NOW AT TWITCHCON 2016: Is This The Next Best Team Communication App?

BAND App debuts new group call feature at Twitchcon 2016

When gaming in a group, team, clan, or guild, communication is vital between players. But that news isn’t new. Some may say that there is an oversaturated market of applications and platforms. Right now, some of the most popular communication tools have been TeamSpeak, Skype, Curse, and most recently -- Discord. Gamers are flocking to these tools because they are simple to use and usually work seamlessly with in-game overlay. I was sold on them too, that is, until I came across BAND.

BAND is a group communication app that provides a free suite of tools to organize groups and facilitate active communities. Currently, the app has over 50 million users and continues to grow at a rate of 20K a day, with the majority being gamers and e-sport players. Until now, BAND has worked best for guilds and clans who want to strategize and recruit members because of certain features like polling, group calendars, file sharing, chat rooms, and a community board. However, this September BAND launched their newest feature that will be sure to mark them as the next up-and-coming group communication platform in the US: Group Call. Now, users have access to all of the tools of their favorite platforms and applications in one place. With that being said, I wanted to get a little more info.

Interview with Manho Won, Product Director of BAND

1. Could you tell us about BAND and how the app came to be?

BAND is the ultimate mobile application when it comes to group communication and organization. BAND combines utility functions (calendar, polling, file-sharing, chats, calls) and social networking features (Posts, comments, stickers, shouts) for uninterrupted group interaction. Each Band has a board where members can post and interact with one another. Within a Band, users also have access to features such as a Calendar, Photo Albums, Chat, Voice Calling, Polling, to-do lists and more. All of these features are completely free. Users create an avatar (profile image and name) for each Band they join, allowing them to tailor their profiles for each group they are a part of (unlike Facebook).

We see group leaders that want to stay connected and organized. But the reality is they use multiple tools and get lost in the communication loop. There is no perfect solution for group leaders to easily access to all different features in one app, and we've provided that.

2. How does your new voice call feature work and how does it compare to other apps?

BAND provides intuitive voice calling functionality for all of our users. The new Group Call feature allows you to talk to your Band members with free in-app voice chatting. Communicate with up to 30 members at a time using Group Call! BAND's dynamic group call technology is designed for the one-on-one or small group communication similar to the Skype technology that many gamers are accustomed to. No need to 'push-to-talk' in your Band, speak freely amongst your group like you're all in one room. BAND has also taken the hassle out of setting up servers. Just create a chat with the members you would like to start a call with and tap Group Call!

Being able to utilize voice call on your iPhone or Android device will drastically improve game play for our users because clans will be able to simultaneously communicate with their members while playing the game.

3. What are some of the more popular communities on BAND?

The majority of BAND’s users are gamers. It makes sense because gamers understand the value of having an organized group of players with a common goal and BAND provides the features and flexibility that clans, leagues and guilds are looking for. Through BAND users are able to chat, strategize, and get organized.

We’re seeing three types of gaming communities forming on BAND: private clans, streamers, and public forums. Clan leaders create secret Bands to stay organized and maintain communication with their clans outside of gameplay. Streamers and eSports team members are using Band to build and connect with their audience. Finally, public Bands provide a space where users can recruit members for their clans and share tips and strategies with one another.

4. What about outside of gaming? Who else can benefit from using BAND?

Outside of gaming, member-based organizations that value their privacy use BAND as their preferred home base. Our users are forming Bands for their campus clubs, hobby groups, small businesses, church groups, family, nonprofit organizations, support networks, MMA training groups, motorcycle clubs and more.

Twitchcon 2016

Friday, September 30th marks the first day of Twitchcon 2016 and BAND will be debuting their new Group Call Feature. They will also be promoting their BAND-Partners Program amongst the Twitch streamers. Their partnership program is a great way for streamers to build their communities while networking with other streamers and professionals in the industry. BAND is offering rewards and swag to their dedicated partners and their communities as well as provide verified Partner Badges on their accounts. So, if you're headed to Twitchcon and on the lookout for something a little more than just voice chat, be sure to check out BAND's booth!