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Integrating Third-Party Voice & Video with Microsoft Teams: Page 4 of 5

Polycom Trio
At InfoComm, I saw the Polycom Trio interface with Teams for both audio and video. Here's how this works:

Trio for Teams is an Android-based device; consequently, it runs the Android software Microsoft has built for its partners. Because it's running Microsoft software, it can interface directly to Teams. But, this is for audio only.

Video is a bit trickier. When you use the Trio Visual+ kit with Teams, the video traverses the Polycom RealConnect gateway in the Azure cloud.

 

The Trio connects directly with Teams for audio. When the Trio Visual+ kit is used for video, the audio/video streams traverse the Polycom RealConnect service in Azure and then go into Teams.

 

Microsoft has stated that this method is uncertified and unsupported. I can't understand why Microsoft feels this way... when the Trio Visual+ is used with Teams, the audio and video streams are going through a Teams-certified and -supported gateway, Polycom RealConnect. In that sense, the video behaves like any other VTC unit, and it is this less-functional interface that gives Microsoft indigestion. So, although Microsoft doesn't certify or support this solution, it works and it's creative.

Cisco & Zoom Teams Bots
So, what can you do if you're using Cisco or Zoom video? It turns out that both companies have developed Teams bots to launch their solutions. These bots allow you to invite people to video meetings from within a Teams conversation. A link posts to the conversation thread, and when a person clicks on the link, it launches Cisco Webex or the Zoom meeting client.

 

An example of third-party interoperability via bots built for Teams. These bots place a link in the Teams conversation that launches either the Cisco Webex or Zoom video solution.

 

 

The Only Certified & Supported Hardware Systems for Teams

Microsoft is adamant that only those hardware devices that run Microsoft software will interface directly with Teams. We can expect to see new Android-based Teams phones later this calendar year. Note that the clients on these phones will receive updates directly from Microsoft as they become available.

 

The only video solutions certified and supported for direct integration to Teams will be the Teams-enabled SRS and the Surface Hub. Of course, Microsoft also has approved the above-discussed VTC gateways from BlueJeans, Pexip, and Polycom. All others are unsupported by Microsoft. (By the way, I'm not sure why Microsoft is still using the Skype Room System brand... I expected this to migrate to Teams Room System a while ago, but only time will tell).

Polycom has had a tradition of providing group video endpoints that integrate with Skype for Business. It has the Polycom MSR, which is a SRS product, and MSR will be Team-enabled. Polycom will come out with Teams phones in early 2019, and I am speculating that Polycom will also roll out some Teams-enabled group video endpoints, but nothing has been announced.

We must also consider that Microsoft now supports WebRTC, so Teams meeting participants who don't have Teams can join using WebRTC. This capability will first be available on the Microsoft Edge browser, but will shortly thereafter work on other browsers that support WebRTC (Chrome, Firefox, and, ultimately, Safari).