8×8 has launched a “next-gen” version of its Phone App for Microsoft Teams, offering native calling experiences and enhanced user performance.
The 8×8 Phone App is built on the vendor’s direct routing service, connecting the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) with Teams to grant businesses the most cost-effective method to enable native calling in Teams without ancillary software, desktop plugins, mobile apps, or necessitating per user Teams Phone licenses.
Hunter Middleton, Chief Product Officer at 8×8, commented:
At 8×8, we are constantly looking for ways to innovate and provide our customers with the products and experiences that best fit their business and working needs. With the 8×8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams, we are providing our customers with the familiar Teams user interface coupled with our resilient, secure, compliant, and reliable technology on the backend.”
This next-gen version is integral to the 8×8 for Microsoft Teams solution portfolio encompassing Teams 8×8 Contact Centre and the premier direct routing service solution, 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams. With over 350,000 8×8 Voice for Teams licenses sold, 8×8 offers Teams users global telephony capabilities, empowering organizations to optimize costs by assigning licenses based on user roles and business needs.
The Microsoft Teams solution portfolio is built on the 8×8 XCaaS (eXperience Communications as a Service) integrated cloud comms and contact centre platform.
“By providing a truly Teams native calling experience, we are not only offering a cost-effective option that improves productivity and efficiency, but it also enhances the overall user experience,” Middleton added.
8×8 Phone App for Teams Feature Set
One of the solution’s key features is cost-effective PSTN calling Teams for virtually all 8×8 X Series license holders at a more affordable level than the cost of licensing Teams Phone per user.
The offering includes an intuitive user experience without additional plugins or software installed on the desktop or mobile. All call activities can be managed within Teams, such as answering and conducting PSTN phone calls within the native Teams calling window on desktop, mobile, or the web. There is also complete call history and data across platforms.
Based on direct routing, the new backend connection method creates seamless integration and improved user experiences. Meanwhile, for businesses that need thewholel experience of direct routing through 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams and 8×8 Contact Center, the 8×8 Phone App can also be licensed and assigned at the user level.
The 8×8 Phone App can only be deployed by administrators from the cloud, removing the need for device management or additional configuration tools are required. This reduces user friction and maximizes IT efficiency.
8×8’s Summer
Last month, 8×8 released several UCaaS and CCaaS updates to its XCaaS platform designed to enhance the customer experience.
The UCaaS updates encompass enhancements to the 8×8 Work desktop, mobile and web experience, the user ability to click-to-call in the web browser, a web dialer Google Chrome extension, and myriad new features for the 8×8 Admin Console.
The contact centre additions include refinements to 8×8’s Supervisor Workspace, contact centre analytics capabilities, agent performance tracking functionality, and enhanced customer journey mapping.
Earlier in July, 8×8 also launched a new technology partner ecosystem to innovate the customer experience.
The 8×8 Technology Partner Ecosystem embedded groundbreaking technologies into the 8×8 platform with persistent data to improve business intelligence and insights. Among the benefits of the integrations with over 30 new partners is enterprise-grade AI capabilities to empower businesses to integrate AI-driven customisable experiences flexibly.
