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

[Steve Conn]

In July 2018, we will no longer support the use of Session Border Controllers (SBC) to connect 3^rd Party PBX systems to Exchange Online Unified Messaging (UM).  We're making this change to provide a higher quality of service for voicemail, using Exchange standard and Skype for Business protocols. Customers considering a new deployment of this scenario should be aware that they will have a little less than a year to complete one of the migrations below.  Customers with existing deployments remain fully supported until July 2018, including moving voicemail-enabled mailboxes from Exchange on-premises and voicemail-enabling new mailboxes.

The following configurations are not affected by this change:

• Skype for Business Server (on-premises) connected to Exchange Online UM
• 3^rd party voicemail solutions that deposit voicemail messages into Exchange Online mailboxes through APIs, rather than an SBC connection
• All forms of Exchange Server UM (on-premises)

There are several alternative solutions for impacted customers, one or more of which must be implemented prior to July 2018.

• Option #1: Complete migration from 3^rd party on-premises PBX to Office 365 Cloud PBX. 
• Option #2: Complete migration from 3^rd party on-premises PBX to Skype for Business Server Enterprise Voice on-premises.
• Option #3: For customers with a mixed deployment of 3^rd party PBX and Skype for Business, connect the PBX to Skype for Business Server using a connector from a Microsoft partner, and continue using Exchange Online UM through that connector. For example, TE-SYSTEMS anynode UM connector can be used for that purpose.
• Option #4: For customers with no Skype for Business Server deployment or for whom the solutions above are not appropriate, implement a 3rd party voicemail system.

Although only a small number of customers are affected by this change, we know that planning for changes to voice platforms requires time to evaluate options, and to implement the selected option.   We encourage you to start this process soon.  For more information, please visit the following pages:

Exchange Online Unified Messaging

Exchange Online UM support for 3^rd party PBX via SBC

Cloud PBX

Skype for Business Server Enterprise Voice

Note: this post is also on the Exchange Team (EHLO) blog.

[#2]

@Prabhat Nigam Hi Mr. Nigam - thank you for your kind thoughts.  Please note that my original post at the top of this thread was placed here as a courtesy notification.  The official notice was via Message Center post, and echoed via the Exchange Team blog.  Also note that there has been change in the recommendations, etc. from the time that we did the initial notification, so the post at the top of this thread has been superceded.  Thanks!  Steve

cc: @Greg Taylor - EXCHANGE 

[#3]

@Steve Conn you are way too polite in response to the rubbish written in the previous response. I admire your restraint.

[#4]

@Steve Conn Thank you for the quick response.

Not sure what makes Tony mad, just my presence or something in my text.

My text was the words from PG (Nathan's) and I am just a messenger who is delivering them to get this technical issue fixed for everyone.