Can collaborators(i.e JIRA users) make external comments on JIRA ITSM issues?

[Ravi Tata]

We have a JIRA ITSM project, and have a support team that have users set up as Agents.
Our other team/s members(i.e developers) are given permissions as a JIRA team mebers so that they can collaborate on JIRA ITSM issues with our Support team.

I read this & i'd like to understand if sharing an issue with JIRA Team members will actually give them the ability to 'Add public comments in the portal' 

See https://support.atlassian.com/jira-service-management-cloud/docs/jira-service-management-issue-shared-with-jira-team-members/

FYI - 
My JIRA team members have permissions to add/edit and delete their own comments & this is working.
For an issue that is shared to them, they cant see the option to add a public/external comment

[Jack Brickey · Accepted solution]

Only agents can make public comments. Collaborators can only make internal comments

[Ravi Tata]

Thanks for your response  @Jack Brickey  
In the event where a Collaborator needs to respond to a customer(i.e via external comment), are there other options other than making them an Agent themselves?

[Jack Brickey]

None that I am aware of. 

[Marek Troschinski]

Seems like now there is the option to mark a collaborator as a request participant. That way the collaborator can make public comments in the help center/portal.

[Jack Brickey]

@Marek Troschinski , if the collaborator is also a Customer then yes.