Discontinuation of support for Session Border Controllers in Exchange Online Unified Messaging

As a happy O365/Unified Messaging mixed environment customer I would like to express my displeasure with Microsoft's decision to end support for SBC's as of July 2018. I completely understand Microsoft's strategy in doing this but I believe setting a 1 year time frame will hurt Microsoft (and its customers). I would have liked to see a 3-5 year transition time. Here is why I say that. We're a college system with multiple campuses using an Avaya VoIP system. We've been using Microsoft UM as a voicemail solution for 4 years, first on-prem and now in the cloud. Our users love Microsoft UM and we have been beginning to deploy Skype for Business Cloud PBX to a few pilot users and so far we really like it to the extent we have begun to consider moving toward a Skype for Busienss Enterprise Voice solution in the future. But due to certain conditions, namely issues with our network infrastructure in some locations, our requirement for advanced Call Center and routing features, and certain cultural challenges within our various campus IT divisions it would be impossible for us to make the switch to Skype for Business within 1 year. So if Microsoft insists on this inadequate time constraint we may be forced to adopt a less than ideal temporary solution which could upset and/or complicate our plan to move toward Skype for Business. Microsoft's Discontinuation of Support notice states that only a small number of customers will be affected by this change but I'm sure the list of customers affected is actually quite substantial.

As I said before I completely understand Microsoft's strategy. They have a good product and deserve to unify their products but Skype for Business Cloud PBX is only beginning to gain enterprise grade features. And rumors of future branding changes are causing further anxiety for potential customers. Microsoft should extend the End of Support notice for SBC's to no sooner than 2020.