Push-to-Talk Feature in Microsoft Teams

If you have been on a Microsoft Teams call, there is a problem of unwanted background noise and its amplification that disrupts smooth communication. The noise from fan, wind, or any incessant sound can cause trouble in the listening for other members on the call. Microsoft has been figuring out the solution to this problem that cancels undesired noises that arise in the background. It is called a walkie talkie feature which gets active only when you allow people to talk, or push to talk (PTT), who otherwise remain muted.

There can be many reasons for background noise. The most common problem that Microsoft has recognized is the improper sound calibration of your device. If the device sound is very loud, it can cause disturbance during the Teams call. However, this can be simply solved by adjusting in settings of your device.

Checking the Device Settings

From Teams Device settings, choose Make a test call and check the result. In a test call, you will see how your mic, speaker, and camera are working. Follow the instructions from Test Call Bot and record a short message. The message will playback for you. After that, you will get a summary of the test call, and you can go to your device settings to make changes.

Also, you can check with different devices to evaluate the issue. This will help you identify the problem which can be with your device or the application itself.

Benefits of Push to Talk Feature (Walkie Talkie)

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the Push to Talk feature has been in great demand from the quarters where more than 20+ people were part of the meeting. It was very difficult to manage the microphones of so many people in the meeting. It was frustrating for many users if the little popup appeared describing that “Your Microphone is turned off.” This PTT feature enabled the organizer to control the noise coming from different members. All other members would be muted by default, and only when the organizer pushed them to talk, everyone else could hear their voice.

This feature is a real asset when there are a huge number of people in the meeting. The organizer controls the microphones for either every member or a certain group. The Push to Talk feature helps mitigate disruptions and unnecessary noise. Online education can be streamlined and made hassle-free with this feature. This feature is already available with Microsoft Teams Live Events, but it has been in the works with Microsoft Teams too.

Teams’ traditional rival Slack already has the walkie talkie feature, which will be rolled out in Android and iOS Teams application. It is a highly requested feature by many organizations that want to minimize the chatter that Teams’ meetings can cause. This feature will ensure that there is no crosstalk or unnecessary disturbance when the meeting is going on. There is also speculation that the PTT feature will be rolled out alongside a plethora of new features including refurbished access management, SMS sign-ins, shared device sign-outs, and more. This will be handy for organizations that use Microsoft Teams as the primary UC software.

Get started with Microsoft Teams

If you want to get started with Microsoft Teams, you can start a risk-free trial from a certified Microsoft CSP such as Apps4Rent. Our Office 365 experts help you install Teams and unravel all the features, alongside the larger Office 365 suite. Get in touch with our experts 24/7 via phone, chat, and email.

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