Has there been any announcement from Microsoft about when the High Volume Email feature will exit its public preview? I'm especially curious about the pricing and licensing that will come into play after the preview period ends. With the SMTP AUTH basic authentication deadline set for September, it feels like they might be pushing this right up to the wire. Many organizations are hesitant to use the public preview for production due to uncertainty about future costs.
4 Answers
Just a heads up, High Volume Email (HVE) is primarily targeted at internal recipients. So if your organization typically uses SMTP auth for sending emails to external users, that might complicate things for you.
Can someone point me to Microsoft documentation on this? I wasn’t aware that HVE was mainly for internal use!
I was really looking forward to this feature, especially thinking it might be free for internal users. Thanks for the info, though!
While the preview is indeed free, I think it'll end up costing less than using Azure Communication Services once it's fully rolled out. You can check their pricing here: [link](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/communication-services/).
Honestly, I’m worried that the free preview will wrap up right when they kill off basic SMTP authentication. That could leave migrating subscriptions hit with unexpected bills. Keep your eyes peeled for updates!
I stumbled upon a Microsoft update that suggests the timeline could be around September or October. Check it out here: [link](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/updates-to-high-volume-email-hve-public-preview/4266563). So, it looks like the preview will overlap right with the SMTP AUTH deadline.
Have you checked out SMTP2GO? It's pretty affordable and does the trick! Just make sure to evaluate if it meets your needs.
I’ve read mixed reviews about SMTP2GO. Some find it inconsistent. We really need something reliable for our emails, not just a cheap option.
That's true! Many companies use third-party applications that send notifications to their internal teams via SMTP, and those just won’t support OAuth. So, definitely something to consider!