skype for business plans and pricing

Microsoft 365 Business Voice review

Microsoft’s user-friendly platform for multi-participant video calls.

TechRadar Verdict

The user-friendly 365 Business Voice comes complete with a range of video-conferencing features.

Different versions to suit business budgets

Enables real-time connection of up to 300 users

Relatively new, so missing a few features

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Plans and pricing

User interface, the competition.

The global pandemic has caused the biggest disruption of established working practices that many of us can remember. Many people have had to make the switch to remote working, relying heavily on web conferencing tools for communication and collaboration.

This is our all-in-one roundup looking at the Microsoft 365  Business Voice service. On this page, after our brief intro, you’ll find 

(a) an overview of the different plans and pricing available

(b) a detailed breakdown of the features on offer

(c) a look at the user interface

(d) a look at the support available

(e) and how it fares against the competition

You can jump to the review section that interests you most by clicking on the links in the bar at the top of this page, but bear in mind that this article is really designed to be read all the way through, as businesses will benefit from assessing the service in its entirety before deciding if it meets their needs. 

One of the platforms that has benefitted more than most from this workplace transition has been Microsoft Teams . Competing against Zoom, Google Meet, and a host of other video collaboration tools, Teams has regularly launched new upgrades to ensure that businesses can access all the features they need remotely. 

Earlier this year,   Microsoft decided to retire its Skype for Business platform in order to launch Microsoft 365 Business Voice as an add-on to Microsoft Teams. Essentially, the Redmond-based tech firm wanted to bring more of its collaboration tools under the increasingly popular Teams umbrella

If you’re unsure where to begin given the sheer number of VoIP solutions and other communication tools out there today, we’ve got you covered. We’ll tell you where Microsoft 365 Business Voice stands among the best video conferencing software in this independent review.

• Also check out our roundup of the best VoIP providers

While a free version of Skype for Business was previously available to download via the Microsoft website, things are a little different with Microsoft 365 Business Voice. First, you’ll need to purchase some standalone hardware - making sure that it is compatible with Microsoft Teams. Fortunately, Teams provides a list of certified devices on its website - with many of the major name VoIP handset manufacturers included, such as offerings from Yealink and Poly. 

Of course, the fact that a limited number of handsets are supported might mean additional hardware costs. In addition, users will also have to stump up for a Microsoft 365 subscription - which again could make Microsoft 365 Business Voice more expensive than initially planned. Once these costs are out of the way, users can choose between Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which comes in at $5 per user, per month, based on an annual commitment, or Microsoft 365 Business Standard, which costs $12.50 per user, per month.

As mentioned, Skype for Business was retired on July 31st, 2021, with Microsoft users being required to make the transition to Teams. For businesses that have become very familiar with Teams over the last year or so, the inconveniences of moving away from Skype for Business is likely to be minor compared to the benefits of having closer Teams integration. In fact, for organizations that depend on a lot of Microsoft services, Microsoft 365 Business Voice is certain to be a worthwhile investment. 

Microsoft 365 Business Voice has been optimized for use on desktops and mobiles, with the premium version supporting meetings with up to 300 participants and featuring a variety of advanced collaboration tools. The excellent capacity for high-volume calls makes it the ideal platform for remote meetings, conferences, and webinars. Screen sharing allows for the live review and amendment of documents. There’s also the option to record calls, which can then be shared and watched at team members’ convenience.

As mentioned, Microsoft Business Voice 365 is fully integrated with other software in the Microsoft 365 suite. The OneNote integration allows for the seamless creation and email sharing of meeting notes. Outlook integration is another key feature, enabling the uploading of contacts and email messaging of colleagues. 

Microsoft 365 Business Voice is aimed at equipping Teams users with voice capabilities through the Teams app interface, and businesses can have no complaints if that’s what they are looking for. With the service only receiving a formal launch relatively recently, there are still a few teething problems. But expect Microsoft to release further updates over the coming weeks and months - particularly as remote and hybrid working appears to be here to stay. 

Rating the Microsoft 365 Business Voice interface will largely depend on how comfortable individuals are with the Teams platform. Certainly, anyone that is familiar with Teams will find the Business Voice interface easy to manage. It’s a professional-looking platform and represents an excellent choice for businesses looking for a user-friendly plug-and-play solution. 

As mentioned, the Teams platform has undergone a number of changes over the past 12 months, but Microsoft has managed these additions gradually, releasing updates through its developer channels first (and giving plenty of warning). Your exact configuration will also depend on the exact plan that your organization has signed up for. However, however your Teams dashboard looks exactly, it should be relatively easy to get to grips with the platform. 

Looking at just the desktop and web versions, Microsoft Teams comes with primary navigation section, a secondary left rail with additional navigation, and a large center window for any other interactions. It’s easy to locate your prior activity, as well as previous chats, meetings, and files. The sidebar is also customizable, so you can tinker with the features until you get them exactly to your liking. 

Looking specifically at Microsoft 365 Business Voice again, the user interface is incredibly intuitive. Whether you’re using a desk phone or a mobile, answering calls, switching to video, or accessing any number of other features can be achieved with the simple click of a button. 

Microsoft 365 Business Voice customers are able to access guides to everything from the arrangement of calling plans to the creation of online reports via Microsoft Office Support. It’s also possible to ask questions of other users or contact the support team directly.

The dedicated online support is quite responsive, with clear and direct guidance provided. However, you should be aware that there may be delays, given the number of people attempting to access online support during the pandemic.

There is a dedicated line for billing support available from 9am to 5pm through the working week. You can also phone for technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make sure that you have your account details to hand when calling.

Microsoft 365 Business Voice also comes with administration tools for managing users and apps, usage reporting and analytics for Microsoft 365 services, and configurable user settings and policies. That should mean that individuals can solve potential issues without having to contact Microsoft directly most of the time. Similarly, the service promises 99.9% financially backed uptime. 

The recently rebranded Google Meet (formerly Google Hangouts Meet) is the most obvious rival, given its integration within Google Workspace . Designed for remote team connection, this video conferencing platform has a clear interface and is very easy to use. Unlike Microsoft 365 Business Voice, however, the Google Meet enterprise tier limits the number of meeting participants to just 250 - not much less than the 300 that Microsoft allows, but it’s something worth bearing in mind. One major bonus that Google Meet has going for it, however, is that the basic version is available for free to account holders.

Of course, there are plenty of other VoIP services vying for attention should businesses shouldn’t limit themselves to offering from the tech giants. Those with a need for advanced functionality may decide that cloud-based communication platforms such as RingCentral Office and 8X8 Virtual Office Pro are worth a try. With integrated dial-in audio conferencing, emergency calling, and call forwarding, we recommend these platforms for business use. Ultimately, your choice may depend on the kind of integrations you’ll rely on. Certainly, Microsoft Teams is a major draw for many companies - and this might just be enough for them to make Microsoft 365 Business Voice their VoIP solution of choice.

Final verdict

There’s plenty to recommend the affordable and user-friendly Microsoft 365 Business Voice. While it may have been somewhat annoying for businesses that had to migrate from Skype for Business earlier this year, the transition does mean closer integration with other Teams services. How annoying that turned out to be will largely depend on the extent to which organizations were already using Teams. For businesses that were already major Microsoft fans, then this additional integration is likely to be welcomed. For businesses that predominantly rely on solutions provided by other tech firms, then Microsoft 365 Business Voice may not be that appealing. In that case, it might be worth giving the free version of Google Meet a try before making any financial commitment.

• We've also highlighted the best video conferencing software

Barclay has been writing about technology for a decade, starting out as a freelancer with ITProPortal covering everything from London’s start-up scene to comparisons of the best cloud storage services.  After that, he spent some time as the managing editor of an online outlet focusing on cloud computing, furthering his interest in virtualization, Big Data, and the Internet of Things. 

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Skype for Business Licensing – On Premise vs Cloud, OpEx vs CapEx, Common Area Phones, and Piecemeal Approaches

Microsoft Teams has now completely replaced Skype for Business as the communication and collaboration app for Office 365. Please see our guide on Teams licensing for the most up-to-date information about Microsoft Phone System solutions and licensing.

Last year I wrote this compilation of all the different ways Skype for Business could be licensed from the great deal of research I needed to perform constantly based on different client scenarios. This blog had a great deal of interest, and in classic Microsoft fashion, there have been a great deal of changes since it was posted, so I decided it’s time to update the content.

There are a number of ways to license Skype for Business/Teams for  on-premises, hybrid , and cloud-based deployments . I’ve spent a great deal of time working with Microsoft to come up with the different options available for Skype for Business Licensing, so I’ll explain my findings and the best ways to leverage them.

Skype for Business Licensing for On-Premises Deployments

I’ll start out with a simple breakdown of all of the Client Access Licenses (CAL) for On-Premises deployments of Skype for Business (using list prices as of 2/15/2018):

• Standard CAL: enables users for Presence, IM, peer-to-peer VoIP, and HD Video
• Enterprise CAL: gives users the ability to schedule meetings for audio/video conferences with desktop and application sharing and dial-in conferencing
• Plus CAL: enables PSTN in/out, emergency calling, and other enterprise-grade phone features
• Skype for Business Client: allows users to download the local client onto PCs for leveraging the toolset. This comes with Office Pro Plus and other versions provided through Office 365 plans

Office 365 Skype for Business Licensing

Now we’ll look at the various plans available on a monthly subscription version through Office 365 . Keep in mind, not all of these plans apply to both the On-premises and Online only solutions, which we’ll get into later:

• Skype for Business Online (Plan 1): Basic standalone plan for Skype for Business Online. This plan does not include the local client download, and users would need to use the web application version to access the features. In addition, it does not allow users to create and schedule Online meetings. This provides rights to the Standard CAL for on-premises deployments, and is included within the Office 365 Business Essentials, Business Premium, and Enterprise E1 plans.
• Skype for Business Online (Plan 2): All the functionality of the Skype for Business Online Plan 1, but also gives users the ability to create and initiate Skype for Business Online and on-premises meetings. Keep in mind, this doesn’t provide PSTN conferencing online, as that would require the PSTN conferencing add-on. It does however provide the licensing needed to schedule the PSTN conferencing if the organization has a 3 rd party Dial-in Audio Conferencing solution (example: IntelePeer providing a SIP conferencing service). This subscription also does provide the local client so the users can use the full Skype for Business client.
• Microsoft Phone System (Previously Cloud PBX):  provides the ability for a user to receive and transfer calls. They would be able to call any colleagues or peers also using Skype for Business, but would need an additional add-on to be able to make outbound calls using Microsoft as the PSTN calling provider. Phone System is available as an add-on SKU, or is included within the Office 365 E5 plan. In order to use the Phone System plan, the user needs an Enterprise Office 365 subscription (E1, E3, E5)
• Microsoft Calling Plan (Previously PSTN Calling):  provides users the ability to make outbound calls using Microsoft as the voice provider. Calling Plan is available for purchase as unlimited domestic per user, unlimited domestic AND international per user, or consumption based if certain groups of users will be making fewer outbound callers
• Microsoft Audio Conferencing (Previously PSTN Conferencing):  Provides the ability to create a Skype for Business Online meeting that contains a PSTN dial-in number for users to call into. This can be added to nearly all Office 365 subscriptions (including Business Premium or Skype for Business Online Plan 2 Standalone), but is also included with the Enterprise E5 plan
• Skype for Business Plus Add-on : This provides the same functionality as the Skype for Business Plus CAL for on-premises deployments of Lync/Skype for Business, but is provided in an OpEx approach similar to Office 365. This would be added to users with an E3 subscription in order to get the exact functionality that was provided by the Office 365 E4 plan.

There are a few other applicable add-ons, but this list is a relatively simple compilation of the most relevant features and plans available for Skype for Business Licensing. One thing that helps is to come up with different use cases that would help determine the best route to license users.

Example #1: Company has Skype for Business On Premises with Enterprise Voice and is using Exchange Online for Email.

In this case, the organization would need to have some sort of Office 365 subscription for the email functionality, but they have options for how to license Skype for Business. For a company with a preference for pure Operational Expenditures, this way would be the best route for their Skype for Business Licensing:

Office 365 E3 @ $23/user/month (which covers the Skype for Business Standard and Enterprise CALs) + the Skype for Business Plus CAL @$2/user/month. The Skype for Business Front End servers would still need to be licensed, but I’m just going to focus on end users.

If this organization preferred the Capital Expenditure model, then they would need to purchase Exchange Online Plan 2 (or another plan that leverages this subscription as the Exchange Online portion), as well as the Skype for Business Standard, Enterprise, and Plus CALs. This would be a mixture of the OpEx and CapEx models, but would still be more heavily CapEx, at least the Skype for Business side.

Example #2: Company has Skype for Business Online for Enterprise Voice and using Exchange Online for Email

In this case, the organization is relying entirely on Microsoft’s subscription-based services, which would be entirely OpEx. I will preface this with the caveat that I do NOT recommend this first approach, but if I’m breaking it down as granularly as possible, this is how it can be accomplished. With this in mind, here’s the piecemeal method of the various components needed to yield a pleasant user experience:

• Office 365 E1 – Base license that’s needed for other add-ons.
• Exchange Online (Plan 2) – Allows for email online and Plan 2 provides voicemail capabilities in Exchange Online
• Skype for Business Online Plan 2 – Provides the Skype for Business client
• Phone System Add On
• Calling Plan (Domestic, International, or Consumption)
• Audio Conferencing (if user will be scheduling conferences)

Starting from the itemized list can help determine the best way to package users. Let’s start from the high technology user approach, and license in the simplest model:

• Skype for Business Online (Plan 2)
• Exchange Online (Plan 2)
• Phone System
• Audio Conferencing
• Domestic Unlimited @ $12/user/month
• Domestic & International Unlimited @ $24/user/month
• Consumption – Calculated based on country of origin, country of termination, etc.

If the organization only wants to call domestically, this puts the OpEx cost at $50/user/month. Keep in mind, that the Office 365 E5 subscription comes with a great deal of additional value on top of Exchange Online and Skype for Business Online. There’s a plethora of security and collaboration benefits that should be looked at before dismissing this as a viable option (Power BI, Advanced Threat Analytics, etc.).

For the same situation, c ertain organizations simply want their users to have the ability to send/receive emails, send/receive calls, and have local downloads of Office. These organizations may not need their users creating conference calls, and may not see value in the additional security components that come with E5. For these organizations, the below may be a better approach:

• Phone System Add-on @ $8/user/month

Keeping consistent with going Domestic only for calling, this puts the organization at $43/user/month. This saves a bit on the E5 route, but for organizations that keep their email security and business intelligence needs outside of Microsoft, this may be the best route.

Non-Recommended (Though Possible) Methods of Skype for Business Licensing

I will preface that these remaining options are “technically” supported ways to license users, but I will say that we have never gone with any of these routes, as this adds massive amounts of complexity trying to understand how users are licensed and managed by the administrative team. I simply want to provide these options as they are possible, but they may not yield a desirable end user experience.

Calling and Email Functionality Plus Office Online Apps

If an organization has a user base that is very limited in its technology needs, there are a couple of options that would be a bit cheaper than the previous two routes. Again, I wouldn’t advise going this route, but in theory they are doable.

• Office 365 Enterprise E1 Plan @ $10/user/month
• Exchange Online Plan 2 @ $8/user/month (allows voicemail to be stored in Exchange Online)

This is not an ideal approach to Skype for Business licensing, as you would be paying for both Exchange Online Plan 1 and 2, and your users would still be unable to have local downloads of office (unless those have been previously purchased in something like Open Business or OEM). This option comes out to $38/user/month, and I would advise against going with this route. These users would still be able to use the online versions of the Office suite in case the organization needs them for editing/viewing documents and spreadsheets.

Cheapest Possible Licensing Combination to get Voice Solution

Getting someone at Microsoft to put this in writing was nearly impossible, but I have confirmed that it is possible to get the add-on SKU’s put onto just the Skype for Business Online Plan 2 standalone plan without the need of an Enterprise Plan. Here’s the breakdown of what that licensing looks like, should the client ONLY want Skype for Business for voice (without Audio Conferencing):

• Skype for Business Online – Plan 2 @ $5.50/user/month
• Phone System Add-on – $8/user/month
• Consumption plan option, using Communications Credits in a non-unlimited fashion

Keeping with Domestic calling, this puts the price at $25.50/user/month to have the ability to use Skype for Business Online to make and receive calls. This will provide users with the full local client of Skype for Business, as well as the ability to use a supported desk phone. One key piece that this DOES NOT include is the ability to use Voicemail, as that comes with Unified Messaging and requires Exchange Online Plan 2 in some form. If that is required (which it is in most cases), users will need that plan @$8/user/month, bringing the total to $33.50/user/month. When I look at the additional value that the E3 approach above provides for the additional $9.50/user/month, it becomes a no brainer to go with the E3 route.

Common Area Phones

For a common area phone that’s not a true Skype Room System, there are ways to provide functionality that does not require assigning a license. AudioCodes has provided information in their support forums stating “Common Area Phone (CAP) online support phones can now be defined as CAPs when using a cloud PBX. Defined per physical phone rather than per user, a CAP requires a special sign-in method called ‘CAP Provisioning’ exclusive to Cloud PBX. Before signing in, users must enable the phone as a CAP and then sign in using this special ‘CAP Provisioning’ method. CAPs in server mode are unchanged. The change applies only to Cloud PBX.”

Jeff Schertz has written a fantastic blog about how to assign the licenses and get them setup in your environment, found here . 

As of March, 2018, Microsoft has finally released a dedicated SKU for Common Area Phones, coming in at $8/user/month, and is available within the Office 365 Admin portal under the “Other Plans” section. This should greatly simplify things, and allow the devices to show in the reporting and management toolsets.  This license however still requires a calling plan if it needs to dial out, so if it will be used outside of simply joining Skype for Business Conference bridges, it will require a calling plan ($12/phone/month), making each phone $20/phone/month with the two licenses.   

Skype for Business Voice and Microsoft 365

With the Microsoft 365 bundles available today, the complexity does not increase greatly. For the scenarios above, below are the impacts for organizations needing to leverage the full voice capabilities of Skype for Business Online:

• Microsoft 365 Business – Need to upgrade to the Enterprise options in order to provide the add-ons as of today
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 – Need to purchase the Phone System, Calling Plan, and Audio Conferencing Add-ons for additional functionality
• Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5 – Need to purchase the Calling Plan for additional functionality
• Microsoft Teams

With the onset and future of Teams, a great deal of focus is around planning the transition to Teams from Skype for Business Online, which many organizations are concerned about. Currently, Teams is available for Office 365 subscriptions, with enterprise voice capabilities available as well. There is a great deal available from a feature standpoint, with a great deal more scheduled to roll out in Q2 CY2018. The licensing is planned to be consistent with Skype for Business, so the above scenarios should hold true, but I will update accordingly. To see the roadmap, as well as all resources I’ve used to build this blog, please follow the links below or feel free to comment!

If you would like to discuss the licensing options further, I would be happy to discuss what I know. Just shoot an email to [email protected] , and I’ll reach out to you directly.

Martin Feehan , Director of Client Relations, PEI

This blog was updated to reflect license price changes that Microsoft implemented on March 1, 2022.

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What are the different types of Skype subscriptions and pay-as-you-go options?

Subscriptions are monthly calling plans that let you make unlimited or fixed-minute calls to landlines (and mobiles where applicable). A subscription is great if you make a lot of calls. All subscriptions are renewed automatically and offer a savings compared to our standard rates. You can cancel at any time. Need help troubleshooting a subscription? Skype Credit * is a pay-as-you-go option. Purchase some Skype Credit, and then call whoever you want at low rates . Skype Credit is a good option if you need to make a few calls and only want to pay for what you use.

A Skype Number is a phone number you pay for monthly. People can call you from their mobile or landline, and you answer the call in Skype. A Skype Number is a great option if you or your friends and family live in different countries, or plan to travel abroad and want an affordable way to keep in touch.

Can I have multiple Skype subscriptions?

Yes. You can purchase as many subscriptions as you like.

You can't add more minutes to your subscription by buying the same one again, but if you run out of minutes, you have a few options: you can buy a different subscription , upgrade to an unlimited subscription where available, or buy some Skype Credit to pay as you go until your existing subscription is automatically renewed.

If you have more than one subscription, Skype uses them in the following order:

By subscription type – unlimited subscriptions are used first, then limited ones.

By expiration date – subscriptions with the nearest expiration date are used first.

Note: When you upgrade to a new subscription, the previous one will be cancelled and replaced with the new one once you've used all the minutes or the expiration date has passed.

How is a subscription different from Skype Credit?

Subscriptions are 1, 3, or 12-month calling plans that let you make unlimited, or fixed-minute calls to landlines (and mobiles where applicable). A subscription is great if you make a lot of calls. Skype Credit allows you to pay as you go. Purchase some Skype Credit, and then call whoever you want at low rates. Skype Credit is a good option if you need to make a few calls and only want to pay for what you use each month. You can also use your Skype Credit to purchase other Skype features that aren’t free, like subscriptions and Skype Numbers .

Can I get a free Skype trial subscription?

Free trials are available in certain regions if you didn't have a subscription before. Only subscriptions below a certain price are available for free trials. If your region is unavailable, stay tuned. We are working on adding more. You can sign up for a free trial on the subscription page . Why are some subscriptions not available as free trial? Only Subscriptions below a certain price are available for free trials currently. Why am I not eligible for a free trial? Free trials are available only to new subscribers who didn't have a Skype Subscription before. Free trials are only available in certain regions. If your region is still unavailable, stay tuned. We are working on adding more.

* A fair usage policy applies to unlimited subscriptions and Skype Credit. Ready to learn more? Skype to Skype calls are free anywhere in the world How do I purchase Skype Credit? How do I cancel or change my Skype subscription?

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Apps4Rent will help you to set up your DNS server and external firewall to optimally deal with Skype for Business Online network traffic. We will also assist in setting up mobile clients and creating new users. We advise you on the right choice of plans, for using Internet Protocol (IP) phones with Skype for Business.

Is a Skype for Business accounts separate from personal Skype account?

Yes. Skype for Business will use the Active Directory credentials. Personal Skype account will continue to use the individual’s Skype ID.

As a current customer, how do I get Skype for Business?

If you are a current Lync Server customer with Software Assurance, you will automatically be able to use Skype for Business. Office 365 customers with Lync Online will receive updates automatically. The way Lync was earlier, Skype for Business will also be an integral part and experience for Office as well as Office 365.

Is Skype for Business a different brand than the current Skype Brand?

No. Both belong to the same Skype Brand. User accounts, contacts, user interfaces, and functions will be the same for both.

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Assign Skype for Business licenses

• 16 contributors
• Applies to: Skype for Business

Skype for Business Online operated by 21Vianet in China will be retired on October 1, 2023. If you haven't upgraded your Skype for Business Online users yet, they will be automatically scheduled for an assisted upgrade . If you want to upgrade your organization to Teams yourself, we strongly recommend that you begin planning your upgrade path today. Remember that a successful upgrade aligns technical and user readiness, so be sure to leverage our upgrade guidance as you navigate your journey to Teams.

Skype for Business Online, excluding the service operated by 21Vianet in China, was retired on July 31, 2021.

This article gives you tips about assigning licenses to your users for features like Audio Conferencing, Phone System, and Calling Plans. It also provides scripts for assigning licenses in bulk.

See Skype for Business add-on licensing for information about what licenses you need to buy and how to buy them - depending on your Microsoft 365 or Office 365 plan - so users get Audio Conferencing, toll-free numbers, and the ability to call phone numbers outside your business.

Phone System and Calling Plans: Tips and scripts for assigning licenses

What you need to know before assigning Audio Conferencing, Phone System and Calling Plan licenses

Using on-premises PSTN connectivity for hybrid users? If so, you only need to assign a Phone System license. You should NOT assign a Calling Plan.

Latency after assigning licenses : Because of the latency between Microsoft 365 or Office 365 and Skype for Business Online, it can possibly take up to 24 hours for a user to be assigned a Calling Plan after you assign a license. If after 24 hours the user isn't assigned a Calling Plan, please Contact support for business products - Admin Help .

Error messages : You will get an error message if you haven't purchased the correct number of licenses. If you need to buy more Calling Plan licenses, choose Buy more .

Next steps : After you assign Calling Plan licenses to your users, you will need to get your phone numbers for your organization, and then assign those numbers to the people in your organization. For step-by-step instructions, see Set up Calling Plans .

How to assign a Phone System and Calling Plan license to one user

The steps are the same as assigning a Microsoft 365 or Office 365 license. See Assign or remove licenses for Microsoft 365 for business .

How to assign Phone System and Calling Plan licenses in bulk

Install the Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant for IT Professionals RTW . Don't have the module installed? See Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant for IT Professionals RTW to download it.

Install the Windows Azure Active Directory module. Don't have the module installed? See Manage Microsoft Entra ID using Windows PowerShell for download instructions and cmdlet syntax.

Once you get the modules installed, use the Windows PowerShell command prompt and the following syntax to assign the licenses to your users:

This example assigns an Enterprise E3 license along with a Phone System and a Domestic Calling Plan license.

The name of the licenses or product names in the script are listed in italics text (see Phone System and Calling Plan product names or SKUs used for scripting , after the example).

Phone System and Calling Plans product names or SKUs used for scripting

Audio conferencing: tips and scripts for assigning licenses, what you need to know before assigning audio conferencing licenses.

Third-party audio conferencing provider : If someone is already set up to use a third-party audio conferencing provider, when you assign them an Audio Conferencing license, they will be changed to use Microsoft as the audio conferencing provider. You can change them back to the third-party provider.

Next steps: After you assign Audio Conferencing licenses, you need to assign an audio conferencing provider. See [Assign Microsoft as the audio conferencing provider].

How to assign an Audio Conferencing license to one user

How to assign audio conferencing licenses in bulk.

Download and install Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant for IT Professionals RTW .

Download and install the Windows Azure Active Directory module. See Manage Microsoft Entra ID using Windows PowerShell for download instructions and cmdlet syntax.

The name of the licenses or product names in the script are listed in italics text. See Audio Conferencing product names or SKUs used for scripting for all of the product names.

This example assigns an Enterprise E3 license along with an Audio Conferencing license.

Audio Conferencing product names or SKUs used for scripting

Communications credits, what you need to know before assigning communications credits licenses.

Enterprise E5 customers : Even if your users are assigned Enterprise E5 licenses, we still recommend that you assign them Communications Credits licenses.

Next steps : After you assign these licenses, you will need to get your phone numbers for your organization, and then assign those numbers to the people in your organization. For step-by-step instructions, see Set up Calling Plans .

How to assign a Communications Credits license to one user

How to assign communications credits licenses in bulk.

Take a look at the sample script for assigning Audio Conferencing licenses. Update it with the info for assigning Communications Credits licenses.

Related topics

Set up Calling Plans

Add funds and manage Communications Credits

Additional resources