Launch Microsoft Teams phone calling with Direct Routing

To call Microsoft Teams a workplace revolution might be an understatement. When it was first launched globally in 2017, the “chat-based workspace” promised to bring people, conversations, and tools together to collaborate and communicate like never before.

And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and almost overnight daily active users went from 32 million to 75 million.

Today, according to Microsoft, nearly 270 million monthly active users rely on Teams Phone to stay connected, placing more than a billion calls every month. Microsoft Teams Phone is a complete, cloud-based calling phone system capable of adding voice, video, and chat into the workplace, virtually transforming how we communicate with each other.

With digital transformation merging everything into an as-a-service model, Teams Phone capabilities enhance collaboration and prepare for the future of calling.

Key advantages of using Teams Phone:

• Seamlessly transfer calls between devices: Teams Phone lets you transfer a call from your computer to a mobile device, or vice versa, without interrupting the call.
• Spam call identification: Teams Phone identifies spam calls, helping users avoid unnecessary interruptions to their day.
• Apple CarPlay support: Users can join calls and meetings using their vehicle’s built-in controls or hands-free with Siri.
• “Better together” device experience: The “better together” experience means Teams devices complement each other — answer a call, mute, unmute, or end the call on either the device or the Teams desktop app.
• Walkie-talkie for desk phones: Connect with colleagues with a push-to-talk function available on desk phones.

Teams Direct Routing is becoming more popular as companies wean themselves off legacy systems and move into a more digital world. Customers can choose a service provider from a wide variety of Microsoft-approved Direct Routing partners to connect to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

Direct Routing allows a customer to connect a supported Session Border Controller (SBC) to the Teams Phone System — a requirement to connect to the PSTN. Customers can provide their own SBC or can rely on their communications service provider.

• Make calls directly in Teams: Direct Routing with Teams makes organizations more agile by enabling PSTN calling within the Teams application employees are already comfortable using.
• Enhanced scalability: Cloud services can easily scale to meet user demands when compared to traditional systems constrained by the number of outside telephone lines or even the maximum number of internal devices allowed.
• Supports growth: When offices change locations or expand, cloud telephony makes it much easier for organizations to adapt. Activating and assigning new numbers is a simple process.
• Cost-savings: Direct Routing can offer a more cost-effective option than Microsoft’s Calling Plan — pay for usage not per user.
• Maintain existing contract with your telephony service provider: If you have a contract with a service provider and they offer Direct Routing, you can move to Microsoft Teams and continue working with them.
• More options for plans: Direct Routing service providers typically offer more calling plans better tailored for your specific needs.
• Work with experienced providers: Look for service providers who are experienced in providing Direct Routing to help you navigate the complexities. They’ve been there, done that.

Teams just may be the ultimate messaging app, with its ability to provide real-time collaboration and communications, meetings, file sharing, app sharing, and Teams Phone System. Best of all, companies get all of this in one easily accessible place since it’s typically included in many Office 365 licenses.

Supporting hybrid work needs

Premise-based phone systems may still be efficient, but in today’s fast-paced digital environment, they can be limiting.

The new hybrid workplace makes relying on a premise-based communication infrastructure a challenge. A modern, secure, and reliable approach for communication and collaboration, giving employees options to use any of their devices — desktops, laptops, cell phones, and tablets, from the office or remotely — is critical in our ‘new normal’.

Microsoft Teams enhances productivity in the hybrid work environment. With more than a million organizations in 181 countries using Microsoft Teams, it’s the most popular business communication service in the world.

Optimizing Teams by enabling voice calling makes sense when it’s a tool your employees are used to, especially if it’s included in your Office 365 suite or an easy add-on.

Direct Routing is a great way to connect Microsoft’s Phone System to a third-party telephony provider who has the reliable, existing cloud infrastructure to route incoming and outgoing external calls to Microsoft Teams.

Sinch is a Direct Routing provider for Microsoft Teams who delivers high-quality voice calling over one of the largest and most reliable voice networks in the United States. Enterprises can leverage Teams’ collaborative platform and enhanced calling features, so employees experience flawless interactions.

Plus, Sinch is one of a select few partners certified by Microsoft to provide enhanced emergency calling services through Microsoft Teams.

Contact us today to learn how your company can voice-enable and maximize your Microsoft Teams deployment.

Author: The Sinch team