MC1136040 – Live events using Microsoft Teams town hall in Viva Engage (archived)

Product:

Microsoft Viva, Microsoft Viva Engage, Teams

Platform:

Android, iOS, Online, Web, Windows Desktop, World tenant

Status:

Launched

Change type:

New feature

Links:

499896

Details:

Summary:
Microsoft is rolling out an enhanced Teams town hall experience in Viva Engage for live events starting September 2025. Community admins can choose between the new Teams town hall and legacy live events, offering higher-quality, large-scale event broadcasting with no required admin configuration.

Details:
Introduction
Community admins can now broadcast live events using the enhanced Microsoft Teams town hall experience, a more powerful and flexible way to connect with your audience. Teams town hall brings forward familiar features from Teams live events while introducing new advanced capabilities designed to support high-quality, large-scale event delivery with greater ease.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499896.
When this will happen
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out on early September 2025 and expect to complete by mid-September 2025.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability

Created:
2025-08-16

updated:
2025-08-16

Task Type

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Docu to Check

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MS How does it affect me

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MS Preperations

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MS Urgency

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MS workload name

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linked item details

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

User Experience Degradation
If the change to the new Teams town hall experience is implemented without preparation, users may face confusion due to the sudden shift from legacy live events to the new format, leading to a potential decrease in engagement and satisfaction during live events.
   - roles: Community Admins, End Users
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=499896

Technical Issues
Without proper preparation, the transition to the new Teams town hall could result in technical issues such as streaming failures or compatibility problems, negatively impacting the quality of live events and user experience.
   - roles: IT Support, Community Admins
   - references: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=499896

Configutation Options**

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Data Protection**

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explanation for non-techies**

Microsoft is introducing an enhanced feature for live events called Teams town hall in Viva Engage, set to roll out in September 2025. This new feature is designed to improve the way community admins broadcast live events, offering a more powerful and flexible experience compared to the existing options.

Think of the current live event setup like hosting a small gathering at your office. You have a limited number of seats, and while it's functional, it might not be the most comfortable or engaging for everyone involved. The new Teams town hall experience is like upgrading to a large conference room with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment. It allows you to host more people, with better sound and visuals, making the experience more enjoyable and interactive for your audience.

Community admins will find this new Teams town hall option as the default when setting up live events, alongside the existing live events option. This means you can choose the best fit for your event without needing to adjust any settings or configurations. It's like having the option to choose between a cozy meeting room or a large auditorium, depending on the size and nature of your event.

The enhanced Teams town hall is designed to support high-quality, large-scale event delivery with ease. This means that whether you're hosting a small team meeting or a large company-wide announcement, the new system can handle it efficiently, providing a seamless experience for both the hosts and the attendees.

In terms of compliance, the new feature introduces a new communication method, but it doesn't require any additional setup or control changes from admins. It's like getting a new car that comes fully equipped and ready to drive without needing to readjust the mirrors or set up the radio stations.

Overall, the introduction of Teams town hall in Viva Engage is aimed at making live event broadcasting more accessible and engaging, allowing community admins to focus on delivering their message rather than worrying about the technical details.