Public-i launched HybridLink in 2021 to meet the needs of local councils searching for a way to run formal hybrid meetings easily. After receiving valuable feedback from our clients, we are pleased to announce that HybridLink is now fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, in addition to Connect Remote. This integration will be available to all Public-i Connect clients to offer a new level of ease and efficiency to councils looking to streamline their meeting process.
A remote participant using Microsoft Teams with HybridLink for Teams
HybridLink is the latest solution from Public-i, designed specifically for local authorities looking to hold secure hybrid council meetings that include unified voting, speaker queue management, live streaming and parity of experience for both remote and in-room participants.
But the great benefit of HybridLink for Teams is its simplicity of use. Only one operator can manage all participants, the speaker queue and run votes from one place. They can start, pause, and stop webcasting with the press of a button. And it’s also a cost-effective solution, as it can be used with the existing Bosch Dicentis or Televic Cocon conference systems in the room.
Chamber signage showing the remote participants and a list of participants, waiting queue and active speakers.
Microsoft Teams view of the waiting-to-speak queue and active speakers list.
HybridLink works with Teams to prompt remote users when it is their turn to speak or vote, while in-room participants can use the existing conference microphone system to speak and vote in the usual way. Every attendee can see the active speakers list and a waiting-to-speak queue: the chamber attendees will have it displayed in the room while HybridLink sends an automatically updated list to Teams. All participants can vote at the same time and the operator will have the live results automatically combined and tallied.
Microsoft Teams view of an active vote
View of live voting results automatically tallied and exportable as PDF or Excel.
Security is a top priority for local councils, and HybridLink with Teams offers the highest levels of security for hybrid meetings. As HybridLink works as part of Teams, all the usual Microsoft security features remain in place. Operators can add or remove participants (or members of the public) for some parts of the meeting. Moreover, the identity of the participants is secured by the Council and their vote is linked to their usual MS Teams login.
At present, we know that not all Councils in the UK and Ireland can use remote voting. Authorities in the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Scotland are already able to hold remote and hybrid votes, whilst legislation to allow this in England and Northern Ireland is still being considered. For those clients in areas which allow remote voting, HybridLink presents an immediate opportunity to streamline hybrid meetings. In England and Northern Ireland, HybridLink is available for those who want to get ahead of the curve and prepare for legislative change.
In summary, HybridLink integration with Teams offers local councils an easy-to-use, convenient, and secure solution for hosting hybrid meetings. With its seamless integration with Microsoft Teams and its advanced features such as automatic speaker queue management and voting, HybridLink for Teams is the ultimate solution for local councils looking to streamline their meeting process.
