Overview
This article answers questions regarding the upcoming next generation of 8x8’s Phone App for Microsoft Teams.
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IMPORTANT:
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Applies To
- 8x8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams
- 8x8 Voice for Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Teams
- Teams Phone Resource Account licenses
Questions and Answers
What is included in the Next Gen phone app?
The Next Gen Phone App features an improved calling experience when dialing outbound. The call prompt notification is quicker to appear and is integrated seamlessly into Microsoft Teams. It is also now possible to make two simultaneous calls per user.
When will the upgrade take place?
The migration to the Next Gen Phone App will take place later in 2025 on a date to be determined, and we'll provide advance notice of this.
- Note: Customers will be able to perform the upgrade to the Next Gen Phone App before the announced final migration date, if desired.
Are there additional Microsoft license requirements for the upgrade?
- Calling with the current version of the Phone App requires one (1) Teams Phone Resource Account per tenant.
- Two (2) Teams Phone Resource Accounts are required for additional functionality per tenant, including simultaneous calling capability.
| One Resource Account | Two Resource Accounts | |
| Improved Dialing Experience |
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| Two Simultaneous calls per user |
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How will existing user call flows be affected by this change?
This upgrade streamlines the outgoing call experience with a more natural flow:
- After dialing a number or when selecting a contact, the Start call? prompt will appear. Clicking Start Call will confirm and automatically connect the call.
- Outgoing calls will no longer require accepting an incoming call that must be answered in order for the 8x8 Phone App to connect to the called number.
Is the upgrade automatic?
The upgrade is not an automated process.
8x8 recommends that when the Next Gen Phone App option becomes available in the 8x8 Voice for Teams admin portal, you perform the required manual update as soon as possible to avoid down time during operating hours.
It can be performed by following a series of simple steps that are outlined in our 8x8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams for Administrators guide.
How long will the upgrade take?
The upgrade process should take less than 30 minutes.
Will users experience any down time during the upgrade process?
There may be a limited amount of downtime, dependent on completion of the required manual sync process. Once the upgrade steps are complete, the new Phone App should immediately be ready to use.
Note: Phone App users must log out of and log back into Microsoft Teams to complete the Phone App update.
Do I need to do anything else if I already have the Phone App installed on my service?
If you currently have the previous version of the 8x8 Phone App installed and working for your users, and you wish to upgrade to the enhanced version, you’ll need to follow the upgrade process as outlined in our online 8x8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams for Administrators guide.
Does the upgrade process require a Microsoft Global Administrator?
Yes, the upgrade process requires enablement and manual Sync Now process to be initiated by a Global Administrator in the 8x8 Voice for Teams admin portal.
After the upgrade process is complete, future maintenance syncs can be initiated by non-Global Admin users who have appropriate assigned sync permissions.
Why do I see two AutoReceptionist users in my Microsoft 365 tenant?
The 8x8-AutoReceptionist user is created and assigned a Teams Phone Resource Account license when the original Phone App is enabled and your Voice for Teams Sync Now process is completed.
In advance of the release of the Next Gen Phone App, your Teams Sync Now process may initiate the creation of an 8x8-AutoReceptionist2 user and assign it an available Teams Phone Resource Account license. If no additional licenses are available to assign, you will see an error in your Sync Now sync log, but this issue has no effect unless you are actually attempting to enable the Next Gen Phone App.
Why am I getting license errors when syncing?
The absence of a second available Teams Phone Resource Account license causes errors when running a Sync Now process.
However, this error does not stop the sync from completing, and users can still use the improved dialing experience with just the one Teams Phone Resource Account.
Am I required to upgrade, or can I keep the old functionality, instead?
At this time this upgrade is not required. However, all Phone App users will eventually be migrated to the Next Gen Phone App, some time later in 2025.
In the meantime, 8x8 highly recommends upgrading to the Next Gen Phone App, as it provides access to a more seamless, stable, and native Teams calling experience.
What do I miss out on if I don’t have two Teams Resource Account licenses available?
No problem! You still get the new, improved dialing experience. However, Phone App users will only be able to place one outbound call at a time from the Phone App, instead of two.
How can I get support for this?
If you require support for this feature upgrade, please Contact 8x8 Technical Support for assistance.