Effective June 26, 2025, Baylor will discontinue the use of Zoom. In 2016, BCM IT promptly implemented and introduced the widely recognized collaboration software Zoom to address the urgent need for a virtual meeting platform for academics and administration. Over time, Microsoft has made substantial investments in advancing its online collaboration platform, Microsoft Teams. Following a thorough examination of budgets and feature comparisons between the two platforms, we will capitalize on our longstanding partnership with Microsoft and adopt the collaboration tool integrated into our software agreement, Microsoft Teams. We are confident that Microsoft Teams has reached a sufficient level of evolution to serve as our primary collaboration and virtual meeting platform.
Features | Free Version of Zoom (Zoom Basic) | BCM SSO Version of Zoom (Zoom Pro) | MS Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Meeting Duration | 40 minutes per meeting | 30 Hours | 30 Hours |
| Max Meeting Capacity | 100 | 500 | 300 |
| Max Chat Capacity | 100 | 500 | 300 |
| Default Meeting Quality | 720p | 720p | 1020p |
| Encryption (layman's term) | AES GCM | AES GCM | TLS (Optional E2EE) |
| Office 365 Integration | No | ✓ | ✓ |
| Captioning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sign Language View | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immersive Reader | no | no | ✓ |
| Meeting Chat Retention | no | ✓ | ✓ |
| Storage of Meetings | ✓ (30 days) | ✓ (30 days) | ✓ (60 days) |
| Offers Webinars | no | ✓ | ✓ |
| Breakout Rooms | No | ✓ | ✓** |
| Offers HIPAA standard meetings | No | ✓ | ✓* |
| Multiple Screen Share | No | ✓ | No**** |
| Annotations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓*** |
*Must be set up for HIPAA compliance. Teams is Tier D-compliant. This includes the following standards: HIPAA, ISO 27001, ISO 27018, SSAE16 SOC 1 and SOC 2, and EU Model Clauses (EUMC).
**Only meeting organizers on the desktop versions of Teams (Windows, Mac, and VDI) can create and manage breakout rooms
*** Annotations currently only available in PC desktop version.
**** In Zoom, users can share multiple monitors or screens, while in Teams, you can only share what is being presented on your computer, even if you have multiple monitors or screens.
Key Details
- Transition Timeframe: All virtual meetings and collaborative efforts will be conducted through Microsoft Teams effective June 26, 2025.
- Training: To ensure a seamless transition, we will be offering training sessions on effective Microsoft Teams usage. Session details are available on the .
- Support Resources: Documentation and resources to help you become familiar with Microsoft Teams can be found on the and BCM Teams Ed-Tech Page. For questions, you can contact the IT Support Desk via the web at or call 713-798-8737.
- Feedback: Your feedback is important to us. If you have suggestions or concerns during this transition, please share those with us by submitting them to ask-OIT@bcm.edu .
We recognize that embracing change can present challenges, yet we are confident that Microsoft Teams will deliver the collaboration features required and enhance our overall communication experience.