Channels are used to facilitate group communications within your network. An unlimited number of channels can be created for a network, and an unlimited number of users can be added as members to each channel; that said, a channel can only support 10000 active members at a time.
Note: Click here to learn how to create a channel.
Channel types allow admins to define the channel users' capabilities and functions. While a channel's type is initially set when the channel is created, it can also be retroactively changed (see the Changing a channel's type section at the bottom of this article.).
Channel Types
There are 4 types of channels: Team, Dynamic, Hidden, and Dispatch.
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Team Channels are ideal for those who need to communicate often, such as teams, departments, and workgroups.
All channel members will be automatically added to each user's contact list, which subsequently allows users to contact each other for one-to-one communications. We recommend limiting team channels to 300 users. Please note that a user can neither connect nor disconnect from a team channel in real-time using the app.
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Dynamic Channels allow users to connect and disconnect from a channel using their device on an as-needed basis, which is beneficial for groups that don't require being online at all times.
For example, a supervisor can connect to a dynamic channel when they want to briefly talk with their team, and then disconnect from the channel when done. This ultimately helps prevent communication queues from being overwhelmed.
Users in this channel will not be able to see each other in the Contacts tab or talk 1:1.
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Hidden Channels allow users to communicate one-on-one with other users in their contacts list. That said, hidden channels prevent users from broadcasting their message to a larger channel.
Hidden channels will not appear in the app's Channels tab.
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Dispatch Channels allow:
a) Dispatchers to hear and see all drivers' calls on the Dispatch Hub desktop app
b) Drivers to call in from their Android/iOS applications and enter a shared call queue handled by dispatchers. Once a call is picked up by a dispatcher, the conversation is 1:1 (dispatcher:driver). Drivers can never hear other drivers' calls or conversations.
Please note that Dispatch Channels cannot be retroactively changed. The table below outlines the different capabilities users will have for each channel type:
Changing a Channel's Type
The channel type can be changed at any point by a network admin via the management console.
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Log in to the Management Console (yournetworkname.zellowork.com) and select Channels from the taskbar.
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Select the channel that needs to be changed.
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Under Channel Details > Channel Type, click the edit icon.
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Select the desired channel type, then click Save.
Related Reading
- Learn more about using Dispatch Channels on Zello Dispatch Hub.
- Learn more about setting up network channels.