Microsoft Teams replaces Live Events for Town Halls

Microsoft Teams introduces the Town Halls feature for hosting virtual events. This feature replaces the existing Live Events option for holding large live events via the video conferencing platform.

The new Town halls functionality which will be available from October 5, 2023, should make it easier for companies to hold large-scale internal virtual events. The functionality offers companies the necessary production capacity and a structured way to allow employees to participate in events.

In this way it becomes possible not only to organize company-wide Town Hall meetings, but also to present them worldwide. Presentation formats such as internal broadcasts, fireside chats and more can be used.

This should lead to maximum participation in these types of virtual live events and also more focus on the content of the event, Microsoft indicates.

Consequences for Live Events

The introduction of Town Halls in Teams will mean that the existing Teams option Live Events will disappear. A reason for the disappearance of this option is not given, but the overlap with the new more extensive mass meeting functionality seems clear.

Migration path

Town Halls in Microsoft Teams will be available to Office and Microsoft 365 customers starting October 5. The more advanced options for this functionality are also available to Microsoft Teams Premium users. The new option will gradually gain all the functionality that Live Events now offers.

Live Events in Microsoft Teams will eventually end on September 30, 2024. This gives users of this option a year to prepare and transition. After this date, the option will no longer be supported and actual access will also stop.

Existing recordings will remain available until December 31, 2024. To keep this, users must download the recordings before this deadline.