ITEXPO Exhibitors NextPlane and TeamMate Technology Address Microsoft Teams Interoperability Challenges

Microsoft Teams is a staple when it comes to collaboration platforms. It enables efficient remote work, while robust security features ensure data protection. Customizable interface and third-party app integrations enhance workflow efficiency, making it an ideal solution for businesses to boost productivity.

Despite the widespread adoption of Microsoft Teams as a communication and collaboration platform in many workplaces, interoperability remains a challenge. Teams users often find themselves restricted when attempting to communicate with users on other UCaaS and collaboration platforms. This lack of communication interoperability can hinder productivity and collaboration efforts, particularly in environments where multiple platforms are utilized or when collaborating with external partners or clients who may use different tools.

One of the primary reasons for this limitation is the proprietary nature of Microsoft Teams and its closed ecosystem. While Teams offers integration with various Microsoft services and applications, it can be challenging to establish direct communication channels with users on competing platforms such as Slack, Zoom or Cisco (News – Alert) Webex.

Interoperability issues also arise due to differences in protocols, security measures and feature sets between different UCaaS and collaboration platforms. Achieving communication between these platforms requires extensive technical integration efforts and standardization, which can be complex and time-consuming. Additionally, concerns about data privacy, security, and compliance further complicate efforts to establish interoperability between disparate systems.

So how are these interoperability challenges addressed? There isn’t exactly the most clear-cut answer to that, but two organizations are keen on addressing them head-on: NextPlane, a provider of AI-enabled connectivity services, and Teammate Technology, a pioneer in advanced voice calling systems.

“By partnering with NextPlane we intend to bridge this divide and set a new standard for Teams interoperability services,” said Eric Hernaez (News – Alert), CEO of TeamMate Technology. Hernaez will be among the panelists in an ITEXPO session titled “Attention UCaaS Providers: What’s Your Teams Strategy?”

TeamMate Technology, an ITEXPO exhibitor, helps organizations unlock the full potential of their existing communication platforms by getting the most out of Microsoft Teams. Their solution lets service providers craft custom, branded Teams applications that integrate call control, user portals, PBX (News – Alert) notifications and soft keys. This approach allows organizations to utilize both familiar communication tools and the modern features of Microsoft Teams.

NextPlane, also an ITEXPO exhibitor, recently expanded its capabilities to intelligent interoperability between UCaaS and CX platforms with Microsoft Teams. The expansion also included integration with major generative AI large language model services to enable various UCaaS and CX platforms to offer GenAI features to their customers,

The two, in collaboration, combined their strengths to improve user experience and productivity for Teams users. NextPlane and its interoperable collaboration solutions are set to be integrated with Teammate Technology’s interoperability platform that enables UCaaS providers to easily integrate Microsoft Teams with their UCaaS service.

NextPlane’s robust presence technology combined with Teammate Technology’s voice solutions means users can enjoy a seamless experience between Microsoft Teams and their existing UCaaS platforms. The partnership also allows UCaaS users to share presence and status, and exchange messages – which does include rich text and emoji reactions – with Microsoft Teams users and other collaboration services user, as if they were on the same platform.

“This partnership is about bringing the best of both worlds to UCaaS providers,” said Farzin Shahidi, CEO of NextPlane, who is also set to be among the panelists in the same session with Hernaez. “With improved communication, businesses can expect a significant boost in productivity and collaboration, fostering a more dynamic and responsive work environment.”

The long-story-short? The two companies plan to completely change how businesses communicate – it doesn’t matter if internally or with their clients. Learn more from them at ITEXPO.

Melissa Abramson

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"With 10 years of experience in enterprise messaging, Melissa is a recognized expert in maximizing team productivity through technology. Her mastery of Microsoft Teams is extensive, encompassing advanced features, integrations, customizations, and the full spectrum of functionalities. As a leading authority on unified communications, including NextPlane solutions, Melissa empowers organizations to build comprehensive, user-friendly collaboration ecosystems."

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