Microsoft Teams is introducing free voice and video calling
features to take on competing platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. The new
option will allow the user to connect with up to 300 participants for 24 hours.  The announcement from Microsoft comes days
after Zoom’s announcement of lifting its 40-minute limit for meetings on Thanksgiving
Day.

Furthermore, the app will be able to accommodate 49 users
simultenaously and create a group chat with up to 250 members.

“To help you stay connected in the coming months, you will be
able to meet for 24 hours with up to 300 participants until further specified,”
the tech giant said in a blog post, proving ideas that they’re set to attract
Zoom users with the new feature true.

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A user will not require a Microsoft account or the Microsoft
Teams application to join a call. The host on Teams will be able to send out a
link to other users which would be accessible directly from a web browser.

In order to make the user-experience closer to Zoom, the desktop
and web apps of Teams are currently in the process of making changes in order
to display 49 users in a gallery view or the Together mode available on the
application.

However, the all-day video calling is currently touted to be
the most attractive feature, as both Zoom and Google Meet have 40-minute and 60-minute
limits for video calling respectively.

In October, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Teams
has crossed the daily 115 million active user mark. Due to the pandemic, the rise
in potential users at home has prompted Microsoft to offer services of the application
to both end-users and enterprise-based customers.