5 Years of Microsoft Teams

It might surprise you to know that Microsoft Teams has just celebrated its 5 year anniversary. Launched on 14th March 2017, Teams had already been available in preview mode for several months and was subsequently made part of the Office 365 business subscription for no additional cost thereafter. It was planned that over time the Microsoft Teams app would replace Skype for Business.

Of course, at the time Microsoft could never have predicted just how valuable a tool Microsoft Teams online would prove to be over the course of the last couple of years; a global pandemic is something that nobody really saw coming, and certainly not on this scale.

How has Teams Grown?

Before the pandemic, in November 2019, there were approximately 20 million active users of Microsoft Teams online. However, just a few days after businesses had begun to ask employees to work from home in March 2020, this number had reached 44 million active users on a daily basis. The biggest jump, and perhaps the most incredible achievement for the Microsoft Teams app, is that by April 2021, that number had risen to an astounding 145 million active daily users.

All in all, Microsoft Teams has experienced a staggering 400 percent increase in its monthly usage since March 2020, and this number doesn’t seem to be slowing down.  The most recent data, which was collected in January 2022 shows that there are now 270 million active users every month of Microsoft Teams online.

While Microsoft was clearly hoping for big things from the app, the 5 year anniversary figures are probably more than they could possibly have hoped for.

What has Teams Taught us?

We have learnt many lessons from Teams, particularly over the course of the last couple of years. We have learned how to work from home, keeping in touch with our colleagues without losing any of our productivity. And not only proving successful for business meetings, but we have also learned to have meetings with teachers, doctors and other professionals we normally have face-to-face meetings within our private lives, without even leaving our homes and offices. Schools have learnt how to adapt their curriculum and offer at-home lessons to students during lockdown, while doctor’s surgeries have relied upon online consultations with patients who may have otherwise been too vulnerable to attend the surgery itself.

Computing Degrees at the University of Bolton – Technology for the Future

The field of computing offers a fantastic variety of career paths and opens up a wider selection of roles. A BSc Computing with Foundation year and Industrial Placement, for example, offers great skills that could set the individual up for a career in their chosen field. It includes modules such as ‘Fundamentals of Programming’, ‘Logical Analysis and Problem Solving’ as well as ‘Emerging Technologies’ and ‘Ethical Hacking and Digital Forensics’; allowing students to benefit from a comprehensive education. Further to this, it allows students to complete an industrial placement year that offers valuable experience in the workplace.

At the University of Bolton, we offer a range of computing degrees that can pave the way to a rewarding career with great progression prospects. We have state-of-the-art facilities, and our specialist lecturers are on hand to help you gain the skills and expertise that you need. You could even be involved in innovations as exciting as the Microsoft Teams app itself.

The University of Bolton has been voted 1st in the North West of England for 'Satisfied with teaching' for the second year running, * an achievement we’re incredibly proud of. However, we don’t just depend on the quality of our education. We provide a university experience that is welcoming, inclusive and always puts the needs of the student first; an opportunity, we believe, to experience #UniAsItShouldBe.

If you would like to learn more about the university and our computing degree courses, we would be delighted to talk to you. We have a team of friendly advisors who can be contacted at +44 (0)1204 900 600 or you can send a message to enquiries@bolton.ac.uk and our team would be glad to assist you. If you’d like to learn more about the computing courses we offer, click here to view all of our computing courses. For specific information about BSc Computing with Foundation year and Industrial Placement, click here.

*The Guardian University Guide - 2021, 2022