MS Teams Standard vs MS Teams Premium - Comparison Guide

MICROSOFT TEAMS
STANDARD & PREMIUM
https://omniblue.de
LICENSE COMPARISON
Version 1.0 - MST-SP-00002
(English)
Creator: OmniBlue GmbH
Date : 30.08.2023
WHITEPAPER

MS Teams – Standard & Premium Comparison
CONTENT
PREAMBLE ..........................................................................................................................................................1
1. WHAT IS MICROSOFT TEAMS PREMIUM?..................................................................................................2
1.1 VIDEO -AND AUDIO ENCRYPTION...........................................................................................................2
1.2 WATERMARKS .........................................................................................................................................3
1.3 CUSTOM WAITING ROOM (LOBBY)........................................................................................................4
1.4 INTELLIGENT RECAP ................................................................................................................................5
1.5 MEETING TEMPLATES .............................................................................................................................5
1.6 WAIT LIST.................................................................................................................................................6
1.7 VIRTUAL GREEN ROOM...........................................................................................................................7
1.8 TOGETHER MODE....................................................................................................................................7
1.9 LIVE CAPTIONS.........................................................................................................................................8
2. LICENSING..................................................................................................................................................9
3. FEATURE-MATRIX.....................................................................................................................................10
3.1 MEETING FEATURES..............................................................................................................................10
3.2 WEBINAR FEATURES .............................................................................................................................11
3.3 MEETING PROTECTION FEATURES.......................................................................................................13
3.4 MEETING REPORTING FEATURES .........................................................................................................14
3.5 VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS FEATURES ...................................................................................................15
4. SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................16

1
PREAMBLE
In the business environment, Microsoft Teams is gaining increasing importance. This comprehensive
enterprise communication platform enables seamless integration with a wide range of applications,
including Microsoft 365, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft
Power BI, and Microsoft Power Automate. Thanks to this seamless integration, businesses can
streamline their workflows and boost their team’s productivity. Serving as a central hub for
communication, file sharing, and project management, Microsoft Teams proves to be an invaluable
tool for employees in organizations.
On February 1, 2023, Microsoft introduced the paid add-on license "Microsoft Teams Premium,"
which offers a variety of additional features. These include personalized and intelligent meetings,
advanced webinar capabilities, additional security policies for meetings, advanced management, and
reporting features, as well as enhanced integration of virtual appointments within Microsoft Teams.
Despite these extensive enhancements, the question arises whether this extension license is equally
meaningful for all companies and their individual requirements.
In this document, OmniBlue will provide a detailed comparison between the standard and the paid
premium versions of Microsoft Teams, explaining the key innovations in detail. Our goal is to provide
you with a comprehensive understanding of the differences between Microsoft Teams Standard and
Premium licenses and which licensing model best aligns with your company's needs.

2
1. WHAT IS MICROSOFT TEAMS PREMIUM?
Microsoft Teams Premium is an additional license option accessible to businesses that already have
subscriptions, such as Microsoft Teams Essentials, Microsoft 365 Business, or Microsoft 365
Enterprise. This extension takes team collaboration to a higher level by providing a variety of
additional features that ensure an enhanced level of security and customization. Data privacy
options, encryption, and powerful AI capabilities play a crucial role in this enhancement.
Here are some of the key features that the Microsoft Teams Premium license offers:
▪ Video and Audio Encryption
▪ Watermarks
▪ Custom Waiting Room (Lobby)
▪ Intelligent RECAP
▪ Meeting Templates
▪ Waiting Lists
▪ Virtual Green Room
▪ Together Mode
▪ Live Captions
1.1 VIDEO -AND AUDIO ENCRYPTION
Microsoft uses industry-standard practices to ensure the security of all Microsoft Teams meetings,
regardless of whether companies are using the Microsoft Teams Premium extension or not.
However, Microsoft Teams Premium offers an additional layer of security for your meetings through
real-time End-to-End encryption (E2EE), which protects the flow of voice and video data.
End-to-End encryption (E2EE) is by default disabled in Microsoft Teams Premium, but it can be
activated in various ways. This security feature can be enabled, for instance, through an encryption
policy managed by Teams administrators. Alternatively, it's possible to use a sensitivity label or a
custom meeting template to automatically enforce End-to-End encryption for meetings that require
additional security measures. Once this option has been activated, Microsoft Teams meeting
organizers have access to the encryption setting when they schedule their meetings.

3
1.2 WATERMARKS
Companies can use sensitivity labels to individually watermark videos or shared content. A
watermark is a subtle image or text overlay that appears on the content to ensure the confidentiality
of visual content during a meeting. Watermarks can be used to label meetings with an individual
marker that deters unauthorized screenshots of sensitive content by displaying the name or email
address of each meeting participant. This makes it clear to participants who captured sensitive
information.
The use of a watermark can also be implemented within the meeting appointment on the calendar.
The watermark will then be placed over the entire screen and is visible to all participants. For
example, a watermark can represent an email address or the company logo.
There are various configuration options for setting up watermarks that can be done before the start
of a meeting:
▪ When organizers apply a watermark to shared content, this results in the deactivation of
meeting recording options. Similarly, the use of Together Mode, Gallery View, PowerPoint
Live, Whiteboards, and shared content from cameras is also deactivated.
▪ When organizers apply a watermark to all video broadcasts, the ability to record the meeting
or use the Together Mode or Gallery View is disabled.

4
1.3 CUSTOM WAITING ROOM (LOBBY)
With Teams Premium, there is now the option to customize the waiting room (lobby) with individual
company branding. This includes the customization of backgrounds and color schemes, with the
ability to adjust all primary colors, buttons, and fonts. The management of these settings is in the
hands of the administrator to prevent unauthorized use of the brand identity.

5
1.4 INTELLIGENT RECAP
By using an intelligent logging feature called Intelligent Recap, based on the OpenAI GPT-3.5 model,
automatic meeting logs and highlights can be generated for every meeting. This feature converts
spoken words or chat messages into notes, can summarize documents, and even generate content.
Additionally, it automatically creates To-Do lists and tasks in Microsoft Planner when the need for
further tracking of a specific topic is mentioned at the end of a meeting. These advanced features
significantly contribute to increasing productivity as meeting participants can spend more time
listening and exchanging information rather than dealing with note-taking tasks.
After the meeting concludes, each participant receives a recording that is analysed by AI and divided
into meeting segments containing crucial information. Furthermore, personalized timestamps are
integrated, visible only to organizers, recording when participants joined or left the meeting. This
feature allows participants who couldn't attend, joined late, or left early to quickly catch up and learn
what was discussed during their absence.
1.5 MEETING TEMPLATES
To save time and effort, MS Teams Premium offers the option to use meeting templates to set
standard options for specific meetings. This is especially convenient for recurring client meetings or
regular scheduled meetings. Using these templates eliminates the need for the meeting organizer to
configure settings manually. Of course, the organizer always has the option to customize the
template as needed.

6
1.6 WAIT LIST
This feature allows organizers to set the registration and Wait List period. Individuals who register
after the registration deadline automatically get placed on the Wait List. The Wait List also logs the
registration date and time of these individuals. When spots become available, people on the Wait
List are either automatically registered or invited to register in the order they joined the Wait List.
The organizer also has the option to manually add additional newly registered individuals at any time.

7
1.7 VIRTUAL GREEN ROOM
Another feature in the MS Teams Premium version is the Virtual Green Room. This allows presenters
to meet behind the scenes of the event in a dedicated virtual space isolated from participants. This
enables presenters to smoothly coordinate the event and collaborate effectively during it. They have
the opportunity to prepare in the Green Room before a Teams meeting or webinar, review audio
and video settings, practice content sharing, and communicate with other organizers and presenters
before participants join.
1.8 TOGETHER MODE
Another innovative feature in Microsoft Teams Premium is related to the "Together Mode," which is
already available in the basic version but with limited functionalities. In the Premium version, users
gain new opportunities for customizing their working environment. This means they are no longer
confined to predefined backgrounds but have the freedom to design the entire scene according to
their preferences.
Another feature in Teams Premium is the ability to choose custom backgrounds. Instead of being
limited to predefined options, participants can select backgrounds that align with their personal style
or current mood. This might mean finding themselves in a futuristic office building or meeting in a
virtual space specially designed for their team.
In the basic version, participant positions are static and predefined. However, in the Premium
version, administrators have control over how and where participants are positioned within the
virtual scene.

8
1.9 LIVE CAPTIONS
An extremely useful feature available in Teams Premium is AI-powered Live Captions. MS Teams can
now reliably translate spoken words, both in German and English. Even dialects are increasingly
recognized more accurately as it continuously learns through AI. This feature significantly contributes
to making MS Teams more accessible. However, the real highlight of this feature is that MS Teams
Premium users can change the language of the subtitles in real-time. This opens additional
customization options and enables even more effective communication.

9
2. LICENSING
It is of crucial importance to pay close attention to the licensing of Microsoft Teams Premium.
Microsoft Teams Premium is not a standalone license but an extension of regular Microsoft Teams
subscriptions. To use Microsoft Teams Premium, an existing license for Microsoft Teams Essentials,
Microsoft 365 Business, or Microsoft 365 Enterprise is required, which already includes the standard
version of Microsoft Teams. Typically, this is a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 license, which can then be
supplemented with the Teams Premium license. However, the question arises as to who needs a
Microsoft Teams Premium license and which scenarios should be considered.
Generally, external participants do not need a Microsoft Teams Premium license to join virtual
meetings. Nonetheless, there are specific cases, such as meetings with the End-to-End encryption,
that constitute exceptions.
If a virtual meeting is made accessible to external participants through Microsoft Bookings, a
Premium license is also not required. However, typically, the organizer of the meeting would need
Microsoft Teams Premium licensing.
To sign in and use the enhanced waiting area, also known as the "Green Room," organizers again
need a Microsoft Teams Premium license, while participants do not. In the Green Room, the
organizer can prepare and edit materials a few minutes before the webinar, before adding meeting
or webinar participants.
Participants without a Microsoft Teams Premium license can still display live translations if the
organizer has the required Microsoft Teams Premium license.

10
3. FEATURE-MATRIX
3.1 MEETING FEATURES
MS TEAMS
STANDARD
MS TEAMS
PREMIUM DESCRIPTION
MS TEAMS MEETING You can create Microsoft Teams meetings (host) or join Microsoft Teams meetings.
MS TEAMS STANDARD DESIGN
The user has access to various Microsoft Teams standard designs (layouts) for the MS
Teams client.
CUSTOMIZE MEETING BACKGROUNDS (USER LEVEL)
Custom meeting backgrounds are images that participants can upload to be displayed in
meetings accordingly.
LIVE CAPTIONS
By enabling live captions, participants can read the words spoken during calls and meetings
in Microsoft Teams.
CUSTOMIZE MEETING TEMPLATES
Microsoft Teams' individual meeting templates allow administrators to establish meeting
settings according to their requirements and provide them to meeting organizers. These
templates offer flexibility, as they can be defined as either fixed template without
modification options for meeting organizers or as customizable templates that can be
adjusted as needed.
BRANDING (MEETING LOBBY)
Microsoft Teams administrators have the option to select various meeting lobby
background images, such as the company background, for a more personalized experience.
CUSTOMIZE MEETING BACKGROUNDS (ORGANISATION)
Custom meeting backgrounds are images that MS Teams administrators can upload to be
displayed for meeting participants during the meeting.
CUSTOMIZE TOGETHER MODE SCENES
The Together Mode scenes can be created by an administrator using the Microsoft Scene
Studios. In a virtual scene room, it is possible to position participants individually, and these
positions are replaced in the meeting by the video streams from participants' webcams.
LIVE TRANSLATED CAPTIONS
Participants in live events have the option to display live captions and subtitles in up to six
languages alongside the spoken language. Event organizers can set these languages from a
selection of over 50 possible choices.

11
3.2 WEBINAR FEATURES
MS TEAMS
STANDARD
MS TEAMS
PREMIUM DESCRIPTION
REGISTRATION PROMPT
If it's necessary for participants to register for a meeting or webinar, in MS Teams, you have
the option to review participant lists, request contact information, and decide whether to
accept or reject registration requests.
ADD CO-ORGINIZER Additional meeting organizers can be added to MS Teams meetings.
REGISTRATION LIMITATIONS
The number of registrations for a meeting or live event can be limited to a specific number
of participants.
BYPASS LOBBY ROOM
This feature allows meeting participants to bypass the lobby and enter the meeting room
directly.
Q&A (UP TO 1000 ATTENDEES)
By integrating Dynamics 365 and MS Teams, the workflow is expedited, enabling members
of a company to view and collaboratively edit Dynamics 365 records within the Teams work
environment.
WHITEBOARD
The MS Teams Whiteboard application is a digital board or canvas where all participants in a
video conference can add, sketch, draw, share, or exchange content in real-time directly
within Microsoft Teams. The application possibilities of Microsoft Whiteboard are versatile.
GREEN SCREEN
The Greenscreens function in Microsoft Teams aims to improve the sharpness and
definition of head, face, ears, and hair when using virtual backgrounds in video conferences.
It's also designed to make objects, such as props held by meeting participants, more visible.
TODO LIST
The Microsoft "ToDo List" can be integrated as an additional application in meetings, teams,
or 1:1 chat. With this app, it's possible to create, organize, prioritize tasks, and share them
with other team members.
MICROSOFT PLANER
Microsoft Planner is an application that is also available as an app within the Microsoft
Teams platform. This application is available to subscribers of Microsoft 365 Premium,
Business, and Enterprise. Microsoft Planner is a powerful collaboration tool with versatile
applications in various scenarios.
ATTENDANCE REPORTS
The Attendance Report for Microsoft Teams meetings and webinars provides organizers
with an overview of who attended a meeting or webinar, at what time they joined, and
when they left the event.
DYNAMICS 365 - INTEGRATION
The integration of Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Teams speeds up the workflow as now
everyone in the organization can view and collaborate on Dynamics 365 records directly
from within MS Teams.

12
GREEN ROOM
The 'Green Room' in MS Teams allows meeting organizers to start a meeting while
participants remain in the waiting room, providing preparation time before participants join.
Organizers can use this time to test their audio and video settings as well as shared content.
MANAGE ATTENDEES VIEW
The "Manage Attendee View" function gives meeting organizers the ability to focus the
attention on specific presenters and content by controlling which videos are shown to
participants. Participants will only see the content and videos that organizers bring to the
screen, resulting in a consistent user experience.
REMINDER EMAILS
To build anticipation and maximize attendance as the webinar approaches, organizers can
rely on timed, automated reminder emails. These emails are sent to all confirmed
participants at a date and time set before the event. The emails can include a personalized
header, comprehensive information about the webinar, and a link for participating in the
event.
WAITING LIST
The "Waitlist" is a list of people who registered through the event website after an event or
session was already fully booked. This waitlist records both the time and date of
registration. Once seats become available again, contacts on the waitlist are either
automatically registered or sent an invitation to register, in the order of their entry.
APPROVE REGISTRANTS (MANUALLY)
With this feature, organizers have the ability to manually deny or confirm participants'
attendance to a meeting.
REGISTRATION LIMITATION (DAY & TIME)
Through the "Waitlist," organizers can set specific days and times for the registration of
meetings/events.
RTMP-IN
Microsoft Teams offers the native capability to live stream meetings to an external audience
using the Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP). This makes it convenient to broadcast your
Microsoft Teams meeting to platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, or Twitch.

13
3.3 MEETING PROTECTION FEATURES
MS TEAMS
STANDARD
MS TEAMS
PREMIUM DESCRIPTION
MANAGE MEETING LOBBIES
The waiting room and related settings are under the control of the administrator. This is
done by using meeting policies, templates, and sensitivity labels to customize the user
experience according to the needs of different users and different types of meetings.
END-TO-END ENCRYPTION (ONE-TO-ONE CALLS)
End-to-end encryption, abbreviated as E2EE, is activated by encrypting content before
transmission and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. With E2EE encryption,
only the two endpoint systems are involved in the encryption and decryption process of call
data. No other party, including Microsoft, has access to the decrypted conversation.
END-TO-END ENCRYPTION (UP TO 50 ATTENDEES)
End-to-end encryption, abbreviated as E2EE, is activated by encrypting content before
transmission and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient. With end-to-end
encryption, up to 50 participants can be involved in the encryption and decryption process
of call data.
MODERATE MEETING CHATS
Moderators within a team have the authority to post messages in a channel, react to posts,
and reply to them. Additionally, they can add or remove team members as moderators and
control whether team members can reply to existing channel messages and whether bots
and connectors are allowed to send messages in the channel.
CONTROL PRESENTER
Meeting participants have the ability to take control when another person is sharing
content. During a control takeover, individuals can make selections, perform edits, and
make other modifications to the shared screen.
WATERMARKS
A watermark is a subtle image that appears over the meeting window without affecting the
content displayed on the screen. It helps maintain the confidentiality of visual content
shared during the meeting.
CONTROL RECORDINGS
In MS Teams meeting scheduling, meeting organizers can conveniently determine who has
the recording authority. There are two options available: 'Organizers and co-organizers' or
'Organizers and presenters.
PREVENT COP/PASTE IN MEETING CHATS
To ensure that participants cannot copy or forward content from the meeting chat. Meeting
organizers have the option to enable or disable the 'Copy/Paste’ function in meeting chats.
CUSTOM USER POLICY PACKAGES
A policy package is a collection of predefined policies and policy settings that can be
assigned to users.

14
3.4 MEETING REPORTING FEATURES
MS TEAMS
STANDARD
MS TEAMS
PREMIUM DESCRIPTION
ACCESS RECORDINGS
Microsoft Teams meeting recordings can be stored and accessed in either OneDrive or
SharePoint, depending on the type of meeting.
ACCESS MEETING FILES Shared information can be viewed in the Meeting tab (Files) or in OneDrive or SharePoint.
ACCESS MEETING APPS
Meeting organizers and presenters can add, use, and manage apps in Microsoft Teams
meetings, including removing apps and changing settings.
PPT LIVE CHAPTERS
The PowerPoint Live feature in Microsoft Teams provides presenters with advanced control
over how they can deliver information in Microsoft Teams. At the same time, participants
can tailor the displayed content to their individual needs. They can navigate through the
presentation slides at their own pace and increase the font size as needed.
TIME MARKERS IN MEETING RECORDINGS
This feature allows for the generation of personal bookmarks that only display one's own
entry and exit times. These helpful bookmarks enable participants to jump directly to
sections of a meeting they might have missed.

15
3.5 VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS FEATURES
MS TEAMS
STANDARD
MS TEAMS
PREMIUM DESCRIPTION
VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS
The 'Virtual Appointment' feature in MS Teams allows individuals to attend appointments
flexibly and from any location – whether it's via a PC, smartphone, or tablet. Meeting
participants have access to a dedicated waiting room until the appointment begins.
Furthermore, a clear booking calendar is available. Additionally, automatic email
confirmations are sent to both customers and employees.
VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS API INTEGRATION
The new Virtual Appointment Graph API integration enables developers to create an
enhanced user experience specifically designed for B2B scenarios.
JOIN APPOINTMENTS IN MICROSOFT TEAMS
In MS Teams, there is the option to allow participants to join from a web server. With
browser-based participation, when a participant joins a meeting, they are not prompted to
download the MS Teams app. Instead, MS Teams opens in the browser, where the
participant can select 'Join Now'.
This feature causes MS Teams to open in the browser, rather than the app, when it's
already installed on the device.
VIRTUAL LOBBY (WAITING ROOM) Here, organizers can grant participants access to a virtual waiting room (lobby).
MICROSOFT FORMS INTEGRATION
Microsoft Forms is an online form and quiz creator that can be used within MS Teams to
collect information from both company participants and external users.
CUSTOMIZE VIRTUAL LOBBY
This feature allows for changing lobby settings before, during, or after a meeting. The
changes are applied only to that specific meeting unless the meeting is part of a series. In
that case, the changes will apply to all future meetings in that series.
SMS NOTIFICATION
There is an option to send SMS reminders to meeting participants and enable them to
attend virtual meetings designed in the corporate branding, without the need to download
the Microsoft Teams app.
ORGANIZATIONAL & DEPARTMENTAL ANALYTICS
Corporate and departmental analytics assist administrators in seeing and understanding
how your users engage with Virtual Appointments.
MANAGE ON-DEMAND APPOINTMENTS (QUEUES)
Schedulers can set up and manage scheduled and on-demand Virtual Appointments in a
central platform, with advanced features such as appointment queues available.

16
4. SUMMARY
IS THE TRANSITION TO MICROSOFT TEAMS PREMIUM WORTH IT?
The choice between Microsoft Teams Standard and Premium depends on your company's individual
needs. If you're looking for a simple and cost-effective solution for team communication, the Standard
version might suffice. However, if advanced features, enhanced security, and collaboration with
external users are important, then the Premium version is the better choice.
The monthly fee amounts to €6.60 per user. Whether this price is reasonable depends, in our opinion,
on the specific requirements of the company and the features needed in the daily workflow. It is
expected that Teams Premium will continue to evolve in the future. Its success will depend on how
extensively it is actually used by employees and how many opt for the additional license. New Premium
features such as 'Intelligent Recap' or 'Live Transcription' look promising, provided they meet
expectations in daily use.
Microsoft Teams Premium is already available through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or authorized
Microsoft Service Providers like OmniBlue. As part of this upgrade, selected features from Teams
Standard are transferred to the Premium version.
If the benefits of Microsoft Teams Premium are not yet fully apparent, there is the option to request
free trial licenses. These trial licenses are available for a period of 30 to 60 days, with a total of 25
licenses provided. Upon activation of the add-on license, the Premium features are immediately
enabled, and Microsoft Teams Standard is no longer available. After the trial license expires, it
automatically reverts to the Microsoft Teams Standard license.
HOW DO I ALWAYS STAY UP TO DATE?
Microsoft Teams is continually evolving into a more powerful platform for communication and
collaboration. Through our regular Newsletter and LinkedIn posts, we keep you updated on the
latest developments in the realm of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams.
OmniBlue is here to assist you in finding the perfect solution tailored to your company's needs.
Don't hesitate to reach out to us!

ABOUT US
OmniBlue GmbH was founded in 2020 in Berlin and is a provider of cloud and communication
solutions. We specialize in offering IT solutions that meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Our
services are known for their flexibility, scalability, and reliability.
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
We offer a wide range of IT services and solutions. Our portfolio includes nationwide phone number
ranges, SIP trunk connections, Microsoft 365 licenses, professional audio announcements, and a
Microsoft Teams telephony integration directly from our OmniBlue Cloud. We also provide Microsoft
Teams-certified IP phones, headsets, conference systems, video systems, and DECT phones to our
customers. Additionally, we offer Microsoft Teams Contact Center solutions.
An essential advantage we offer compared to other providers is our comprehensive service offering.
In addition to our competent and friendly support, we provide professional services such as consulting,
project support, and site migrations. At OmniBlue, there is always a dedicated contact person available
to assist with project planning or system migrations. We understand the importance of personalized
support and strive to ensure a seamless experience for our clients throughout their journey with us.
Thanks to our flat organizational structure and efficient processes, we can be agile and responsive to
current requirements, ensuring we find the best solution for you. We understand that businesses are
constantly evolving, and we are committed to adapting and meeting your needs in a timely manner.
Our streamlined decision-making processes and collaborative approach enable us to quickly address
any challenges or changes that may arise, ensuring your satisfaction and success.
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Copyright © OmniBlue GmbH 2023
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