Mitel licensing is the set of terms and mechanisms under which Mitel Networks Corporation licenses its business communications software. The best-documented products are the MiVoice Business call-control platform and the MiCollab unified communications suite. MiVoice Business runs on Mitel 3300 and EX controllers, industry-standard x64 servers, VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox and Nutanix, and on Azure and AWS virtual servers.[2] Mitel also sells MiVoice Office 400, MiVoice MX-ONE and MiVoice 5000. These use the same Software Assurance concept but different license servers.[5]
Licensing has three layers. The contract is the Mitel End User License Agreement, which grants a “non-exclusive, non-transferable license” for internal business use “solely in accordance with Your Entitlement”.[1] The commercial model is either perpetual licences with annual Software Assurance or a monthly subscription. The technical layer is a Mitel license server that stores each customer’s entitlements and activates them on each system.[2][3] Catalog proof: EULA grant is non-exclusive, non-transferable, per Entitlement, internal use.
Editions
Perpetual (CapEx) and subscription (OpEx). The MiVoice Business General Information Guide states that licensing can be bought as a one-time purchase, “to which annual Software Assurance needs to be applied”, or as a monthly recurring expenditure “which includes Software Assurance”.[2] Perpetual licences are bought per user, device, trunk or feature. With subscription licensing, “the focus of the license is at the user level”, with SIP trunks and Teleworker functionality bundled into the user licence.[2] Catalog proof: MiVoice Business is bought CapEx with annual SWA or OpEx including SWA; Licences are perpetual or subscription; subscription bundles trunks and Teleworker.
Bundles. For perpetual estates, Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) licensing bundles a MiVoice Business user licence with MiCollab application licences in UCC Entry and UCC Standard tiers.[2] For subscription, MiVoice Business Subscription Ed.2 offers four monthly user bundles: MiVB Telephony, MiVB Entry, MiVB Premier and MiVB Elite CX.[7] The bundles are covered in Mitel MiCollab, UCC and subscription bundles.
System types. A MiVoice Business system is activated as Standalone, which is not offered in all markets, or as an Enterprise System. Licences are managed per system or pooled across systems with Enterprise Licensing.[2] See Mitel MiVoice Business licensing.
Metrics
| Unit | Catalog row | Counted per |
|---|---|---|
| IP User License | IP User License | IP device or hot-desk user |
| Multi-device User License | Multi-device User License | User with up to eight devices |
| External Hot Desking License | External Hot Desking License | Off-PBX number |
| ACD Active Agent License | ACD Active Agent License | Concurrent agent log-in |
| Single Line, Voice Mail, Suite | Single Line, Voice Mail, Suite | Line, mailbox, hotel suite |
| SIP Trunk License | SIP Trunk License | Simultaneous SIP trunk call |
| UCC User License | UCC User License | User (perpetual bundle) |
| MiVB Subscription user bundle | MiVB Subscription user bundle | User per month |
| Entitlement | Entitlement | Right to use software or a feature (EULA) |
| SWA covered user | SWA covered user | Internal user covered by Software Assurance |
The EULA defines an Entitlement as “a right to use the Software generally or a specific feature or functionality found therein”. It is described in the Service Order or Purchase Order and may be enabled by a Software License Key.[1] Most units are named licences. Concurrent units include ACD Active Agent licences and SIP Trunk licences.[2] For concurrent Entitlements the EULA allows simultaneous use “by up to the number of users or systems for which Entitlements have been purchased”.[1]
Counting / floors
Licences are counted by the system itself. Each MiVoice Business system has an application record in Mitel Licenses & Services, identified by an Application Record ID (ARID) and bound to a Hardware ID. It synchronizes the purchased quantities and compares them with what is configured.[3] Over-allocation and failed synchronization raise license violations that escalate over time. They reach Minor after 2 days, Major after 7 and Critical after 14. A “System Lock” follows after 36 days if over-allocation exceeds 5% of purchased licences or a virtual controller has not synchronized for more than six months.[4] Catalog proof: License violations escalate to System Lock after 36 days; Application record is bound to a Hardware ID; changing hardware needs a reset.
Software Assurance has a quantity of its own. On MiVoice Office 400 the SWA agreement has “a fixed runtime and a number of authorised internal users”, and SWA becomes invalid if configured users exceed covered users.[9] Catalog proof: SWA must cover all configured users.
Virtualization & partitioning
Mitel licenses users, devices and features, not processor cores or hosts. Virtual deployments still have specific rules. Hyper-V installations “must still purchase the virtual version of the license”.[3] Virtual appliances need connectivity to Licenses & Services and must synchronize periodically.[3] The 2014 MiVoice Business v7 EULA licensed a virtual server install as “a single instance of the Software in a virtual environment”.[8] Catalog proof: Hyper-V installs need the virtual version of the licence; Virtual systems must synchronize licences periodically; Legacy v7 EULA: virtual server install is a single instance.
Cloud / BYOL
MiVoice Business can run as a customer-dedicated instance on Azure or AWS virtual servers, using the same licences as other virtual deployments.[2] The EULA notes that the right to use the Software may rely on Mitel cloud services, which have separate terms and conditions.[1] The EULA also prohibits using the Software in “a time-sharing, outsourcing, service bureau, application service provider or managed service provider environment”.[1] Catalog proof: No time-sharing, outsourcing, service bureau or MSP use.
Programs
- Mitel Software Assurance (SWA). Gives access to new releases, support and upgrades. The EULA says the right to use the Software may be “contingent on You having an active and paid-up Software Assurance or product subscription”.[1][6]
- Mitel Licenses & Services (AMC) and SLS. The license servers. MiVoice Business and MiCollab with MiVoice Business use the AMC, and MiVoice Business Subscription Ed.2 uses SLS.[5]
- Enterprise Licensing. Licence pooling across MiVoice Business systems through a Designated License Manager.[2]
- MiVoice Business Subscription. Monthly user bundles.[7]
- Simplified Licensing. A 2014-era EULA provision allowing transfers between Affiliates.[8]
Software Assurance, the license servers and the EULA are covered in Mitel Software Assurance, Licenses & Services and EULA.
Audits and compliance
The current EULA has no audit clause with inspection rights or cost-shifting. It provides that usage beyond purchased Entitlements “may constitute a breach of this Agreement” and that “Mitel reserves the right to monitor usage”.[1] In practice the license server and the system’s own license-violation mechanism enforce compliance.[4] Mitel’s liability is capped at the licence fees paid in the twelve months before a claim, or for perpetual Entitlements at the fees paid for that Entitlement. The EULA is governed by Ontario law.[1] Catalog proof: Concurrent Entitlements limit simultaneous use; Mitel may monitor; Liability capped at 12 months of fees, or perpetual licence fees. See software license audit.
Litigation
Mitel was the plaintiff in Mitel v. Iqtel, a 1997 Tenth Circuit decision on whether the numeric command codes used to program a call controller are protected by copyright.
Out of scope
- Mitel’s cloud services, including MiCloud, which have their own terms and conditions referenced by the EULA.[1]
- Unify products, which Mitel sells under separate terms.
- Hardware: controllers, phones and gateways.
- Partner pricing, discounts and signed agreements, which are not public.