8×8 Inc., an integrated cloud contact center and unified communications platform provider, announced the next generation of the 8×8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams, which natively puts calls where users expect them, the Teams calling window, providing intuitive user experiences and enhanced performance.
Built on 8×8’s direct routing service, the 8×8 Phone App connects the public switched telephone network (PSTN) with Microsoft Teams to provide organizations with a cost-effective method to enable native calling in Teams without additional software, desktop plugins, mobile apps or requiring per user Teams Phone licenses.
The upgraded version is part of the 8×8 for Microsoft Teams solution portfolio that includes the solution certified for Teams 8×8 Contact Center, and the premium direct routing as a service solution, 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams.
With more than 350,000 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams licenses sold, 8×8 enables Teams users with global telephony capabilities, which allows organizations to optimize costs by assigning licenses based on user roles and business needs. The solutions are built on the trademarked 8×8 XCaaS (eXperience Communications as a Service) integrated cloud communications and contact center platform, providing organizations with global coverage and full cloud telephony replacement in 59 countries.
The 8×8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams streamlines the user experience and administrative overhead by holding calls natively in Teams. By conducting all calls and functions within Microsoft Teams, the 8×8 Phone App provides accurate presence status, call transfers, recordings, captions and transcriptions.
Further, the integration is provisioned from the cloud by an administrator without device management tools, allowing for streamlined training, support, and deployment.
Key features of 8×8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams include:
- Cost-effective PSTN calling in Microsoft Teams – Provides organizations with a low-cost PSTN calling option, for virtually all 8×8 X Series license holders.
- A native user experience that keeps users in Teams – Offers an intuitive user experience that requires no additional plugins or software installed on the desktop or mobile device. This includes the ability to manage all call activities within Microsoft Teams, answer and conduct PSTN phone calls within the native Teams calling window whether on desktop, mobile or the web and flip active calls between authenticated Teams devices while providing complete call history and data across platforms.
- Improved performance – The backend connection method, based on direct routing, provides seamless integration and improved user experiences.
- Streamlined deployment – 8×8 Phone App can be deployed only by administrators from the cloud, so no device management or additional configuration tools are required. This deployment method directly in Teams minimizes user friction and maximizes IT efficiency making it simple to manage and support.
- Flexible licensing – For organizations that need the full experience of direct routing through 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams and 8×8 Contact Center, the 8×8 Phone App can be licensed and assigned at the user level. This allows organizations to select the right license for each user based on the specific needs of each job function in the business, optimizing operating costs, and improving productivity.
Watch the enhanced 8×8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams here. For additional information, visit www.8×8.com.
