Tag Archives: Microsoft Teams

News

Tech News : Teams App Blocked Emergency Call

It was recently discovered that a bug in the Pixel 3 phone meant that users who had the Teams app installed (even though they weren’t logged in) couldn’t call the US emergency 911 number.

What Happened?

A Reddit user reported that they had needed to call an ambulance for their grandmother who appeared to be having a stroke. The user dialled 911 just by typing and calling on their pixel 3 phone, only to find that the phone “got stuck” after one ring. The user reported that they were unable to do anything other than click through apps with an emergency phone call running in the background. Consequently, they were unable to tell the person on the other end which apartment they were in, or what the emergency was. The user also reported that the fault meant that there was no response from emergency vehicles, no evidence that 911 had been called (from a phone log perspective) and the user’s Verizon phone log showed no evidence that a 911 call had been made.

Google Confirmed The Fault Was Related To Teams App

Google later answered the user’s post on Reddit, saying that it had determined that the issue was caused by unintended interaction between the Microsoft Teams app and the underlying Android operating system, specifically for those running Android 10 or above. Google said that it expected a Microsoft Teams app update to be rolled out soon, and that it would also be providing an Android platform update on January 4. Google has also advised Pixel phone users to keep an eye out for Teams app updates and to ensure they are running the latest version.

What To Do

Google suggests that in order to avoid falling victim to the fault in the meantime, users with Microsoft Teams installed on any Android device running Android 10 and above could take the following steps:

– Check whether you are running Android 10 or above. Those not running Android 10 or above will not be impacted by the issue.

– Check to make sure that you are signed-in to your Teams app because the issue only occurs if the user is not signed in.

– Those who have the Microsoft Teams app downloaded, but are not signed in, should uninstall, and reinstall the app. This will address the problem in the interim, however a Microsoft Teams app update will also be required to fully resolve the issue.

– Keep an eye out for an update to the Microsoft Teams app, and ensure it is applied as soon as available.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

This story illustrates how the simple act of being able to make a phone call (on what is primarily a phone) can be prevented by aspects of the other tech and apps that are installed. It raises particular concerns because it relates to stopping an important 911 call. The positive aspects of the story are that the fault was brought to light and has been taken very seriously and acted upon quickly by both Microsoft and Google. This is good news for users and created a positive angle for what was potentially a very damaging story for Google and Microsoft. It also shows the value of thoroughly testing apps and the value of maintaining updates.

News

Featured Article : Facebook (Meta) To Integrate Workplace With Microsoft Teams

Facebook/Meta has announced that it is integrating Workplace with Microsoft’s collaboration app Teams to enable users to share information more easily between the two platforms.

What Is Workplace?

First announced in 2016, originally Facebook’s internal messaging board, and formerly known as ‘Facebook At Work’, Workplace is the work-focused version of Facebook’s social app. The app is a communication tool that connects everyone in a company, even if they’re working remotely. Workplace has features like Groups, Chat and Live video broadcasting.

More Than 7 Million Paid Workplace Subscribers

Back in May, Facebook announced that Workplace had 7 million paid subscribers, up more than 40 per cent on last year. At the time, Facebook attributed the big jump in demand for Workplace to the COVID-19 lockdowns and the resulting home/remote working fuelling demand for enterprise connectivity platforms like Workplace, Slack, and Teams. Microsoft saw the number of Teams users rise to 145 million per day in May, compared to 15 million in October 2020.

Integration between Workplace and Teams

The integration between Facebook’s Workplace and Microsoft Teams will allow users to share content from Workplace’s newsfeed and from its groups into Microsoft’s Teams platform. Also, it means that users will soon be able to livestream video from Teams into Workplace groups, thereby allowing employees to watch live meetings and events on whichever app they are using or catch up later by watching a recording on Workplace.

No Need To Keep Switching Between The Two

Facebook’s Head of Product at Workplace, Ujjwal Singh, has announced one of the key advantages of the integration between Workplace and Teams is that employees will be able to access the content from Workplace within Teams without having to switch back and forth between the two apps.

The hope is that the integration will make it easier for employees to stay up to date with important information and that it could open up more opportunities for company-wide feedback and engagement.

Example of the Integration in Action

One real example of a company that has been trialling the integration (given by Ujjwal Singh) is the Flight Centre Travel Group. Nick Williams, Head of Digital Workplace (Flight Centre Travel Group), is quoted as saying that, “Workplace enables our agents to connect with colleagues beyond their direct teams, breaking down silos across brands and business groups in ways we’ve never been able to before.”  Also, Mr Williams highlights the particular value of the integration to remote and hybrid working by saying, “By creating a bridge between our company’s community hub (Workplace) and teamwork hub (Teams), employees will be able to access the most important information, whether they’re in an office or in the field, and feel connected at all times.”

Also, back in October, Facebook announced a global alliance with Deloitte to help companies use Workplace to meet the challenges of remote working.

Deepening Relationship Between Microsoft and Facebook

This new integration is seen as part of a deepening, value-adding relationship between Facebook and Microsoft. For example, last year Workplace jointly committed with Microsoft to bring together more tools (e.g., joint customers can already integrate Workplace with SharePoint, OneDrive, and the Office 365 suite). Also, Workplace was named as one of Azure AD’s top 15 most used apps, along with Cisco Webex, Google Cloud / Google Workspace, and Zoom.

Video Calling Support

Another sign of the relationship between Facebook and Microsoft was the announcement in September that beginning in December this year, Facebook will be adding support for Microsoft Teams for all video calling Portal touch-based devices including Portal Go and Portal+.

Comment From Microsoft Teams

Jeff Teper, CVP Product & Engineering at Microsoft Teams is also optimistic about the integration, saying “We have a shared vision of offering our customers choice and flexibility, so it made sense for us to come together to help our mutual customers unlock collaboration and break down silos within their organizations.”

When and How?

Facebook says that Teams and Workplace customers can download and use Workplace / Teams by entering their details at the foot of this page: https://www.workplace.com/workplace-microsoft

Also, companies will be able to stream meetings and broadcasts from Teams into Workplace starting in 2022.

Should Microsoft Worry?

Recent whistleblower allegations about Facebook have generated more bad publicity about the social media giant. Some commentators have suggested that Microsoft may be taking a risk in being too closely associated with Facebook/Meta at the current time.

Other Microsoft News

Other Microsoft news and announcements from its recent Ignite conference includes:

– Mesh for Microsoft Teams, which allows users to have personalised 3D avatars to communicate in meetings held in shared immersive virtual reality spaces (conference rooms, design centres and networking lounges).

– Azure Synapse Analytics, which is a service to (seamlessly) connect data integration, enterprise data warehousing and big data analytics.

– The Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, a solution designed to help companies measure, understand, and take charge of their carbon emissions, set sustainability goals, and take measurable action.

– Connected Spaces for Dynamics 365, which enables organisations to harness observational data from video AI and sensors, use low-code capabilities to control observations, and produce real-time predictive insights.

– Enhancements to Teams webinar capabilities, and a new Teams chat feature.

– Viva Learning (educational training courses through Teams) becoming generally available, and Microsoft introducing new tools to help businesses implement a zero-trust security model.

– The introduction of the Microsoft Defender (formerly Windows Defender) endpoint security solution for SMBs.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The battle to get the best share in the market for collaborative apps in the pandemic-fuelled remote and hybrid working environment has seen Microsoft and Facebook’s relationship become closer and this latest integration is more evidence of that. As users search for more flexibility in their new working practices, big tech companies such as Microsoft and Facebook are seeing the benefits of a ‘team effort’ to stay ahead of the newcomer competitors that grew so rapidly during the pandemic (e.g., Zoom and Slack), and help redefine themselves going forward. Particularly Facebook (now Meta) with its immersive ‘Metaverse’ concept and Microsoft with its Mesh 3D avatars are trying to move away from traditional ideas of their services (Office programs and a social media app) into new more difficult to define market territories and opportunities. This Teams/Workplace integration is likely to be particularly good news for an embattled Facebook (Meta), but some critics argue that these integrations are just ways that the existing big tech companies can consolidate their already powerful market positions.

News

Live Teams Transcriptions

Microsoft has launched a live transcription tool for Teams. In other words, it provides a written record of the spoken word during a meeting.

How it works

The tool identifies each speaker and automatically captures in real-time what each speaker says. As a result, the transcript is available during and after meetings. The speech is transcribed by AI-based Automatic Speech Recognition technology.

As a result, the technology uses a meeting’s invitation, participant names and attachments to improve accuracy and recognise jargon for each transcript automatically.

Using live transcription

To use the tool, the admin must turn on the ‘Allow Transcription’ policy which enables the meeting organiser to start a transcription. Participants are notified that the setting is on and can choose to hide it from their meeting view. If attendees do not want to be identified, they can turn off speaker attribution in their profile settings. After that, the transcripts will be available in a column to the side. Microsoft advises that the tool is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.

Storage

After each meeting, the saved transcript is downloadable in Teams. In addition to being accessible from desktop and web, it is in the Teams calendar meeting event and through the transcript tile in the chat. The files will be stored in the meeting organiser’s Exchange Online account. However, only the organiser or admin can delete it.

Privacy and security

Microsoft says that no-one at Microsoft can see a meeting’s content. The models are automatically deleted after each meeting. Subsequently, Microsoft doesn’t use or store this data for improving its own AI.

Availability

The tool is available for scheduled Microsoft Teams meetings (in U.S. English) to public cloud customers. They should have licenses for Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium SKUs.

What does this mean for your business?

Finally, the tool’s introduction is another move in the market battle between Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Although Zoom beat Microsoft to announcing a live transcript feature, Microsoft won in terms of delivering the feature. 

Above all, the live transcript tool will help users to either follow meetings more easily, catch up on meeting content, helping multi-tasking and being an extra accessibility feature.

Read more: Working from home