The main questions from most people I have spoken to about the new ShoreTel Connect licence bundles are, do I get to keep the free client, will it still be free and do I need a new ShoreTel Connect Client Licence? (There is no such thing as “ShoreTel Connect Client Licence” I am using this phase to represent what will be needed to continue to use ShoreTel Connect Client). Hopefully by the end of this blog it should be a little clearer.
As mentioned in the last post on this topic, the new licence bundles are
- Courtesy –Extension Only (no client)
- Telephony –Extension and Mailbox (no client)
- Essential –The above plus Dialler pack (Web and App) ShoreTel Connect client (instant messaging, presence, video calling, conferencing, web sharing and online meetings.)
- Standard –The above plus ShoreTel mobility, Remote access (edge gateway) and Application integration
- Advanced –the above plus operator features and up to 96 lines
The new connect licences are just bundles. We will look into Essentials, as this is the first bundle which allows the use of the Connect Client (ShoreTel Communicator replacement), it is built up of
- An Extension Licence
- Voicemail box Licence
- Professional Client Access Licence
- Softphone Licence
- Standard Resolution Video Licence
- Web/App Dialers Licence
These licenses are available separately and do not have to be purchases as a bundle. There are some price benefits to buy them in a bundle. If you look at the licence page on ShoreTel Connect. You do not see the bundles names, you see the components. Below is a screen shot of a system which has been upgraded to ShoreTel Connect.
When you add a new user you get the following options:
So even though all the licences except the Courtesy bundle comes with a Voicemail box, it does not need to be used for each user. Same for Softphone, Video and Web/App diallers.
If I add a new user with access licence “Connect Client” this is what happens to the Licence count on the system. (I have not enabled the user for Video or Softphone)
So effectively the ShoreTel Connect Client Licence is the “ShoreTel Professional Access Licence” and this retail at about £50
However, when preparing for the connect upgrade on this system, I ordered the “Connect ONSITE Installed Base Upgrade License” which has the description of “Connect ONSITE no-charge upgrade license. Required for ST 14.2 and earlier systems before upgrading to Connect.” When doing so I received the following licence keys:
- 8 Standard Resolution Video Licences
- 8 Professional Client Access Licences
- 8 SoftPhone Licences
Speaking to ShoreTel at Enterprise Connect, they said that the “Connect ONSITE Installed Base Upgrade License” will enable everyone to use the new ShoreTel Connect Client. The math on this system does adds up. Before the upgrade, this system was licences for 10 users (It had an additional 10 extension licences due to the installation of a mobility router). It had purchased for it at the time of installation 2 professional licences (which include video and softphone). So these additional licences are upgrading the rest of the users to Professional Access Licences.
In this case this was a free upgrade. The people on the ShoreTel stand at Enterprise Connect did not know if this going to be free for all customers or if it is free as it is still in controlled release. If it is not free, it is also worth noting it is only users with Personal Client Access Licences (free ShoreTel Communicator Client at 14.2, click here for more details) which need this upgrade. Users with Professional, Workgroup Agent, Workgroup Supervisor and Operator licences are already entitled to the new client.
As far as I can tell this upgrade licence is not a mapping Personal Client Access licence users to the Essentials licence bundle as it does not include the diallers. It is to get every user on the lowest level of licensing required to continue to allow them to use the client.
Will ShoreTel Connect Client licence be free?
In my opinion (no science, or information from ShoreTel), the client will remain free. In this case I got video and softphone licences as a part of the upgrade, I am not sure that will happen in future, it may just include the Professional Client Access licence. The ShoreTel Connect upgrade licence description does mention no-charge, so I doubt this will change.
All the information in this blog is in my experiences, Hope it helps. Any questions on this, the ShoreTel Connect Client Licence or anything else, please contact us.