers, and it will help reduce the number of devices they need to carry while at the same time providing the necessary security.

Emma Williams, CVP of modern workplace verticals at Microsoft, stated that the new natively built into Teams functionality will help lower costs for IT from companies and organizations. She also added that the feature is more secured when compared to analog devices with unsecured networks, and you will not need to worry about eavesdropping or crosstalk.

The feature will work over Wi-Fi or cellular data and can be used across different geographic locations.

Earlier, Samsung has showcased how you can use the new MS Teams feature with the rugged Galaxy XCover Pro; without even unlocking the phone, given the fact that you can access it via the programmable button on the phone.

To further augment Team’s walkie-talkie feature, you can use it with a wireless headset. For example, the Jabra BlueParrot and Klein Valor Speaker are validated to work with the new functionality.

The feature will roll out in September, and in order to use it, you will first need to open the app on your smartphone and look for the Walkie Talkie icon in the navigation bar. It’s either going to be there or in the ‘More’ options.

Questions & Answers

Q.

When will this new walkie-talkie feature for Microsoft Teams become available?

A.

The new walkie-talkie feature for Microsoft Teams is scheduled to roll out in September. It will be available worldwide, allowing users to access it via the MS Teams app on their phone or tablet.

Q.

What are the main benefits of this new walkie-talkie functionality for businesses?

A.

This feature helps lower IT costs for companies and organisations. It also provides enhanced security compared to analog devices, removing concerns about eavesdropping or crosstalk, and reduces the number of devices first-line workers need to carry.

Q.

How will users access the walkie-talkie feature once it's available?

A.

To use the feature, users will need to open the MS Teams app on their smartphone. They can then find the Walkie Talkie icon in the navigation bar or within the 'More' options section of the app.

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