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Calling policies in Teams

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    Microsoft Teams

In Microsoft Teams, calling policies control which calling and call forwarding features are available to users. Calling policies determine whether a user can make private calls, use call forwarding or simultaneous ringing to other users or external phone numbers, route calls to voicemail, send calls to call groups, use delegation for inbound and outbound calls, and so on.

You can use the global (Org-wide default) policy that's created automatically or create and assign custom policies.

Create a custom calling policy

Follow these steps to create a custom calling policy.

  1. In the left navigation of the Microsoft Teams admin center, go to Voice > Calling policies.
  2. Select Add.
  3. Turn on or turn off the features that you want to use in your calling policy.
    • For example, to control voicemail for inbound calls, select On or Let users decide to enable routing of calls to voicemail. To prevent routing to voicemail, select Off.
  4. Select Save.

Edit a calling policy

Follow these steps to edit an existing calling policy.

  1. In the left navigation of the Microsoft Teams admin center, select Voice > Calling policies.
  2. Click next to the policy that you want to modify, and then select Edit.
  3. Make the changes that you want, and then click Save.

Assign a custom calling policy to users

You can assign a policy directly to users, either individually or at scale through a batch assignment (if supported for the policy type), or to a group that the users are members of (if supported for the policy type).

To learn about the different ways that you can assign policies to users, see Assign policies to your users in Teams.

Calling policy settings

Here are the settings that you can configure for calling policies.

Guests can start private calls

This setting controls all calling capabilities in Teams. Turn this setting off to turn off all calling functionality in Teams.

Cloud recording for calling

This setting controls whether users can record calls. This setting is off by default.

Transcription

This setting controls whether the transcription of calls is available for your users. This setting is off by default.

Routing for PSTN calls

This setting controls how inbound PSTN calls should be routed. These PSTN calls can be sent to voicemail, sent to unanswered settings, use default call routing, or you can allow your users to decide. Use default settings is on by default.

For more information, see Routing inbound calls.

Routing for federated calls

This setting controls how inbound federated calls should be routed. These federated calls can be sent to voicemail, sent to unanswered settings, or use default call routing. Use default settings is on by default.

Federated calls are calls that don't originate from the PSTN and that are outside your tenant.

For more information, see Routing inbound calls.

Call forwarding and simultaneous ringing to people in your organization

This setting controls whether incoming calls can be forwarded to other users or can ring another person in your organization at the same time. This setting is on by default.

Call forwarding and simultaneous ringing to external phone numbers

This setting controls whether incoming calls can be forwarded to an external number or can ring an external number at the same time. This setting is on by default.

Voicemail for inbound calls

This setting enables inbound calls to be sent to voicemail. The default setting is Let users decide. Valid options are:

  • On Voicemail is always available for inbound calls.
  • Off Voicemail isn't available for inbound calls.
  • Let users decide Users can determine whether they want voicemail to be available.

Inbound calls can be routed to call groups

This setting controls whether incoming calls can be forwarded to a call group. This setting is turned on by default.

Delegation for inbound and outbound calls

This setting enables inbound calls to be routed to delegates, allowing delegates to make outbound calls on behalf of the users for whom they have delegated permissions. This setting is turned on by default. For more information, see Share a phone line with a delegate.

Prevent toll bypass and send calls through the PSTN

Turning on this setting sends calls through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and incur charges rather than sending them through the network and bypassing the tolls. This setting is off by default.

Music on hold for PSTN calls

This setting allows you to turn on or turn off music on hold when a PSTN caller is placed on hold. It's turned on by default. This setting doesn't apply to call park and boss delegate features. Read more about how to configure custom music.

Busy on busy during calls

Busy on busy during calls (also called "busy options") lets you configure how incoming calls are handled when a user is already in a call or conference or has a call placed on hold. New or incoming calls can be rejected with a busy signal or can be routed accordingly to the user's unanswered settings. Regardless of how their busy options are configured, users in a call or conference or those with a call on hold are not prevented from initiating new calls or conferences. This setting is set to Off by default. This setting does not apply to incoming group call or meeting join request.

  • Off No busy option is enabled and new or incoming calls can still go to the user while the user is already in a call.
  • On New or incoming calls will be rejected with a busy signal.
  • Use unanswered settings The user's unanswered settings will be used, such as routing to voicemail or forwarding to another user.
  • Let users decide Users can determine their busy options choice from call settings in the Teams app.

Web PSTN calling

This setting enables users to call PSTN numbers using the Teams web client. This setting is on by default.

Real-time captions in Teams calls

This setting controls whether real-time captions in Teams calls are available for your users. This setting is turned on by default.

Automatically answer incoming meeting invites

This setting controls whether incoming meeting invites are automatically answered. It's turned off by default. Keep in mind that this setting applies only to incoming meeting invites. It doesn't apply to other types of calls.

Spam filtering

This setting allows you to control the type of Spam filtering available on incoming calls. This setting is on by default. This setting has three options:

  • On Spam filtering is fully enabled. Both Basic and Captcha Interactive Voice Response (IVR) checks are performed. In case the call is considered as spam, the user gets a "Spam Likely" notification in Teams.
  • On without IVR Spam Filtering is partially enabled. Captcha IVR checks are disabled. A "Spam Likely" notification appears. A call might get dropped if it gets a high score from Basic checks.
  • Off Spam filtering is completely disabled. No checks are performed. A "Spam Likely" notification doesn't appear.

SIP devices can be used for calls

This setting enables users to use a SIP device to make and receive calls. This setting is turned off by default.

Open apps in browser for incoming PSTN calls

This setting controls whether apps are automatically opened in the browser for incoming PSTN calls to your users. This can be used to pass the phone number of an inbound caller to an app to find the associated customer record while the call is taking place. This setting is off by default.

If turned on, a link to the app needs to be given in the URL to open apps in browser for incoming PSTN calls box. You can use the {phone} placeholder to pass the phone number (in E.164 format) to the provided URL. Or, you can give a generic URL without any placeholder. This setting simply launches the listed URL.

Screenshot of Open apps in browser for incoming PSTN calls policy setting.

Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy

Voice policies reference for Microsoft Teams

Assign policies to your users in Teams

Configure call settings for your users

PSTN connectivity options