Based on the new Microsoft 365 roadmap, Microsoft will dramatically increase the maximum number of Teams video conferencing participants for desktop users. However, such functionality will not be available to all users and organizations.
At the initial stage, from October this year, the maximum number of videoconference participants will be increased to 25,000 people. But for now, this functionality will only be available to US authorities; in particular, to employees of the Department of Defense.
Earlier, from September this year, participants in the Government Community Cloud (GCC) High platform, organized by Microsoft for various US authorities and other organizations, will receive similar opportunities.
To use the Pentagon version of Microsoft 365, you must be an employee of the US military. At the same time, the GCC High platform will be able to use both the military; and, for example, federal contractors who have no direct relationship with the authorities. At the same time, they are subject to stringent requirements of local security standards NIST 800-171, FedRAM High and ITAR.
In addition to the fact that US government organizations will be able to organize video conferences with a huge number of participants; Microsoft intends to add the integration of Teams notifications to the macOS ecosystem; so far, too, only for US authorities and close organizations. If users want to receive notifications through traditional Teams; they can leave the default settings, otherwise they can arrange to receive notifications from macOS.
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Support for the integration of notifications in macOS is provided for the GCC, GCC High and the Pentagon sites already this month; and holders of licenses for business and educational purposes can activate it now, at least in some regions.
Usage of video conferencing applications rose 151% in the first half of 2021
Usage of video conferencing applications rose 151% in the first half of 2021. This is what emerges from a report produced by SensorTower which, in fact, certifies a trend that started in 2020. The pandemic has rewritten the rules in many areas and interactions with colleagues; or with teachers, or with schoolmates through a webcam have now become the norm. The point is to understand how long this new approach will last.
In the first half of last year, services such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet recorded 21 times more use than in the same period in 2019. A clear sign of how the global lockdown and the onset of the health emergency have played a decisive role in this surge.
