Discover why the Teams Shared Devices license is the cost-effective solution for deploying Microsoft Teams common area phones under an M365 E5 subscription.
Table of Contents
Question
You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription and a Microsoft Teams deployment.
You purchase 10 Teams devices and plan to deploy them as common area phones.
You need to recommend an add-on license for the common area phone deployment. The solution must minimize costs.
Which add-on license should you recommend?
Select only one answer.
A. Audio Conferencing
B. Teams Premium
C. Teams Room Pro
D. Teams Shared Devices
Answer
To deploy 10 common area phones in Microsoft Teams under a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription, the Teams Shared Devices (Option D) add-on license is the optimal choice to minimize costs while fulfilling technical requirements.
D. Teams Shared Devices
Explanation
Common area phones require a Teams Shared Devices license.
Purpose-Built for Shared Spaces:
The Teams Shared Devices license is explicitly designed for devices in common areas (e.g., lobbies, conference rooms) and includes essential features like call queues, auto attendants, and cloud voicemail.
Cost Efficiency:
- Priced at $8–$8.40 per device/month525, it is significantly cheaper than assigning full user licenses (e.g., E5) or Teams Room Pro ($40/device/month).
- Avoids wasting expensive user licenses on shared devices.
Included Features:
- Teams Phone (Phone System): Enables PSTN calling via Direct Routing, Operator Connect, or Microsoft Calling Plans.
- Device Management: Includes Microsoft Intune and Entra ID P1 for security and policy enforcement.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
Audio Conferencing (A): For dial-in meeting access, unrelated to common area phones.
Teams Premium (B): Adds advanced meeting features (e.g., webinars), irrelevant to shared devices.
Teams Room Pro (C): Designed for full meeting room systems, overkill for basic phones.
Deployment Steps
- Purchase Teams Shared Devices licenses via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Assign one license per device to resource accounts.
- Configure policies (e.g., CommonAreaPhoneSignIn mode) to optimize the shared experience.
By selecting Teams Shared Devices, you align with Microsoft’s recommended low-cost licensing model for shared calling devices while retaining full Teams Phone functionality.
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