Changes to Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams licensing

Microsoft has announced important changes to the licensing Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.

Starting October 1, 2023, Microsoft introduce a new lineup of commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites in the EEA and Switzerland that don't include Teams, and a new standalone Teams offering for Enterprise customers (Microsoft Teams EEA). Microsoft Teams EEA is an Enterprise offering available only in the EEA and Switzerland that provides meetings, chat, calling (VOIP), and collaboration without any limitation on seat numbers.

Points to know about these changes:

1.      Office 365 E1/E3/E5 and Microsoft 365 E3/E5.

For new customers Office 365 E1/E3/E5 and Microsoft 365 E3/E5 suites with Teams will no longer be available.

• If you are a new customer and wish to provide workers with both Microsoft Teams and the value in existing Microsoft 365 E3/E5 or Office 365 E1/E3/E5 suites, you will need to purchase two products: EEA-specific Microsoft 365 or Office 365 suite and Microsoft Teams EEA.
• If you are a new customer and wish to provide workers only Microsoft Teams, you will be able to purchase only Microsoft Teams EEA

For current customers with Teams included suites there are two options:

• You can continue to use, renew, and add seats to their current plans as usual.
• If you wish to switch to the new lineup, you can do so on their contract anniversary or renewal.

2.      Microsoft 365 Business plans.

You will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium suites with Teams or the new EEA-specific versions of those suites without Teams.

3.      Frontline workers.

You will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 F1, Office 365 F3, and Microsoft 365 F3 suites with Teams included, or the new EEA-specific versions of those suites without Teams.