Getting the best audio and video experiences in Teams with devices
Published Dec 10 2018 12:00 PM 43.9K Views

Microsoft Teams is Microsoft’s fastest growing business app to date with over 329,000 organizations using Teams and 60 customers who have 10,000 or more active users. This has ushered in Teams as the standard for chat and communications.

 

Since Teams is built on the latest audio and video (A/V) codec components available to the industry, companies can take full advantage of the rich media capabilities inside of Teams.

 

For more than a decade, Microsoft has offered a robust certification program where partner devices must meet high thresholds of audio quality and usability to deliver the best experience in a call or meeting. Today, you can choose from over 50 headsets and speakerphones that have been certified in partnership with top global manufacturers of enterprise audio devices. We’ve seen that certified devices offer 20% improvement in overall A/V quality in a call or meeting.

 

Skype for Business certified devices are also supported in Microsoft Teams

 

We have many headsets and speakerphones that are certified for Skype for Business. Plus, you can continue to benefit from your investment in certified devices as they are also supported in Microsoft Teams. To learn more about devices click here.

 

  • Headsets come in two categories: Wired and Wireless. Wired headsets are connected via USB while wireless headsets are connected via Bluetooth or Digital Enhanced Cordless Technologies (DECT) using a USB dongle or base station.  These devices come in Monaural (single earpiece) and Binaural (dual earpiece) options in several wearing styles such as earbuds, over the ear, and behind the neck. 

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  • We also certify cameras for optimal video call and meeting performance. Examples of cameras that are certified include offerings from Logitech.

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What it takes to become a certified device

Certified Skype for Business and Teams audio devices are tested by independent labs to provide users with high-end audio, without distortion, echo, glitches or other noise. Both personal and speakerphone type devices are tested for microphone quality, noise cancellation ability, speakerphone quality and any built-in processing.

Devices are tested to perform well in a range of environments, for example, canceling out your neighbor’s voice from being picked up by the microphone (e.g. in an open office setting), or ensuring microphone pickup for speakers at all corners of a meeting room.

When it comes to cameras, products are tested for color of the image, image detail, frame rate, field of view, and more. All certified devices must meet high requirements around all these aspects so that our customers can not only be heard but also seen. The certification process is outlined here.

In addition to high quality, certified devices offer a plug-and-play user experience (no additional drivers or set up required). Plus, your investment is protected as they support firmware upgrades as changes and updates are made.

Device controls that certified devices provide

Predictable call control, such as mute, unmute, answer, and volume up or down with certified devices will work seamlessly with both Skype for Business and Teams. 

Simplified support

If your certified device is not working with Teams or Skype for Business, all of our partners are committed to working with Microsoft to resolve any issues, another reason why getting a certified device is a better way to have meetings and calls.

What’s next ...

We are working closely with leading device manufacturers partners on our evolving portfolio of peripherals and moving forward these new devices will get Certified for Microsoft Teams. The certification includes all the criteria for Skype for Business, plus some additional requirements such as:

  • receiving Teams notifications
  • enabling invocation of voice skills via Teams

Remember to bookmark this page as we will continuously release new devices here:

https://aka.ms/certifieddevices

 

26 Comments
Deleted
Not applicable

 

Great progress on devices. So many good options out there.

 

Interested you shared a link to the Microsoft US store rather than the certified device page?  https://partnersolutions.skypeforbusiness.com/solutionscatalog/

 - is this page still an authoritative reference, I see it hasn't been updated for Teams?

 

Thanks

 

Tom

Brass Contributor

I still can't get the Logitech H820E to answer a call when I hit the answer button on the headset.

@Deleted we launch the teams devices market place page at Ignite with the intention to replace the https://partnersolutions.skypeforbusiness.com/solutionscatalog/ over time. The partner solutions catalog only has the Skype for Business certified devices where market place has all devices that are supported in teams, including skype for business certified devices.

 

@Thomas Bishop in order to assist you please connect with your logitech representative to work, who will work directly with Microsoft on a support case. This may be an isolated incident. See list of known issues

Brass Contributor

I have still issues on multiple devices to get the physical "mute"-buttons to work in sync with Teams, while they work great with Skype for Business. Devices I use, and all are failing on this: Jabra Speak 410MS/510MS, Plantronics Voyager Focus 825M.

Microsoft

@Thomas Bishop the Logitech H820e should be working now. You can reach out to Logitech and also please do submit a bug in Microsoft Teams via the feedback link in the bottom left corner of navigation panel so we can take a look. You may want to also ensure you are not running an old version of Skype for Business at the same time as using Teams - this may be causing the issue for you. Thanks.

 

@Frank Rijt-van If you are running an older version of Skype for Business at the same time as Teams, the call controls may not work in Teams. You can see if this is the issue you are having by closing out Skype for Business completely and ensuring it is not running on your PC and then trying to use call controls when you are on a Teams call. If this does not resolve the issue please submit a bug so we can take a look. Thanks.

Iron Contributor

So I have noticed that there is no mention of Polycom Desk Phones when it comes to "Teams Devices". If you go to the Microsoft Devices page, no Polycom. The horrible way they have been supporting their customers with SfB Online and the lack of real support for Teams on their VVX phones makes me wonder; are they going to be a desk phone partner going forward? They released a new line of SfB phones, but for on prem only. They dont share any roadmap info and I have yet to see any of the Team Builds that they were showing off in the last two MS Ignites. 

 

Anyone know what's going on with them and their desk phones for SfB Online? Is Plantronics now running the show and are just scrapping this function of this VVX line?

Deleted
Not applicable

@Andrew Allston, I don't work for Polycom but have a little insight.

 

Unfortunately how IP Phones will work with Teams has fundamentally changed from how they work with SfB Server/Online. In SFB there were two types of phone, Lync Phone Edition (LPE) running on Windows CE with a Microsoft "app" and later "3PIP", 3rd party phones that could run their own vendor OS as long as they met a certification standard.

 

Teams Certified phones will be more like a modern version of the LPE model. They must run Android with a Microsoft app on top. Therefore existing 3PIP phones like the VVX and AudioCodes, that don't run Android, won't be "upgradable" to the Teams certified model. Not something the vendors can control, unfortunately. MSFT do run a gateway in the cloud to allow existing 3PIP phones to work with Teams, all be it with some functional limitations ( https://tomtalks.blog/2017/10/skype-business-online-ip-phones-will-work-microsoft-teams-consideratio.../ ).

 

Polycom doesn't have an existing Android-based handset (their Trio is android based, which is why it will have a full Teams firmware/mode), I would expect Polycom to come out with a Teams handset at some point, but I can't comment on their roadmap.

 

I'm sure if you talk to your Polycom partner or Polycom they can share further details, maybe under NDA.

 

 

Thanks @Deleted, that's correct and thanks for providing guidance here as this is a complex topic. 

 

@Andrew Allston just to add to this, Polycom and Microsoft have been working very closely on ensuring both existing non-Android capable phones have a good (albeit non-native) path via Microsoft's 3PIP Gateway. We're also working on future Teams native IP Phones and have even launched an upgrade program whereby folks can buy VVX 3xx, 4xx, 5xx and 6xx devices now and get a native phone as soon as they launch. I know this isn't ideal but the timing of our Android range was a little behind on the native Teams IP Phone schedule, but TRUST me it'll be worth the wait Smiley Very Happy


For more information on the upgrade plan refer to this page on the Polycom site and some information on the Microsoft 3PIP Gateway here.

 

Finally I'd recommend watching this presentation from Ignite that also goes into more details regarding the entirety of the Polycom range of Skype for Business devices.

Iron Contributor

Thanks @Adam Jacobs and @Deleted! All of this info is gold. I am truly happy that a upgrade program exists, we only bought these a couple years ago and I dont want to be flogged by my CFO.

Copper Contributor

Can I just say that I find it really ironic and also partly frustrating that of all the "share" options that this article had, Microsoft Teams wasn't an option.

 

:(

Copper Contributor

I hope in 2020 everything is clear with devices. Right now we are using Teams Direct Routing and for Polycom VVX  Trio / Plantronics Skype Headsets we have to use skype for parallel, because Trio haven’t teams yet. I have so much discussion with Polycom/Plantronics that now I talk to other vendor which in place and have working solutions, hopefully they see the market and offer a trade in and have a guarantee that new versions of teams also supported on there device. Polycom/Plantronics said the reason why they don‘t start with teams is to be sure to have Version 2 certificate devices ? Cool Statement means at the end Polycom/Plantronics wins again all (including their customer) ? 

 

Greetings

Joerg

Microsoft

Hi @JoergB , I honestly have no idea what Polycom / Plantronics mean by "Version 2" Teams devices, and I should know as I manage Devices for Teams and SKype for Business. We have Teams Phones out now, and hopefully Polycom / Plantronics will also have Teams Phones out sometime in CY19, but they will all be Teams Phones, there is no "version 1" or "version 2".   We are also working on a native Teams Phones application for Trio as an audio device (the Trio Visual+ / Visual Pro kits were never supported or certified by us and therefore will not have a path forward to Teams). 

We have great Teams Devices, including phones, available today which you can find at http://office.com/teamsdevices 

Copper Contributor

We are now shift from Skype for Buissiness to Teams Direct Routing and earn a lot of trouble. Our Company is an Old Economy Start-UP and we have one year old hardware. With this hardware we have now totally confused our userers because of compatibility issues with Hardware Phones and Headsets. 

 

So is good to leak about devices which will support in future. But I search a channel where I can discuss in generally the Teams Phone strattegy, because the first thin I do with my trouble, order now Yealink phones for testing and what I see is incompetence of creating software of phones. Yes you can use basic key features but no contacts, no favorites, no meeting PopUp and at lease in Search for Company People you only find the desk number and not for example the mobile number.  I asked our BIG Microsoft Account Teams and the Premier Support only answer was your partner a totally wrong with your adoption.  For me maybe a have to switch ? 

 

Is there is any experience to discuss this with people who have influence ? The Phone Vendor Poly / Yealink are wrong because of  no feedback !! And Audiocodes told me that they work together with Microsoft :-(.  And have also a Managed Service in place to „replace“ my Partner ? I Search now Influencer of Product group which are willing to give me information because at the end I have to think about my Strategie.

 

Plesae give me a hint.

Microsoft

@Joerg Brors my team also manages our Teams Phones efforts, including the software on those phones. @Kruthika Ponnusamy leads our Teams Phones work. I suggest sending Kruthika a PM and perhaps doing a call. Most everything you mention (contacts, favorites, better search of the GAL) is coming to our Teams Phones software in about a quarter.  These improvements will go to all Teams Phones because we (Microsoft) make the Teams Phones software running on those phones. So Yealink, Crestron, AudioCodes, and Poly will all get these enhancements.  (Poly's Teams Phones will be available in Q3 of this CY).  You can always find certified Teams Phones (and those which are upgradable to Teams Phones) at http://aka.ms/teamsdevices 

 

Sorry if I missed part of your question as I may have not read some of the wording correctly.

@Joerg Brors Like Ilya has mentioned above, most of the features you are asking about are in our pipeline. I want to understand your issue with search - if you want to see the mobile number as part of contact card, that is coming soon too. I will send you a message offline.

Copper Contributor

@Joerg Brors. We could share information with you about the Teams strategy and how you may use RCC on PLT headsets with Teams. Give us a call or ping me an email with your contact dates and we will help you.

Cheers

Uwe

Brass Contributor

Has anyone here deployed a HP Slice or Logitech SmartDock in a conference room approx. 5m x 6m?  More specifically, can anyone recommend a suitable USB Microphone?  I am going to need to x2 due to the room layout.  We are currently using a Polycom Group 310 with a mic array.

Microsoft

@Paul Mitchell we are using the Logitech Rally System audio / video with the HP Slice internally for rooms of that size with great results. There are other complete MTR solutions also Certified for that size of room, but with HP and/or Logi MTRs the Rally system is a great choice.

Brass Contributor

I did consider the Logitech Rally as I have a spare Logitech SmartDock that I am going to pair with the Logitech Flex. However, my only issue is with the speaker, I already have ceiling mounted speakers. I plan to use the HDMI 2 port on the Flex to pass the audio back to the screen and then out to the ceiling speakers. Do you think the Rally can be used without the speaker?

Microsoft

@Paul Mitchell not sure about that, you're into a pretty unusual and not certified configuration there. We really focus on testing our recommended and certified systems / bundles.

Brass Contributor

Do you know if the SmartDock and the Logitech Rally is a certified system?  I know the SmartDock Flex and the Rally is on the list of bundles, but I don't see just the SmartDock.  I don't need the additional cabling options the Flex provides, so I can't see any reason why the SmartDock would not work?

 

Microsoft

SmartDock was our first MTR solution so is certified. Rally System is also Certified. Because SmartDock is now (I believe) out of production (replaced by Logi TAP) I am not sure if we validated them together, but I can't see any reason why that wouldn't work.

Brass Contributor

You mentioned your experience using the Logitech Rally System audio / video with the HP Slice.  I assume the length of cable between the HP touch display and slice dictates that both the Slice and the Logitech table hub have to be located on the boardroom table?

I have looked at the Logi TAP (not available in uk only end of July) where you have a very long USB cable run between the TAP display and the PC unit.  This allows you to locate the PC unit in the AV rack.  However, because we require 2x mics, we also need to use the Logi table hub to route the cables back to another Logi hub in the rack.

 

Copper Contributor

Is there any noise cancelling settings for background noise when we are using the built-in microphone on a surface or laptop? Seems to be a lot of noise like I am in a wind tunnel.

Microsoft

@DerekMc316 no there are not any settings for this.  I would highly recommend using a certified headset with a boom mic for the best possible background noise elimination.  Specifically, headsets which meet our "Open Office" certification level pass a higher bar for background noise suppression:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/across-devices/devices/category?device...

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