No Future for Lync Phone Edition (LPE) Devices with Microsoft Office 365

With so much excitement around Microsoft Ignite last year, it's not surprising that many companies missed a few things. As well as Github partnerships and new innovations, the tech giant also revealed that they were on route to disabling the TLS 1.0 and 1.1 accessibility in Office 365. This isn't the first time the company has referenced this decision. Originally, the older TLS systems were set to be removed during March 2018. Now, the date has been moved to October 31st.

The question for many businesses, is how this transformation will impact Lync Phone Edition (LPE)? According to Microsoft, LPE devices will no longer work with Microsoft's communication and collaboration products after TLS 1.2 is implemented. That means that you won't be able to connect to Office 365 or Microsoft Teams.

So, why would Microsoft make such a disruptive move? The simple answer is security. As the threats in the cyber community continue to grow, TLS 1.0 and 1.1 have revealed many flaws. Countless organisations have begun to disable those outdated TLS systems as a result, and Microsoft has chosen to follow suit. While there are no problems with the implementation of TLS on Microsoft systems yet, the company hopes to proactively get ahead of the problem.

Protecting your Communication Infrastructure

Microsoft's move to TLS 1.2 is sure to cause some disruption among enterprises. The devices affected by the shift include any LPE hardware, including the Mitel-Aastra 6721 IP, the Polycom CX500, and the HP 4120 among others.

The question is, what can you do about it? The simple answer is that you can upgrade your device to a third-party interoperability provider for Microsoft, or a "3PIP" solution. These devices are already certified to work seamlessly with Microsoft communication systems like Microsoft Skype for Business and Teams. What's more, if you're worried about your initial PBX investment going to waste, AudioCodes is introducing a replacement program specifically to keep your organisation on track.

The AudioCodes replacement program means that people with LPE phones affected by the switch on the 31^st of October can simply swap their device for a matching, or more advanced device. The IP  phones available in the offer come with the exceptional features and standards you'd expect from AudioCodes, including an intuitive user interface, advanced boss-admin capabilities, resiliency options, superior centralised management  and more.

Replacing your LPE Devices with AudioCodes Solutions

The AudioCodes LPE replacement program offers a range of 400HD series phones and huddle room solutions  that are Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams compatible. With a wide range of IP phones to choose from, each with high reliability, HD voice, and certified interoperability, this could be the perfect solution to any company with LPE transitional problems.

The transition deal offered by AudioCodes comes with the following discounts for phones in the 400HD range:

• $15 off the UC405HD IP Phone - A cost-effective device intended for everyday communication. This hardware comes with a graphical backlit display, auto-provisioning features, SIP support, and much more.
• $35 off the UC440HD IP Phone: A more advanced mid-range business phone with 6 programmable multi-function keys plus a dedicated LCD sidecar with a further 12 speed-dial & user presence keys..
• $35 off the UC445HD IP Phone: An advanced high-end desktop phone with a colour screen and an integrated LCD sidecar for speed dial and user presence.
• $35 off the UC450HD + EXP IP Phones: The UC450HD could be the perfect upgrade for modern companies. This feature-rich executive IP phone comes with a large colour TFT touchscreen for a superb user interface and the option of adding a colour expansion module for maximum flexibility.

All AudioCodes IP Phones in the offer come with GbE support, SILK HD voice quality for a better user experience on Microsoft UC calls and a USB headset port. They can all be remotely managed via AudioCodes IP Phone Manager application to drive operational savings and service excellence.