Microsoft Teams is a unified communication and collaboration teamwork hub. In Microsoft Teams, teams are collaborative workspaces to bring conversations, content, and apps together in one integrated single space.
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams is part of the M365 for Education subscription service. The MS Teams application provides a chat-based collaboration workspace that brings together people, conversations and content.
What are the benefits?
- Integrates Microsoft apps in a single workspace and enables real-time collaboration on documents
- Meeting and scheduling tools
- Access the information stored in Microsoft Teams from anywhere
- Voice and video calling from within Microsoft Teams
- Secure guest access
Microsoft Teams Premium
Microsoft Teams Premium is a Teams add-on license that offers extra functionality including:
- AI-generated summaries of recorded meetings
- advanced meeting security and confidentiality
- enhanced webinar features such as streamlined registration workflows and a virtual green room for presenters
- increased audience capacity for town halls
You can find out more about Microsoft Teams from Microsoft.
Upgrading to a Teams Premium licence costs around £20 a year for each user.
Microsoft Teams Phone
Microsoft Teams Phone can replace your traditional University telephone desk phone service if your institution is part of the University Microsoft tenancy. It's an add-on licence that offers extra functionality:
- Keep your University extension number
- Auto transcription of voicemail messages
- For Teams meetings you host, attendees have the option to join via a telephone call (Audio only)
Find out more about Microsoft Teams Phone.
How do I access it?
Microsoft Teams can be accessed in multiple ways:
- Via a web browser
- Mobile app available for Android and iOS devices from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, respectively
- Desktop Teams client available for Linux, macOS and Windows from Microsoft's website
If you are using a workstation that is provided and managed by your institution, please contact the IT support team at your institution to ask for assistance with installing the desktop client.
If you want to upgrade to a Teams Premium licence, please submit a Microsoft 365 bolt-on request.
If you would like Teams Phone, please contact the Telecoms Helpdesk. (phones@uis.cam.ac.uk)
Using Microsoft Teams at Cambridge
- How to request a new Team
- Learn about Private and Shared Channels
- Set up Live Events and Webinars
- Use Teams for your telephone services
- Read usage policies and learn about security in Teams
- Teams Terms of Service
How do I get help and training?
- Courses from UIS Training
- Online training from Microsoft
- How to have effective meetings using Microsoft Teams
Microsoft support pages:
- Manage notifications in Teams
- How to use breakout rooms in meetings
- Accessibility overview for Microsoft Teams
- Keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Teams
- Use Live Captions in meetings
- Use Immersive Reader in Teams
- What's new in Microsoft Teams
- Teams features by platform
- Limits and specifications
Further help and learning articles are available from Microsoft Teams Help and Learning Center.