Microsoft Teams Arrives In Cisco Meeting Room Devices

In 2023, Cisco and Microsoft will offer the ability to run Microsoft Teams natively on Cisco Room and Desk devices Certified for Microsoft Teams, with the option of Teams as the default experience.

Cisco and Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday announced at Microsoft’s annual Ignite conference a new partnership that will provide customers with more choice

This will be the first time when Cisco will become a partner in the Certified for Microsoft Teams program.

In a statement, Jeetu Patel, EVP and GM, Security & Collaboration, Cisco said, “Interoperability has always been at the forefront of our hybrid work strategy, understanding that customers want collaboration to happen on their terms — regardless of device or meeting platform.”

Initially, six of Cisco’s most popular meeting devices and three peripherals will be certified for Teams, with more to come. The first wave of devices, expected to be certified by early 2023, will include the Cisco Room Bar, the Cisco Board Pro 55-inch and 75-inch, and the Cisco Room Kit Pro for small, medium and large meeting room spaces, respectively.

Jeff Teper, president, collaborative apps and platforms at Microsoft said, “By welcoming Cisco as our newest partner building devices Certified for Microsoft Teams, we are excited to bring leading collaboration hardware and software to market together for our joint customers.”

With this collaboration, customers will have the option to make Microsoft Teams Rooms the default experiences and the devices will continue to support joining Webex meetings with all the features and functionality customers enjoy today. 

The first peripheral — the Cisco Desk Camera 4K — is an intelligent USB webcam and will be available by the end of October 2022, followed by two headphones with a Teams button by early 2023.