Microsoft is once again disrupting the communications market this week, with the introduction of a brand-new phone system in the UK. The solution for businesses combines chat, calling, meetings, calendars, and email to offer a comprehensive package for collaboration and communication.
Designed for companies with up to 300 users, the phone system is a cloud-based offering that integrates with Microsoft Teams and Office 365. Business Voice by Microsoft will work across all devices, including smartphones, desk phones, and computers, so that users can make crucial calls from anywhere. What’s more, the service also uses AI technology from Microsoft to translate chat messages, transcribe voice mails, and offer real-time captioning to users.
Transforming the Communication Landscape
Announcing the new business phone system for the UK in a recent blog post, Microsoft commented on the changing nature of the workplace. The company noted that today’s businesses need collaboration and communication tools that are designed to work seamlessly together and are easy to use. That’s why Microsoft build the Microsoft 365 Business Voice solution. The cloud-based offering is intended for companies with up to 300 users who want to be able to call any phone number from any device. The system integrates seamlessly with the Office 365 portfolio of productivity tools and delivers an all-in-one environment for collaboration and communication.
Starting from now, Business Voice will be available to UK customers and clients in Canada as an add-on to the Microsoft 365 portfolio, and Office 365 plans. The cost of Business Voice 365 is £12 (+VAT) per user per month. Microsoft is also planning to roll the solution out on a global basis in 2020. Other features of the offering include an opportunity to add dial-in numbers to meetings and collaborate with team members through Office 365 programs like Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel during meetings and calls. Users will be able to turn chats into meetings with a single click and schedule, start and access meetings from within Outlook too.
Exploring Microsoft Business Voice
Microsoft Business Voice will offer an easy-to-use all-in-one solution for companies around the world, complete with an immersive “Getting Started” wizard. The wizard guides users through the process of setting up their new phone numbers. However, those already using Office 365 will be able to access Business Voice using the same admin console as the rest of their Microsoft services.
The Business Voice experience is built around Microsoft Teams, which is used by around 13 million people on a daily basis. Business Voice is available across 181 markets in 53 languages, and it’s being used by companies like FedEx, Emirates, KONE, and many others already. Business Voice is available to purchase from Microsoft directly, or through an IT partner. Companies that have Microsoft 365 Business Voice offers include Cobweb, Rackspace, and O2 in the UK.
Read the UC Today Microsoft 365 Business Voice review.
