April has been a busy month in the Teams environment with New Teams being rolled out and improvements to Voice quality, call handling and the application itself.

Teams voice isolation is an exciting feature introduced in Microsoft Teams to enhance the quality of audio during calls and meetings. Here’s how it works:

  1. Background Noise Suppression:
    • When you’re in a call or a meeting, Teams uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyse audio input from your microphone.
    • It identifies and isolates background noise, such as keyboard typing, traffic sounds, or other people talking nearby.
    • The AI then suppresses this noise, ensuring that only your voice comes through clearly to other participants.
  2. Personalized Voice Profile:
    • Teams creates a personalized voice profile for you based on your unique voice characteristics.
    • This profile helps Teams distinguish between your voice and other sounds in the environment.
    • As a result, even if you’re in a noisy setting (like a cafe or a busy office), Teams will prioritize transmitting your voice clearly while minimizing distractions.
  3. Benefits:
    • Improved call quality: Voice isolation ensures that your conversations are crystal clear, regardless of your surroundings.
    • Enhanced focus: You can concentrate on the conversation without being distracted by background noise.
    • Professionalism: Whether you’re on a business call or conducting an important meeting, Teams voice isolation maintains a professional audio experience.

One of the bugbears of Teams was that calls would always come through to you, even when you were on a call – Microsoft have listened and improved the methods you have to manage incoming calls – these include:

  1. Direct Voicemail:
    • With this feature, you have more control over incoming calls. If you’re busy or unable to take a call, you can send it directly to voicemail.
    • It’s a convenient way to manage your call flow without interrupting your current tasks or meetings.
  2. Call Management During Active Calls:
    • Teams now provides better settings for managing incoming calls while you’re already on a call or in a meeting.
    • You can choose to accept or decline additional calls, put them on hold, or transfer them to another colleague—all without disrupting your ongoing conversation.
  3. Improved Call Quality:
    • Microsoft continues to enhance call quality by optimizing audio transmission and reducing latency.
    • Whether you’re making a voice call or participating in a video meeting, Teams ensures clear and reliable communication.
  4. Integration with Teams Rooms and Devices:
    • Teams Rooms on Windows devices now use the new Teams app, resulting in faster performance and improved memory usage.
    • This optimization benefits meeting rooms, making collaboration seamless and efficient.

Finally, the one you will have seen the most of is the new Microsoft Teams App. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Performance-First Mindset:
    • The new Teams app is rebuilt from the ground up with a focus on performance.
    • It’s faster, simpler, and more flexible than ever before.
    • You’ll notice quicker response times when switching between apps, responding to chat messages, and joining meetings and calls.
    • Plus, it uses less battery and memory, optimizing your device resources
  2. Layout Familiarity:
    • Despite the overhaul, the new Teams maintains the same layout you’re used to.
    • You’ll still find the familiar sections and navigation, making the transition seamless.
  3. Feature Parity:
    • The new Teams now has full feature parity with almost all classic Teams features.
    • Whether it’s custom line-of-business apps, third-party integrations, breakout rooms, 7×7 video, call queues, PSTN calling, or contextual search in chats and channels, you’ll find it all in the new Teams
  4. Multi-Tenant Multi-Account (MTMA) Support:
    • With the new Teams, you can add multiple work or school accounts (or even Guest accounts from other organizations).
    • Receive real-time notifications, participate in chats and meetings across accounts, and set individual statuses for each account
  5. AI-Powered Features:
    • The new Teams integrates AI-powered capabilities for smarter collaboration.
    • Expect enhancements like contextual search, improved meeting experiences, and more intelligent features
  6. Secure Collaboration:
    • While enjoying all these features, rest assured that the new Teams maintains enterprise-level security and compliance standards.

Is there anything else you’d like to know or explore further? Feel free to ask!