Today, in 2025, we’re proud to celebrate a 10-year journey of working closely with Yealink and Microsoft. Helping organisations across the UK & Europe transform their communication and collaboration through intuitive, certified, and scalable video technologies.

From the early days of Skype for Business phones to the modern Microsoft Teams Rooms with intelligent audio, AI-powered cameras and seamless BYOD flexibility — we’ve been at the forefront every step of the way.

Why it matters:

• Proven Track Record – 10 years of deploying Yealink + Microsoft solutions across public and private sectors.

• Certified Expertise – Microsoft Teams Certified devices, installed and supported by accredited professionals.

• Customer First – From SMEs to enterprise deployments, we tailor every solution to meet your people’s needs.

• Innovation Leaders – We’ve helped shape how Yealink Teams Rooms are deployed across diverse sectors: Defence, Healthcare, Education, Legal, Financial, and Hospitality.

Highlights Over the Decade:

• One of the first UK resellers of Yealink Teams systems

• Delivered 1000s of successful Teams Room deployments

• ️ In-house demo kits, testing labs and technical support

• Ongoing training with Microsoft + Yealink engineers

• Designed and deployed custom BYOD + Teams hybrid bundles

Call to Action:
Whether you’re upgrading your Teams Rooms, exploring new hardware, or want advice on hybrid deployments — speak to the experts who’ve been there since the beginning.

Contact us today to book a demo or Teams Room review.

Microsoft certifications are essential to all MTRs whether they be Windows based bundles, Android Meeting Bars or Collaboration Boards.

The expiry dates for all manufacturers’ systems are listed on www.microsoft.com. You’ll find that a large number of them expire 3^rd September 2025, just over 5 months from now.

Now, “End of Certification” doesn’t necessarily mean “End of Life” and security and other essential updates will still be published to expired systems for a further 2 years. However, they won’t receive feature upgrades and mix of software levels, varying functionalities and differences in user interface across your estate is not recommended, and so we urge you to budget for a technology refresh in 2025, and indeed every 3 years moving forward.

What we know already is:

• • • Windows 10 will cease to be supported by Microsoft on 14^th October 2025. This includes Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on MTRs.
    • Windows 10, 22H2, is the current and final version of Windows 10 and is already only supported through security updates.
    • So Windows 11 is essential for all PC-based MTRs moving forward
    • Microsoft has published a list of Intel CPUs which support Windows 11 but most MTR customers don’t know what’s inside their systems or what else they may need, eg RAM/storage upgrades
    • Most Android bars have their certifications expiring on 3^rd September 2025
    • We are already less than 7 months away on both counts
    • Microsoft is very clear about the importance of MTRs remaining up-to-date and auto-updates NOT being switched off

• • • Processor Cores will need to be 8^th-Generation or later, 1GHz 64bit processor, with a minimum of 4GB memory and 64 GB disk storage
    • Camera, microphones and speakers will probably be unaffected, unless you have an unsupported Android  speakerphone and unless you want to benefit from new “AI tracking features”.
    • Any bars or boards running less than Android 13 will cease to be MS certified. For these systems, depending on the underlying chipset, a complete swap out is likely to be needed.
    • Zoom has followed Microsoft in declaring certification expiries in September 2025.

Talk to us to determine:

• If your system hardware is capable of being upgraded to Windows 11+ or Android 13?
• If the systems you purchased in 2024/5 are equally effected.
• If we can offer a part-exchange trade in for your expiring system
• Whether the remaining term on its service contract can be transferred to a new system

VideoCentric’s “No obligation” promise.

The above offer applies regardless of whether you bought your systems from VideoCentric or not. The only difference is that our existing customers don’t need to supply us system details – we already have them.

For systems we recommend changing out in 2025, 2026 or 2027, we will offer you a budgetary quote which is non-binding on either party.

All our installations are backed by a 12 months guarantee of satisfaction.

Ongoing Technology Refresh

If you finance your technology refreshes via pay-as-you-go monthly payments, the full cost, including any reinstallation and maintenance, can be spread over 36 months and at the end of the term you simply hand the aging equipment back to be refreshed for yet another 3-year term, meaning that budgeting is automatically dealt. Most businesses are eligible for offsetting up to 25% of cost against their tax returns making it a less expensive and more easily justifiable route to acquiring the most up to date solutions on the market.

Remember we work with virtually all hardware manufacturers of Teams, Zoom, Google and Webex cloud based solutions. Our sales demo areas and technical support labs are kitted out with virtually one of every system, allowing us to remain one of the most knowledgeable and unbiased suppliers in the UK, supporting customers as fairly today as we have over the last 24 years.

Why not book a FREE CONSULTATION to discuss your options!

• The traditional meeting room is redesigned with the Hybrid Experience in mind.
• More inclusive and engaging for remote and meeting room participants
• The ultra-wide display goes on the long wall
• An opportunity to rethink the shape of your meeting room table
• AI camera processing for more intelligent framing & resizing of people
• Gallery Layout, AKA Front-Row
• A focus on presentation, collaboration & inclusive chat

According to Microsoft … “Signature Teams Rooms are not meant to be a replacement for all other meeting spaces inside your organization, but rather to act as a supplement to existing meeting spaces that utilize Microsoft Teams. They should be deployed strategically within your organization to the spaces and locations where face-to-face interactions with remote meeting participants will be most valued”.

VideoCentric’s policy is to “Demonstrate everything it sells” which includes traditional MTRs from each of the world’s leading manufacturers certified by Microsoft (ie Poly, Yealink, Logitech, Neat, Lenovo, HP and others) and so from March 2023, it will also be demonstrating for the first time, at a UK reseller premises, the Signature solution for MS Teams Rooms.

A fundamental difference between traditional MTRs that rely on displays with 16:9 wide-screen aspect, is the use of ultra-widescreen 21:9 format for “front-row” video layouts.

VideoCentric’s sales engineers, technical sales consultants, helpdesk and installation engineers have immediate access to equipment at its premises in Wokingham near Reading and further demonstration facilities will be set up in Leeds and central London. Facilities are already in place using 81” and 105” Jupiter Pana 21:9 displays each of which are available in passive and interactive touch variants.

Watch this space for further announcements from VideoCentric …

1. Microsoft’s certification of a whole new range of Cisco Webex solutions which will default to Teams.
2. “3-screen” MS Teams Room demonstrations, coming soon at VideoCentric Thames Valley suite.

What to expect as Skype for Business Online retires?

Skype for Business Online will be fully functional through July 31, 2021 to allow customers time to transition users to Teams or to an instance of Skype for Business Server. Here are some other details you should know about the Skype for Business Online service retirement:

• Services that integrate with Skype for Business Online will not be supported beyond the July 31, 2021 retirement. This includes support for third-party audio conferencing providers (ACP), Skype for Business Online Cloud Connector Edition (CCE), hybrid voice configurations, and Skype Meeting Broadcast.
• Customers will not be able to move online users out of Teams Only mode after retirement.
• Coexistence modes enable customers to operate Skype for Business Server/Teams side-by-side experiences until they are ready to move users to Teams Only.
• Users can be moved directly from Skype for Business Server to Teams Only after configuring Skype for Business hybrid with Microsoft 365 or Office 365.

Microsoft-assisted upgrades to Teams

In the coming weeks, we’ll begin scheduling Microsoft-assisted upgrades to Teams for Skype for Business Online customers with cloud-only or hybrid deployments. Assisted upgrades help with last-mile technical steps of the transition to Teams. Customers will be notified through the Teams admin center and the Microsoft 365 Message Center, 90 days prior to the scheduled date of their assisted upgrade. Customers tracking to complete their transitions to Teams Only prior to their scheduled automated upgrade date are encouraged to do so for better control over the timing of their upgrade experience.

The duration of each customer’s upgrade will vary by volume of users and characteristics of their deployment, but generally users within a tenant will be upgraded within 24 hours from the start of the upgrade. During this time, users will still be able to access Skype for Business Online. Once the upgrade has completed and users log out of Skype for Business Online, they will only be able to use Teams to initiate and receive messages and calls as well as to schedule and host meetings. These users will be able to join a Skype for Business meeting scheduled by a user on Skype for Business Server or in a federated organization.

When the assisted upgrade completes, the coexistence mode for upgraded users is set to Teams Only. Admins should review Teams Only mode considerations prior to upgrade. Learn more about Microsoft-assisted upgrades to Teams.

Teams upgrade resources

Whether you’re at the start of your upgrade journey or are wrapping up, these resources can help guide your organization through its transition to Teams:

• Microsoft Teams admin documentation provides guidance for rolling out, managing, and preparing users for Teams.
• Online upgrade guidance helps you prepare your technical environment and end-users for the upgrade to Teams.
• Teams upgrade planning workshops take you through a proven framework for planning and implementing your upgrade from Skype for Business to Teams.
• Microsoft Chalk Talks workshops teach best practices and practical guidance around some of the most popular and compelling scenarios in Teams.
• FastTrack deployment assistance is available for eligible subscriptions.
• Microsoft Partners can help you plan and execute your upgrade.

The retirement of Skype for Business Online and corresponding assisted upgrades do not affect the Skype consumer service, Skype for Business Server products and Skype for Business Online operated by 21Vianet (China Sovereign Clouds Instance).

Additional guidance for customers with hybrid configurations

In the coming weeks, we will be sharing more retirement guidance for Skype for Business customers with hybrid (server + online) configurations.

See you in Teams!

This article has been reposted from the Microsoft Blog. See the source artice here. 

UK-based Videocentric has developed Focus Arena which combines Teams and Zoom Rooms and other cloud-based apps into a single package, allowing users to select their preferred mode.

Cloud collaboration and videconferencing solutions integrator Videocentric has developed a new hybrid solution which combines Microsoft Teams and Zoom Rooms into one installed package, allowing users to select their preferred mode. The Focus Arena solution also allows for alternative apps such as Webex, BlueJeans, Lifesize, Pexip, GoTo Meeting and Google Meet to use the same room camera and audio system.

Launching Focux Arena, Videocentric explained that collaboration bars supporting multiple applications were launched in 2020 but users’ expectations were dashed when they found that they were focused on futureproofing an investment and needed to be reconfigured by the IT department, as opposed to allowing a user to walk into a room and simply select the required mode to join a Zoom or Teams conference call.

The Focus Arena solution uses one PTZ Camera (with either 5x or 12x zoom), one set of wireless microphones and one speaker, changing seamlessly between platforms on demand. A single touch controller is switched between Microsoft’s MTR interface and Zoom’s Room interface and allows for integrated camera control.

David Shimell sales director at VideoCentric, commented: ”Users don’t care what is going on behind the scenes, as long as it works. They get invited to a Teams or Zoom meeting and simply want to join it; not to be told they don’t have the right licences, or they need to contact IT, or wait for two or three restarts to occur. So, we set about developing a single solution based on components that were already certified by Microsoft and Zoom and where we could add our little bit of magic, based on a simple 1-2-3 approach.”

The three-step approach is:

1. Power ON Displays
2. Select MODE (e.g. Teams, Zoom, BYOD or Interactive Whiteboard)
3. Press JOIN

The new solution is named Focus Arena because it offers a focus on Microsoft Teams Room (MTR) and Zoom Rooms capabilities for primary meeting room usage, while its arena offers a wide selection of desktop apps that employees or guests might wish to use instead, such as Webex, GoTo Meeting, Lifesize, Google Meet, BlueJeans, Pexip, Teams desktop, Zoom desktop or others, whether they be pre-installed on a meeting room NUC, an interactive whiteboard or brought into the room by participants on their own Windows laptops or Macbooks.

Two camera variants are offered at launch but others will follow in 2021, together with a wireless BYOD option. With only one Cat 6 cable to the table plus wireless microphones and wireless presentation sharing, cable management is already minimal but for those with solid floor or glass tables, VideoCentric will install a completely wire-free solution at the same price.

VideoCentric’s Thames Valley showroom is already demonstrating the full flexibility and ease of use of Focus Arena to remote participants. From full Teams Room and Zoom Rooms focus, to a wide arena of desktop capabilities on NUC and portable BYOD, orders are now being taken for installations during March 2021.

For more information:

• https://videocentric.co.uk

Included below are additional details for new experiences enabled through these app releases:

Coordinated Meetings for Microsoft Teams Rooms and Surface Hub
With Coordinated Meetings, people can drive inclusive, collaborative meeting experiences between remote and in-person attendees like never before. Now, users can leverage the power of both Microsoft Teams Room and Surface Hub devices in the same meeting, through a coordinated experience. Using proximity or one-touch join, both devices join the meeting simultaneously with Teams Rooms running audio and video, while Surface Hub is automatically muted to avoid any distracting feedback. During the meeting, users can maximize screen real estate by using the front of room display to show attendees in the meeting gallery, while the Surface Hub is used to show content or to conduct a collaborative whiteboarding session. With the whiteboard experience on Surface Hub and Microsoft Whiteboard in Teams, people can draw and ink together on the same savable canvas, no matter their location. For more information on how to enable this coordinated meeting experience, read our guidance.

Pin attendees on Surface Hub
Control the view in-room attendees see on the Surface Hub with the pin feature. Like the Teams meeting experience on the PC, users can pin a participant’s video to the gallery view, holding the view in place regardless of who is talking. This feature will begin rolling out later this month.

Proximity-based meeting join, now available for Surface Hub
The simplicity of proximity-based meeting join for Microsoft Teams Rooms is now available on Surface Hub. Using proximity join, a person’s laptop or mobile device can be used to identify a nearby, available Surface Hub and add it to the meeting from the pre-join screen. The personal device will automatically join the meeting in content-only mode with mics and speakers muted, allowing the Surface Hub to provide audio and video for the meeting, without echo or feedback. By default, an invite to the meeting will appear on the device. However, customers can change the settings on the Surface Hub to enable auto accept.

Live captions are now available for collaboration bars
Live captions make meetings more inclusive by providing an alternative way for attendees to follow along and engage in the conversation. For people in noisy environments or with different levels of language proficiency, live captions can people follow along more easily. To turn on live captions, click on the option located in the navigation bar.

Switch to video gallery when content is present
Microsoft Teams Rooms and collaboration bars can now switch to the video gallery layout, even when content is being shared by a remote participant or locally using HDMI ingest. This functionality is available to all Teams Rooms devices configured with a single display (TV or projector) in the room. This layout is useful for moments when customers want to focus on participants in the meeting or for room configurations with always-on external devices connected via HDMI Ingest. We look forward to delivering additional layouts in the future.

Raise hand support for Microsoft Teams Rooms, collaboration bar, and Surface Hub
We announced the Raise Hand feature for Teams desktop in June, and are excited to announce that it is now available on Teams Rooms, collaboration bar, and Surface Hub. During a meeting, participants can raise a virtual hand to let people know they want to contribute without interrupting the conversation. To engage this feature, just tap Raise Hand in the meeting controls. Meeting participants will see a notification on the display and the console, that a hand is raised. Once the participant is done speaking, they can tap on the control again to lower their hand.

Adjust default volume for in-room speakers
Microsoft Teams Rooms support a wide variety of audio peripherals that can be used across all space sizes. This ability to customize based on spatial needs requires better control over default volume levels for audio devices. Device administrators can now set the default volume level for conferencing and default speaker from the Teams Rooms settings.

Manage Teams Devices from Teams Admin Center
Microsoft Teams recently rolled out expanded device management capabilities within the Teams Admin Center. Customers will now be able to manage their Teams Rooms in the same place as their collaboration bars and Teams phones. Additionally, we added new features enabling IT admins to simplify, customize, and automate Teams device management. Admins can now perform all the device management tasks, including enrollment, inventory management, software updates, and inspecting device health from a single location. For customers who rely on partners for device management, they can now delegate administration directly through the Partner Center, while ensuring secure authorized device access. Read through our recent blog post for more details on these announcements, and for information on how to begin managing devices through Teams Admin Center, click here.

Manage Microsoft Teams settings on Surface Hub via XML file
Customers can now manage Microsoft Teams settings on a Surface Hub using Windows Configuration Designer or Microsoft Intune in Microsoft Endpoint Manager. Now Surface Hub customers can find and manage their Teams settings in one place. Learn more

This article has been reposted. See the source article here.

Microsoft announced at their “Ignite” event in November that they plan to provide greater interoperability with other solutions. Here’s the post on Linkedin’ by their product manager for MS Teams Ilya Bukshteyn.

Here’s a key quote:

Although CVI [e.g. BlueJeans, Poly and Pexip Gateways for Microsoft Teams] is very useful for the installed base of traditional VTCs, we wanted to take a clean slate approach to the problem specifically for modern room systems. As we looked into how we could deliver interop without the need for cloud gateways and twenty year old standards such as SIP, we were able to pioneer a new approach, based on web technologies and standards. It turns out that pretty much all modern room systems are capable of running web technologies such as WebRTC and Chromium.

A source from an Account Manager at a technology partner has indicated that Teams should be moving to use WebRTC in June/July of this year. This would mean that the new generation of Lifesize ICONs and the Lifesize client should be able to make calls to and from Teams. Along these lines, Microsoft has since released an updated version of their Edge browser in January, which is now based on Chromium. This has natively enabled WebRTC on all Windows 10 desktop devices with the latest Microsoft updates applied. Lifesize Cloud is already 100% WebRTC based, all Lifesize Icon systems (HD and 4K) now natively run WebRTC when cloud connected. This potentially means direct interoperability between Lifesize Cloud and Microsoft Teams will be possible once Microsoft ratify their APIs for interworking. This also means that Microsoft’s proprietary video and audio compression schemes will likely disappear as well, meaning greater interoperability for all vendors.

Below is a link to the Blog of Tom Arbuthnot, a prominent spokesperson on all things Microsoft in the industry, where he highlights how this would likely work.

https://tomtalks.blog/2019/11/microsoft-teams-rooms-will-soon-be-able-to-join-zoom-and-webex-meetings-and-zoom-and-cisco-rooms-will-join-microsoft-teams-meetings/

What this means: Microsoft will now be taking the driving seat with regards to video interoperability with WebRTC, which is a huge benefit for the industry as a whole IMHO. A more open Microsoft, means less hurdles for everyone. All good things.

For any organisations looking to integrate their current Video Conferencing solutions from Lifesize, Polycom, Cisco and other standards-based vendors with Microsoft Teams, a Cloud Video Interoperability solution is vital due to the non standards-based nature of Teams itself.

With the huge growth of Microsoft Teams and the need for services and technologies to interoperate with it, the Pexip solution provides the answer now for both on-premise and cloud based deployments, and is the only provider currently able to do so in both capacities.

“We see huge growth in demand for video interoperability services and our capabilities for Microsoft Teams. Enterprises want to simplify their collaboration environments, and as a result of the growth of Microsoft Teams, we see a similarly paced demand for enabling third-party video meeting solutions to join Teams meetings. With the new Pexip service, we extend these capabilities to a larger audience and meet the requirements of more organizations than ever before.”

– Odd Sverre Østlie, Pexip CEO.

 

What will the Pexip Service for Microsoft Teams provide?

The CVI will enable any third-party Video Collaboration devices to join into a Teams meeting and maintain the Microsoft Teams workflow. Based upon the Pexip Infinity platform, hailed as the most interoperable Video Conferencing platforms available in the market today, the service will provide a route for organisations migrating from Skype for Business to Teams, and enable utilisation of previous and future investments in meeting room technologies.

The Pexip interoperability for Microsoft teams is offered as part of the current expansive Pexip service offering that is distributed globally across a dedicated video network and Microsoft Azure data centres, alongside call control and management of SIP and H.323 systems.

What will the Teams Experience be Like?

Video conferencing systems joining a Microsoft Teams meeting are seen and managed just like any other Microsoft Teams participant. Similarly, on the video conferencing side, the meeting is a regular video meeting with audio, video, and content sharing.

Want to know more about Teams Integration? Read the announcement from Pexip or find out more by contacting VideoCentric, UK partner of Pexip.

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