Understanding Microsoft Calling Plans (PSTN Calling Add Ons)

When looking to license Microsoft Teams Voice, there are a few options available when considering which calling plan will be best for your end users. Microsoft offers three unique plans that can be licensed across the organization or mixed and matched depending on an employee’s job duties. Taking a step back, a working definition of calling plans in Office 365 should be explained a little further.

What is a Calling Plan?

Calling plans are an add-on license that, when added on to Microsoft Teams, can become the phone system for your entire company. Calling plans provide the people in your organization with a phone number, allowing them to make and receive phone calls outside of your organization.  There are two (2) main calling plans: a domestic calling plan and a domestic and international calling plan. When licensed appropriately, users who are assigned phone numbers—or have their current number ported over—can make voice calls from Microsoft Teams in Office 365. These plans are usually added to Office 365 Enterprise plans and aren’t compatible with Business or ProPlus Plans. However, users on Business plans can use the Microsoft 365 Business Voice license to add calling functionality for their users.

How much Do Calling Plans Cost?

Domestic Calling Only

Now let’s talk cost. At $12.00/user/month, domestic calling plans will give each end user 3,000 minutes/month. These minutes are pooled throughout the organization and ‘refresh’ every month. For example, if you have 10 employees you’re looking to license with domestic calling, you will have 30,000 minutes/month for the entire company.

Domestic and International Calling

Take this a step further, domestic and international calling plans will cost $24.00/user/month. You’ll still receive 3,000 minutes/user/month but will now also have access to 600 international minutes. Keep in mind, these minutes are pooled across the organization. Using the previous example, if we have 10 employees, the domestic/international calling plan will give your organization 30,000 domestic minutes/month and 6,000 international minutes/month.

Microsoft Consumption Billing

Before deciding which plan you think will work best, I urge you to look at your current consumption rate. If you think you’ll be using more minutes than what’s initially allotted, or make a couple international calls each year, Microsoft has a third calling plan for these situations.

In comes Microsoft consumption billing. Consumption billing is meant to be added onto either calling plan. Consumption billing will be billed as ‘actual’ and will require a credit card on file with Microsoft. For example, if you reside in the United States, your consumption rate will be 1.3 cents/minute and will be billed in tenths of a minute. Considering the consumption billing plans vary depending on your country of origin, please visit Microsoft’s Consumption Plans for more information.

Looking for more information on Microsoft Teams Licensing? See our Complete Licensing Guide or call us today at 303-786-7474!

Matt Dixon, PEI