Knox Manage: Map key for Walkie Talkie

The Microsoft Teams mobile app includes a Walkie Talkie mode, which provides a push-to-talk experience using cloud-based communications over Wi-Fi or cellular connections. This experience is especially effortless on the Galaxy XCover Pro, a ruggedized phone purpose-built for frontline workers. The XCover Pro has three programmable buttons: Push-to-Talk (PTT, also called XCover), Top (also called Emergency), and Side. By mapping the PTT key to MS Teams, you can use the device as a Walkie Talkie, simply pressing a button to talk with team members, even when the device is locked.

Read on to learn how to use the Knox Service Plugin in Knox Manage to map the XCover Pro PTT key to the MS Teams app.

Minimum system requirements

• Samsung Account and samsungknox.com account
• Devices enrolled in Knox Manage
• Access to KM portal
• Knox Platform for Enterprise or Knox Suite license
• Microsoft Teams account (a Microsoft account)
• Microsoft Teams premium license

Get started

Preconfigure for key mapping using the KM portal

Before you can set up target devices for use as Walkie Talkies, you must set up the appropriate device configuration profiles on the KM portal, as follows:

1. Go to samsungknox.com, click Sign in, and log into your Samsung account.
   
2. From your dashboard, launch Knox Manage by clicking LAUNCH.
   
3. Enable Android Enterprise and the Knox Service Plugin.
   
4. Ensure you have an active Knox Manage & Knox Platform for Enterprise or Knox Suite license.
   
5. Add the Microsoft Teams application: From the left menu, click Application > Add. Add public applications using Managed Google Play Store and Assign Managed Google Play applications.
   
6. Enroll the XCover devices, in this case using Knox Mobile Enrollment. Learn more about using Samsung Knox Mobile Enrollment from the KM portal.
   
7. From left menu, click Profile > Add and enter a profile name.
   
8. Click Platform, ensuring Android Enterprise and Samsung Knox are selected.
9. Click Save & Set Policy.
   
10. Click Samsung Knox > Knox Service Plugin.
    
11. In Debug Mode, select True, then go to Device-wide polices (Device Owner).
    
12. In Enable device policy controls, select True, then go to the Device Key Mapping (Premium) menu.
13. In Enable Key Mapping Controls > Enable PTT/Slide Key Mapping for Microsoft Teams, select True.
    

Set up the XCover Pro device

In this example, we've used Knox Mobile Enrollment to enroll the device. If you used another enrolment method, the steps will look different.

1. Power on the XCover Pro device and tap the blue arrow to continue.
   
2. To use Mobile Data for network data, turn it on; then click Next.
   
3. Agree to the license agreement and click Next.
   
4. Enable Internet access, through either mobile data or Wi-Fi.
5. Select the desired network and click Next.
   
   If you are connected to the network, your Knox Mobile Enrollment profile is downloaded to the device.
   
6. Enroll the device: In Set up your phone, click Accept & continue.
   

Device registration is automatic. You can now use Knox Manage to view and configure the enrolled device. Registration ends with a view of the Knox Manage Agent application.

Confirm device setup

Confirm that your device was set up properly as follows:

1. In Knox Manage, confirm that the device was enrolled and shows in the device list. If the device is included in this list, the Knox Service Plugin can access the device information and settings.
   
2. Check if the implemented policy works properly. Go to the Device menu, find the device in the device list, and click the Device Name.
   
3. Click the Profiles tab
   
4. Click the Applied Policy tab.
   
   The policy sent to the device using the Knox Service Plugin is displayed in the list, and the key active items are marked with Success in the Status column.
   
5. Check the status of the policies in the Knox Service Plugin: Click Configuration on (date of last update) to see the general profile information. Expand the Configuration results to see a diagram of the submitted policies in the Policies received.
   

Configure Microsoft Teams on the device

To configure MS Teams on your target device, do as follows:

1. After the device is successfully registered with KSP, the Microsoft Teams application is installed on the device automatically.
   
2. Log in to your Microsoft account (login@domain.com): Tap Sign in and when prompted provide your password.
   
3. Tap More in the bottom right-hand corner of the application.
   
4. When you prompted, tap Walkie Talkie.
   
5. Expand the Channel menu to join the applicable communication group.
   
6. You must now create or join an appropriate channel for Walkie Talkie communication. In the list of channels shown here, tap Channel, and either create a new channel or tap to select an existing channel.
   
7. Tap Connect. You can now communicate using this channel.
   
8. Press and hold the Push-to-Talk button on the left side of the device to start communicating instantly with participants on the channel. Release the button when you've finished talking to hear others talking.