Microsoft Teams Licensing Guide

2018-12-17 2 min read Microsoft Teams Erwin Bierens

Some time ago i wrote an article to explain the licensing in Skype for Business Server and Skype for Business Online [The Skype for Business licensing guide], with the change to Teams i want to give you some insight in this licensing to:

Users in Teams (base license)

Every user that want to make use of Teams needs a Teams license.

Cloud voice features

Audio Conferencing (addon)

Sometimes people in your organization will need to use a phone to call in to a Microsoft Teams meeting, instead of using their computer. Use the Audio Conferencing feature for this situation.

For Audio Conferencing, your organization will need to buy and assign an Audio Conferencing license to each user who will be setting up dial-in meetings.

Phone System (addon)

Phone System is a hosted telephone service in Office 365. It gives you both traditional and innovative PBX capabilities, but without the complicated and expensive equipment.

In the E5 subscriptions the Phone System license is included. In all the other subscriptions you will need to buy this for **each **user if you want Calling Plans or going for Direct Routing.

Calling Plans (addon)

For Calling Plans, each user will need a Phone System plus a Domestic or Domestic and International Calling Plan.

i.e. if you have 10 users with domestic calling plan (1400 minutes per month) this means you will have 10 x 1400 minutes = 14.000 minutes. If some user used 1600 minutes and the other 1200 this is shareable.

Room Systems

If you want to use cloud voice features on your meeting room device there is a separate license. Keep in mind that this is for devices only.

It includes the following:

Microsoft Teams
Skype for Business Online Plan 2
Phone System (the right for the device to be a phone, still requires a calling plan or Direct Routing for phone number and service)
(PSTN) Audio Conferencing (where available)
Microsoft Intune – for device management)

Direct Routing

Direct Routing allows customers to choose their own telecom provider to enable their users to make and receive calls in Teams. In the community this is also known under the name Bring Your Own Trunk (BYOD).

When you’re planning to use Direct Routing you will need the basic Teams license + Phone System.