Microsoft already offers a special SKU (Stock Keeping Unit, or single product/service you can buy) for SMB customers (up to 300 users) called Microsoft 365 Business Voice.
Microsoft 365 Business Voice combined
- Teams Phone (the licence to turn Teams into a proper phone)
- Either a Microsoft calling plan or a partner PSTN connectivity option (Direct Routing at the time)
- Microsoft PSTN dial-in audio conferencing
Since creating that SKU, Microsoft announced in August 2021 it is adding unlimited Microsoft Teams Meeting PSTN dial-in to enterprise, business, frontline, and government licences. This includes all the SMB licences, therefore reducing the value of the Microsoft 365 Business Voice SKU (they also announced an increase in Office 365 licence costs at the same time).
From now until May 31, 2022, customers can add Audio Conferencing to a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 subscription for free for up to 12 months. Starting on March 1, 2022, Audio Conferencing functionality will be included in all Teams-inclusive Microsoft 365 and Office 365 licenses.
Now Microsoft is retiring Microsoft 365 Business Voice and instead is offering a single SMB SKU, Teams Phone with Calling Plan that combines
- Teams Phone (the licence to turn Teams into a proper phone)
- Microsoft domestic calling plan (no partner connectivity options)
It will be available in 33 markets as an add-on to the following Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans:
- Office 365 Business Essentials
- Business Premium
- A1, E1, A3, E3
- Microsoft 365 Business, A3, E3.
It can be purchased directly from Microsoft from January 3 for US, UK, and CA and mid-January for all other markets where available, or through CSP partners on January 1, 2022.
Teams Phone can also be purchased as a standalone service, which gives businesses the option to bring a calling plan/PSTN connectivity from third-party providers.
Customers who purchased Business Voice before this date will continue with their Business Voice subscription until its expiration date.
Source Microsoft FAQ
Source Microsoft blog
Sourced from: TomTalks Blog. View the original article here.
