Teams and Skype for Business co-existence

[reditguy]

Hi, we are unable to fully move towards Teams due to the lack of functionality on desk phones, which is important to receptionists.  

Is there any co-existence model where we can use Teams on our Windows PCs, mobile devices, iPads, etc. and continue using Skype for Business on the Yealink desk phones? If the receptionists use SFB (skype for business) on their desk phones and get a call and need to transfer it (again all the other users are on Teams), will the Teams users be able to pick up calls on their Teams clients on their PCs and/or mobile Teams apps? and vice versa? How will conferencing work?

Thanks.

[#2]

Hi,

You could run your deskphones in 3PIP mode for TeamsOnly users. So even if moving a user to Teams Only you don't have to switch the deskphone to Teams native firmware.

If you keep your receptionists in Skype for Business you should have them in one of the Skype* Coexistence modes. It the receptionists answer a call they will be able to transfer them to TeamsOnly users.

You could also check out some of the attendant software available for Teams now when the APIs are available in preview. With this your receptionists could use their computers connecting calls instead of a deskphone.

[#3]

Thanks for the quick reply....do you mean something like anywhere365.io? Issue is our receptionists prefer desk phones as when they are running around the office and need to answer a phone quickly, they can do it faster from a desk phone than by logging into their PC (if its locked) and then answering.

So, we have the T48S and T48G Yealink phones with the expansion modules which work well with SFB, so again, if we keep them on SFB and move everyone else to Teams, they will be able to communicate/call/transfer with each other? How about the receptionists themselves? Will they need to continue using SFB even on their PCs or can they use Teams on their PCs and SFB on their desk phones? How will chat work? Note that only the receptionists have desk phones, all other users mostly use the SFB PC client for now.

Thanks

[#4]

Hi,

what features are you missing on the Teams phones? Directory search?
I would expect that we hear some news around Ignite when we can see some improvement in this area.

As Linus pointed out you have two options if you want to keep your SfB/3PIP phones:
1. Move receptionists to TeamsOnly and use the gateway service MS provides for the 3PIP phones. There is a blog post showing what features are available in this scenario. And yes basic calling including transfer is possible. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Skype-for-Business-Blog/Skype-for-Business-Certified-IP-Phone...
2. Leave the receptionists in an SfB* mode with their SfB phones. If you keep them in an SfB* coexistence mode they will have SfB for Calling and Chat on their PC. Depending on the mode they can use collaboration with teams and create Teams meetings. More can be found here https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/upgrade-and-coexistence-of-skypeforbusiness-and-team...

I would start with option 1 and test your scenarios and see if it fits your requirements.

[#5]

@reditguy Yes, something like them. Not sure if they are accepting POC customers currently but they use the same API as other vendors so I guess they will be there soon. Some of these products have a mobile client so that they can pickup calls on the move, or use a Surface computer when running around. 

You can even move your receptionists to TeamsOnly and they will be able to connect with their Skype phones to Teams and receive calls and transfer them to other users. All 3PIP (Third Party Ip Phones) will work with Teams using the Skype interface in the phone. It is first when Skype Online is dead (july 2021) they will get limited functionality (not sure exactly what functions) and after that the 3PIP phones will work until July 2023. But by then I hope the Teams interface in deskphone will be better, but T48S and T48G will not work after 2023 with Teams.

[#6]

@Linus Cansby @Paul Lange 

Thanks guys...so to confirm, below is what I plan to do.  

Move receptionists to Teams on their desktops and mobile apps, and leave desk phones on SFB (Islands Mode)

Move everyone else to Teams across all platform (Teams only)

In this method, receptionists can still transfer/conference calls with Teams users with internal users, and easily transfer calls from external users.

All users can still chat with each other.

Does this seem correct?

EDIT: Let me know about the above...but I did the below as a test.

Our coexistence mode is set to Islands

Our receptionist account/main number is set to Org-Wide, which I guess is Islands mode (but she is using SFB on her desktop and desk phone)

I set my account/number to Teams only

Test1: I called the main number and the receptionist was able to TRANSFER the call to me successfully, the call showed up on both my Teams desktop client and my SFB Yealink desk phone

Test2: I called the main number and receptionist was unable to successfully CONFERENCE the call....the conference call request came into my SFB desktop client (and not Teams) and my SFB Yealink desk phone (this part is OK), but any reason why the conference call came into my SFB desktop client and not Teams? I tried exiting SFB on the desktop but then the conference call request just came into my SFB desk phone.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

[#7]

@reditguy Avoid Island, that is only for testing. If the receptionists are in Island and someone in TeamsOnly mode calls to them they will get the call in Teams.

If a Skype user sets up a conference it will be a conference call and a user in TeamsOnly have to use Skype application to join the conference.

I still don't see why not put the receptionist in TeamsOnly mode, you can run the phones in 3PIP mode and there will be no problems for them.

[#8]

@Linus Cansby 

Hi, just to clarify it wasn't a Sfb conference call per say...but someone calls into the main #, she picks up the call from her SFB desk phone, and then adds me as another participant (so a quick conference call), but the call came into my SFB client and not Teams.

By 3PIP mode you mean SFB right?

Even if I put the user and receptionist in Teamonly....and again someone calls the main#, she answers on her SFB desk phone, adds me as a participant to the call (hence a quick conf call), will the call come into SFB or Teams for me?

[#9]

@reditguy When you add a third person to a call it will be a conference. So if she were TeamsOnly and picked up the call on the phone and then added you (TeamsOnly) to the conference you would get that call in Teams instead of Skype.

The 3PIP phone is the Skype interface, it will only be supported until July 2023, but you can run it now with the Skype interface for a Teams Only user and you don't have to switch the phone over to Teams native firmware.

So if she is a TeamsOnly user and add you to a three-part-call you will get that call in Teams if you are TeamsOnly user.

[#10]

@Linus Cansby 

Thanks Linus, that makes sense when/if she picks up from her Teams desktop client and conferences me in, but again, even if she is set to Teams only, and picks up the call from her SFB desk phone, will I get the call on my Teams desktop client? How about my SFB desk phone?

[#11]

@reditguy The only thing that matters if what coexistence mode you are in. So if you are TeamsOnly you will get that call you your Teams account, and since you are signed in with your TeamsOnly account in your Skype phone you will get the call on that desk phone and in your Teams client.

Calls to 3PIP Skype phones will go from Teams to a SfB Gateway to your phone in SfB firmware mode.

[#12]

@Linus Cansby 

That's what I thought, will test tomorrow and let you know how it goes.  Thanks so much!

[#13]

@Linus Cansby @Paul Lange 

Hey guys, so close...this is what I did and its a bit urgent.

I put my account, the receptionist account, and another user all on Teams only.  

From my cell phone I called the receptionist who picked up the call on her SFB Yealink deskphone....and from there she went to the 'add a person' button on the desk phone and tried to add the other Teams user.....sadly, that user got the call on her SFB session...any idea why that is when we are all Teams Only? And what we can do to fix it?

[#14]

Hi @reditguy,

The user receiving the call from the receptionist behaves like he is still in Islands mode. So you have to wait for the replication to finish. Normally this should be 24 hours but I wouldn't be surprised if it takes longer in this scenario (Islands->TeamsOnly)

Regards,

Paul

[#15]

@Paul Lange @Paul Lange 

Thanks Paul, but when the receptionist tries to transfer it works as expected to my Teams? 

Could it really be just the lack of sync time?

[#16]

If you started earlier with TeamsOnly with your account - Yes

[#17]

@Paul Lange 

Could you clarify what you mean? I switched the receptionist, myself, and 2 other users to Teams only at the same time and gave it about ~30 minutes.

[#18]

I thought that the other Teams user was later switched to TeamsOnly. So again - depending on when you did it wait at least for 24 hours. If it is then still not working then you can open a ticket.

[#19]

@Paul Lange @Linus Cansby 

Hi, I am going to make the changes again on Friday and then check on Monday, this should hopefully be more than enough time for any sync to take place.

To confirm: I am switching EVERYONE to 'TeamsOnly' mode, and since I am doing it for everyone I am just going to do it from the main 'Teams upgrade' page.  Doing this will technically have no effect on the Yealink desk phones as those can/will remain on SFB.  On Monday, I will place a call TO the main# from my cell phone, which the receptionist will pick up on the SFB desk phone, and then try and ADD me to the call using the desk phone, and this call/add SHOULD come in on my Teams client.

Correct?

[#20]

Hey,

as I said the last time opening a ticket is valid if it is not working.
You should investigate with the help of the support why your Teams User is not switched to TeamsOnly.

Regards,

Paul