You Can Use Your Phone as a Walkie Talkie with Microsoft Teams
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Key notes
- Microsoft released a public preview of the Teams Walkie Talkie app for iPhones, to help frontline workers communicate.
- Teams Walkie Talkie app for Android has been in preview for over a year.
- The Redmond-based tech company uses Teams as an alternative to workers carrying heavy and uncomfortable PTT radios.
- This app shows how many people are currently connected to the channel and protects against crosstalk and eavesdropping.
If you weren’t aware, Microsoft has released a public preview of the Teams Walkie Talkie app for iPhones, which is designed to help frontline workers communicate.
Also, the Teams Walkie Talkie app for Android has been available in preview for over a year and was released for Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro devices late last year.
In summary, the app provides push-to-talk services for frontline workers. It allows participants to talk one at a time, taking turns talking and listening, just like with walkie-talkies.
How can I use my phone as a walkie talkie with Microsoft Teams?
So, once you set it up, the Walkie Talkie app can be accessed from an icon in the navigation bar.
Teams users can only connect to one channel at a time, but they can switch channels to listen to or speak on a different channel. The app also shows how many people are currently connected to each channel.Â
A new alternative to in-the-field communication
The Redmond-based tech company is actually promoting the Teams app as an alternative to workers carrying heavy and uncomfortable PTT radios.
Similar to a walkie-talkie, the app has a microphone button that users press and hold to speak. Then, they release the button to listen to the other speaker. Â
To give you another example, it’s the same as the push-to-talk option on Discord.
This push-to-talk experience enables clear, instant, and secure voice communication over the cloud, turning employee- or company-owned iOS and Android smartphones and tablets into a walkie-talkie
One of the many benefits is that users don’t need to worry about frequency static, which can affect analog devices.
Teams will also offer a shield from crosstalk and eavesdropping and can work across large geographic regions since it works over Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
As the tech giant mentioned, frontline or first-line workers are a key segment in Microsoft’s growth plans for Microsoft 365/Office 365.
Are you excited to use this new Teams feature? Let us know in the comments section below.
Before you go, don’t miss our guide on how to perform a Teams Walkie Talkie setup and use this feature.
