Public-i is pleased to let you know new functionality is available for our Connect Remote video conferencing software. Here is an update about the new features that will help virtual local authority meetings.
Tablet compatibility
You can now participate in a meeting via iPad/iPhone or Android tablet. Just launch the link to the meeting and it will prompt you to download the app from Apple App Store or Google Play or take you to the meeting if it is already installed. You can get more info from our KnowledgeBase article: Connect Remote: iPad app user guide
Connect remote on iPhone and iPad
Public-i Service desk chat
Meeting moderators can now get support straight from the meeting page and chat to our lovely staff to get tips and help. You can get more info in the following article: Connect Remote: Using Messenger for Helpdesk support
Launch our Messenger chat tool
Add a meeting password
Meeting moderators can now secure the meeting behind a password. This can be done at the start of the meeting or during the meeting. This can be used in conjunction with the ‘remove participant’ feature to make sure a participant who does not know the password cannot come back into the room. We will soon replace this functionality with a lobby system.
Moderator can add a password
Other new features:
- Multiple moderators per meeting (chair and clerk can manage the speakers)
- Cameras of participants automatically turn off when they are not speaking (15 videos are on simultaneously to improve call quality for all)
- Moderator can stop the camera for any participant
- We fixed an issue on tile view which prevented showing more than 45 participants
Here is our tentative roadmap for the next features in development:
Phase one (mid-June) – moderator features and device compatibility:
- Creating and recording of votes
- Pause and restart the meeting for the public webcast
Phase two (end-June) – key functionality
- Lobby for adding/removing members of the public or any speaker
- Individualised invitations for participants, with added security
Phase three (mid-July) – tighter controls and further integration with Connect webcasting:
- Audit logging (recording attendees’ time of arrival and exit, etc.)
- Sending agenda points live during the meeting
- Sending speaker names (profiles) automatically as different people speak
- Participant phones into the meeting
Phase four (longer term)
As the summer moves on, we’ll look at integration with Council chambers so a mixed meeting is possible (with some attendees present, some still remote). We’ll be working towards the unification of queue management systems so that a chair or clerk can manage the conference microphone queue system in the Chamber along with the online speaker queue.
