Skype for Business add-on licensing
Important
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.
What are add-on licenses?
Add-on licenses are licenses for specific Skype for Business features. Some businesses want the flexibility of purchasing only specific features at a competitive price. To add a feature, buy one add-on license for each user who will use it.
Skype for Business licensing is designed to give you the maximum amount of flexibility. For example, after using basic Skype for Business features for a while, you can buy add-on licenses when you're ready to use more features, such as Audio Conferencing, or the Phone System in Office 365.
How does add-on licensing affect cost?
For most businesses, buying a bundle of software in an Enterprise plan will result in lower overall cost. Typically, when you buy several add-on licenses individually instead of as part of a plan, you may end up with higher combined cost.
For more cost information, see How to see prices and buy add-on licenses or one of the following:
What features can I get with add-on licenses?
Depending on which plan you already have, you can buy add-on licenses for the following Skype for Business features:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Audio Conferencing | Sometimes people in your organization need to use a phone to call in to a Skype for Business meeting, instead of using their computer. Use the Audio Conferencing feature for this situation. To find out whether Audio Conferencing is available in your country or region, see Country and region availability for Audio Conferencing and Calling Plans. If you are looking for how much it costs, see Requirements for Audio Conferencing. |
| Toll free numbers for dial-in access to your conferences, and the ability to dial out from a conference to add someone by calling any telephone number in the world | If you add Audio Conferencing, we recommend that you Set up Communications Credits. |
| Phone System | A PBX is a telephone system in a business. Phone System is a hosted telephone service. It gives you both traditional and innovative PBX capabilities, but without the complicated and expensive equipment. Here's what you get with Phone System. If you are looking for how much it costs, see Requirements for Phone System. |
| Calling Plans | Calls to other Skype for Business users are free, but if you want your users to be able to call any phone numbers outside of your business, get a Calling Plan. There are Domestic Calling Plans and Domestic and International Calling Plans. If you are looking for how much it costs, see Requirements for Calling Plans. |
| Microsoft Teams Rooms | This isn't an add-on, but a feature that brings video, audio, and content sharing to conference rooms. See Microsoft Teams Rooms. |
Need to talk to someone about all the add-on options? Contact support for business products - Admin Help.
License options based on your plan
The add-on licensing options available to you depends on your plan. See the following topics for information, features, and options that are specific to your plan.
- Microsoft 365 Business Standard
- Office 365 Premium, Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, or Skype for Business Online Plan 2
- Office 365 Enterprise E1, E3, and E4
- Office 365 Enterprise E5
- Office 365 Enterprise E5 (without Audio Conferencing)
- Microsoft Teams Rooms
- GOV, EDU, and non-profit organizations
For a detailed list of features and comparisons for each Skype for Business plan, see the Skype for Business Online Service Description.
How to see prices and buy add-on licenses
After you buy a Microsoft 365 plan, you see prices and buy add-ons through the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Depending on the add-ons you want, we recommend comparing whether it's more cost effective for you to switch to a plan that includes those features already.
See your plan under "License options based on your plan" for more details about which licenses to buy and how to see prices and purchase add-on licenses.
How do I use my existing Calling Plans with Skype for Business?
If you want to use your existing Calling Plan, buy the Phone System add-on and use it with the free Cloud connector.
If you are using on-premises PSTN connectivity for hybrid users, you only assign Phone System licenses to your users. DO NOT also assign a Calling Plan.
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