Important Notice: Changes to Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams licensing.

This post has been republished via RSS; it originally appeared at: Microsoft Tech Community - Latest Blogs - .

On April 1, 2024, in regions outside the EEA and Switzerland, we're introducing commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites that don't include Teams, plus a new standalone Teams offering.

Impacted audience: Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Direct Bill Partners, CSP Indirect Resellers, CSP Indirect Providers, Licensing Solution Providers

Last year Microsoft updated the way Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Teams were licensed in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland in response to concerns raised with the European Commission. Now we're announcing our plan to extend that approach worldwide as globally consistent licensing reduces customer confusion and streamlines decision making.

On April 1, 2024, Microsoft is introducing a new lineup of commercial Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites that don't include Teams in regions outside the EEA and Switzerland, and a new standalone Teams offering for Enterprise customers in those regions.

We're also ending the sale of net-new subscriptions to existing Microsoft 365 E3/E5 and Office 365 E1/E3/E5 Enterprise SKUs with Teams across all channels: volume licensing (VL), Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), and Web Direct. All new Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Enterprise customers in regions outside the EEA and Switzerland will need to choose from new offers for that region. Existing customers in these regions who wish to continue using suites to which they have already subscribed can do so (including renewal, upsell, and license adds).

Starting on April 1, 2024, we're offering a new lineup of Microsoft 365, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams SKUs worldwide to provide commercial customers with the option of purchasing Teams separately from Microsoft 365 and Office 365. Existing customers who wish to continue using SKUs to which they have already subscribed can do so (including renewals, license adds, and step-ups).

The new lineup does the following:

• Introduce new suites without Teams, which are named the same as the existing suites plus "(no Teams)." The "no Teams" suites will be in the following offers:

  • Microsoft 365 E3/E5, Office 365 E1/E3/E5
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Business Standard, Business Basic
  • Microsoft 365 F1/F3, Office 365 F3

• Introduce a new standalone Teams SKU for Enterprise: Microsoft Teams Enterprise

• End the sale of net-new subscriptions to all existing Enterprise SKUs with Teams (Office 365 E1/E3/E5 and Microsoft 365 E3/E5)

• Continue to offer existing SMB and Frontline suites with Teams (Business Basic/Standard/Premium, MF1, MF3, OF31) alongside the new versions without Teams

With the introduction of the new commercial lineup, the sale of current Enterprise suites that include Teams to net new subscribers outside the EEA and Switzerland will end. As a result, Office 365 E1, Office 365 E3, Office 365 E5, Microsoft 365 E3, and Microsoft 365 E5 suites with Teams should no longer be sold to net new subscribers, worldwide. Here's how customers might be impacted:

• Net new subscribers to Office/Microsoft 365 Enterprise suites outside the EEA and Switzerland who wish to provide their end users with Teams will need to purchase two SKUs: Microsoft Teams Enterprise, plus either the Microsoft 365 (no Teams) or Office 365 (no Teams) suite.

• Existing customers who wish to continue using SKUs to which they have already subscribed can continue to use, renew, upgrade, and add licenses to their current plans. If an existing customer wishes to switch to the new lineup of suites without Teams, they can do so on their contract anniversary or renewal.

   

   

  Refer to the Partner FAQ for scenarios where existing CSP customers might wish to switch partners.

   

   

Current Microsoft 365 Business and Frontline suites with Teams included will coexist with the new lineup. Customers will be able to choose between the existing Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 F1, Office 365 F3, and Microsoft 365 F3 suites with Teams included, or the new versions of those suites without Teams.

To learn more, see the FAQ document and partner guidance deck on the Modern Work Partner Portal. There's a short training video available to help you learn how to talk about this change to your customers outside of the EEA and Switzerland.

Familiarize yourself with the full details about what's changing. The following resources contain valuable information for addressing customer queries:

• See this article for more details on our Licensing page.

• See the Partner FAQ and partner guidance deck on the Microsoft 365 Licensing Changes - Sell-Through CSP and the Microsoft 365 Licensing Changes – co-sell Partners portals.

• Watch this short training video to learn how to talk about this change to customers.

• Read the full details in the licensing blog.

For questions not addressed in the FAQ or to receive clarification on pricing, offer availability and upgrades, migrations, and conversions, create a Support request in Partner Center.