Aug. 12, 2021 - In this interview, Charlie Jones, Global Alliance & Partnership Manager at Sennheiser Business Communication, tells us about the great advantages of Zoom certification for the ceiling microphone TeamConnect Ceiling 2 and the close collaboration with QSC.
1. Charlie, why is the Zoom certification for the ceiling microphone TeamConnect Ceiling 2 (TCC2) so important to Sennheiser?
Since we announced the first Microsoft Teams Rooms certified bundle, we have had many requests from customers to certify our ceiling microphone TCC2 for Zoom as well. The addition of Zoom certification means customers can now enjoy the same high-quality Sennheiser audio regardless of what communications platform they choose.
2. Which requirements needed to be fulfilled to get the certification?
The certification process is lengthy and designed to test the entire system in real world scenarios. There are two parts to the testing: The objective testing takes place at an independent testing laboratory where they test over 100 different variables. Once the objective test is passed then the system moves on to the subjective testing phase, where the system is used by Zoom for real-world meetings and conference calls. The product must successfully complete all the tests before it can be considered "Zoom Certified".
3. What are the exact benefits of the Sennheiser-QSC-Zoom bundle for customers, integrators and consultants?
The Sennheiser-QSC-Zoom bundle was created to meet the needs of a modern meeting space. The consultant community loves the flexibility of the bundle which allows them to add or remove accessories such as cameras or speakers to fine tune the bundle for their needs or those of their clients. Integrators are happy because they know Sennheiser and QSC manufacture quality products that are easy to install and will provide years of service, all while supported by our global training, engineering, and support teams. Lastly end-users can rest assured they have invested in a solution that will provide years of high-quality audio and reliable service while being easy to operate.
4. The solution allows users to easily scale their Zoom Rooms deployment in high-value spaces. Can you please elaborate a bit on the term "high-value spaces"?
There is a common misconception that when people say "high-value spaces" they mean "expensive boardroom with a conference table made of unicorn horn and a million Euro A/V budget". While those rooms do exist (well, maybe not the unicorn horn table), the reality is "high-value" does not mean "high budget". Instead, it is the people and the purpose of the space and how they interact with the technology that is present that determine the value of the room. The Sennheiser-QSC-Zoom bundle is a natural fit for high-value spaces as it represents the combination of three award winning companies that are offering a solution that provides best in class audio that is flexible enough to grow and change with technology, all the while remaining easy to use.
5. Both QSC and Zoom are part of the Sennheiser Global Alliance program. Can you please tell us about the cooperation with these premium partners in the process of certification?
Sennheiser believes our customers should be able to choose the best product for their application and we therefore have embraced a "Manufacturer Agnostic" approach to our alliances and partnerships. This message has resonated with our customers who specifically asked for a QSC-Sennheiser bundle that was Zoom certified. QSC had also received similar requests from the market for a Sennheiser bundle, so we aligned our engineering teams and approached Zoom about certifying a joint solution. Zoom was immediately receptive and after many long nights and more than a few conference calls, we were successful in passing the certification test. This level of cooperation would not be possible if QSC viewed Sennheiser as a competitor and vice versa. That is why we stand by our Manufacturer Agnostic approach and will continue to grow our partnerships.
6. What does certification by such a famous cloud platform as Zoom mean to Sennheiser as a company regarding its digital strategy?
Sennheiser has spent over 75 years researching and developing the next generation of audio products and we are proud to see our hard work recognized by an industry leader like Zoom. We see that the Unified Communication space is a rapidly evolving market so we are busy building the next generation of audio products that we cannot wait to share with you all!