8×8 Teams Integration was one of the first combinations during the pandemic to support enterprises quickly moving off a legacy PBX. Users gain both the agility of a core Backoffice VOIP environment with an 8×8 MS Team solution. Enterprises have the option to use 8×8 as the “dialer” with Microsoft Teams as the “skin” front-end blending two solid options together, making it seamless.
Often, enterprises are looking to understand how 8×8 competes against other Gartner Magic Quadrant options for UCaaS and CCaaS. If an organization has an on-premise legacy PBX and is looking to evaluate 8×8 against other providers such as Microsoft Teams, Ring Central and other competitors, this can take several cycles. Some organizations are still at the initial steps of integrating Teams into a VOIP environment and realize they could bolt 8×8 and Teams together to take advantage of both platforms.
Video: Watch Macronet Services & 8×8 integrate MS Teams integration
Advantage of 8×8 Teams Integration
If you are in IT, most likely you are understaffed or short on resources for the piles of priorities that await you each day. Integrating 8×8 into Microsoft Teams does eliminate some burden.
- Standardize on Teams as the only Collaboration (Video, Chat etc) option.
- No download or installs
- Microsoft Teams interface and experience for desktop, mobile and any web apps remains unchanged. This means zero training
- Zero Maintenance windows
- If Teams crashes, users can still make calls using their 8×8 interface.
- Assists your Call Center environment implementation and go to market.
- Immediate Global Dialing coverage made easy on the 8×8 Dial Plans
Disadvantages of 8×8 Teams Integration
- You will need to have two vendor contracts and implementations, 8×8 and Teams.
- If users are comfortable and familiar with the Teams interface, you may not want to expose them to the 8×8 UI.
- Cost. It will cost a few dollars more for the complete integration but that might be worth the collaboration across both platforms.
Microsoft Teams 8×8 integration requirements
Our #1 recommendation is to speak with our architect and our 8×8/Teams specialists first to fully understand the global or local needs you have for this integration. However, to get you started and thinking about what we’d cover, here’s a quick list.
Login from your organization’s Microsoft 365 account with Admin credentials:
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- Global Admin rights are required for the setup because new domains must be added to the tenant for the SBC’s Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).
- Future syncs which require the creation of new SBC domains must also be performed by a Global Administrator to completed. To facilitate this in advance, Subsequent syncs for the addition of new users typically require only one of the following: Teams Administrator, Teams Communication Administrator, or Skype for Business Administrator.
Teams Licensing into 8×8:
Administrators can select one of the three Microsoft licensing options by user which is then used for the 8×8 Voice for Teams.
- Microsoft 365 E5 License (Microsoft Phone System license included)
- OR: Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard, or Premium, and Teams Phone Standard (which includes Microsoft Phone System).
- OR: Microsoft 365 E1, E3, or A1/G1, A3/G3 license and Teams Phone Standard (which includes Microsoft Phone System).
8×8
You must have a valid 8×8 account with Admin user access to setup.
- Assign an 8×8 X Series license (X1-X8) to each user of Microsoft Teams.
- OR one 8×8 X Series Metered or X Series Pro license for migrated service accounts, assigned to each user of Microsoft Teams.
- In the Admin Console, Microsoft Teams licenses need to be added to your account, with one license assigned and enabled to each user of 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams.
- 8×8 Implementation services are required for all deployments with Microsoft Teams.
8×8 phone system integration to Teams should equally be part of your Contact Center Strategy well into 2023. Microsoft
Integrating 8×8 into MS Teams
Demo Teams integration with 8×8 speaking with a Macronet Services Architect and 8×8 together. Following a successful Teams Integration, organizations next look to the A/V options in their conference rooms. Building Teams Rooms for complete collaboration, sound proof and quality connectivity is paramount in this new era of communication.