From Direct Guest Join for Zoom and Android to a 1.9M-user Workplace deal with McDonald’s, here are extracts from popular stories this week.
Sinch Approved for Operator Connect
Sinch has been approved for Microsoft’s Operator Connect (OC) programme, allowing customers to utilise its voice services in Microsoft Teams.
Today’s announcement also revealed that Sinch would be able to provide access to emergency services through the Teams’ voice platform.
Sinch believes its low costs, intuitive self-service portal, and emergency services provider approval help it stand out against its competitors. It says operating the largest independent voice network allows it to offer exceptional value for money.
Brent Mello, Sinch Vice President of Enterprise Services, said: “We’re proud of this achievement to expand our working relationship with Microsoft by completing our Teams offering including Direct Routing, UCaaS integration, and now Operator Connect.”
“As exciting is our designation as a provider of emergency services through Teams. Millions of VoIP subscribers are currently supported by our next-generation 911 offering.
“With our latest Operator Connect solution, we will continue providing this critical service and extending our highly reliable call delivery to enterprises who rely on Teams in today’s evolving remote and hybrid work environments.”
The Sinch website reports savings of up to 50% with its pay-per-usage model, and the set-up time from purchase to portal is one day.
Google Merges Duo and Meet
Google has revealed plans to merge Duo and Meet into one application that will take the Meet branding.
Duo is Google’s consumer-facing brand, offering free video calls and messaging, while Google has typically aimed Meet at businesses.
But Google said that Meet will become the overarching brand for both consumers and businesses, with the Duo application set to be renamed Meet later this year.
Javier Soltero, Vice President and General Manager of Google Workspace, said in a blog post: As part of our continued investment in helping people stay connected, and to adapt to evolving user needs, we’re upgrading the Duo experience to include all Google Meet features.”
“This integrated experience will provide users with a single solution for both video calling and meetings with people across their lives.
“Existing video calling features from Duo are here to stay, including the ability to make video calls to friends and family by phone number or email address, use fun filters and effects, send messages, and ask Google Assistant to call using existing devices. All conversation history, contacts, and messages will continue to be saved in the app and there will be no new app to download.”
Google first made Meet available to everyone as a free product in 2020 as COVID swept the globe and people were confined to their homes.
Direct Guest Join for Zoom and Android
Zoom has announced a new partnership with Microsoft to create interoperability between their video conferencing applications using Direct Guest Join.
Microsoft has also revealed that Android devices are now able to utilise Direct Guest Join to access alternative video calling platforms from within the Teams Rooms application.
Direct Guest Join allows Zoom Rooms and Microsoft Teams users to call into each other’s video platforms without needing to purchase additional licenses or third-party services.
The process of switching between the platform takes place at the click of a button, and it is accessible from Android, Windows and Mac room-based operating systems.
