Overview of Teams Phone

  • 10 minutes

Microsoft Teams Phone is a cloud-based telephony solution that allows users to make and receive phone calls directly within the Microsoft Teams app. Teams Phone provides organizations with a complete calling solution that integrates with other Teams collaboration features, such as chat, video conferencing, and file sharing. In addition, users are able to use the dynamic emergency calling feature.

With Teams Phone, users can make and receive calls from anywhere using their desktop computer, laptop, mobile device, or a dedicated Teams Phone device. Calls can be routed to users based on their availability and preferences, and voicemail messages can be accessed directly within the Teams app.

There are four main use cases behind the Teams Phone functionality:

  1. Teams Phone with Calling Plans

  2. Operator Connect

  3. Teams Phone Mobile

  4. Direct Routing

Teams Phone with Calling Plans

This option allows organizations to subscribe to a calling plan directly from Microsoft, which includes minutes for outbound calling to landlines and mobile phones. Calling Plans provide a complete calling solution within Microsoft Teams without the need for additional infrastructure or third-party providers.

This option provides organizations and users with a complete phone system directly within Microsoft Teams. Calling Plans are Microsoft's own phone service that provides users with a phone number, the ability to make and receive calls, and a set of calling features:

  • Domestic and International Calling: Calling Plans provide a minute-package for outbound calling both domestic and international destinations, allowing organizations to easily connect with customers and partners worldwide.

  • Call Transfer, Hold, and Forwarding: Teams Phone with Calling Plans allows users to transfer calls to another user, hold calls, and forward calls to another number or voicemail.

  • Voicemail: Teams Phone with Calling Plans includes a built-in voicemail system that can be accessed directly within the Teams app. Users can listen to voicemail messages, read voicemail transcripts, and manage their voicemail settings.

  • Emergency Calling: Teams Phone with Calling Plans includes support for emergency calling services, ensuring that users can dial emergency services in an emergency.

  • Call Analytics: Teams Phone with Calling Plans provides detailed call analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing organizations to monitor call quality, usage, and other metrics.

  • Pay-as-you-Go: Optionally, users can be assigned a pay-as-you-go calling plan, where licensed users can call out to numbers located in the country/region based on their usage location, and to international numbers in 196 countries/regions. Unlimited incoming minutes are included. No outgoing minutes are included. All outgoing calls are charged based on the minutes used, either with Communication Credits or post-usage billing (for new commerce experience calling subscriptions only).

Calling Plans are only available in select countries/regions, and organizations are billed monthly for each user who has a Calling Plan assigned to them (except for pay-as-you-go plans).

Operator Connect

Operator Connect allows organizations to connect directly to telecommunications providers who offer their own PSTN services, without having to go through a third-party provider. With Operator Connect, organizations can choose from a list of approved telecommunications providers who can offer calling services directly to Teams Phone users.

  • Direct Routing: With Operator Connect, organizations can directly route their calls through a preferred telecommunications provider, without the need for third-party session border controllers (SBCs). This allows for a simpler and more streamlined calling experience.

  • Customized Calling Plans: Operator Connect allows organizations to work directly with their telecommunications provider to customize their calling plans based on their specific needs, including options for local, long distance, and international calling.

  • High Quality Audio and Video: Operator Connect provides high-quality audio and video calling capabilities, ensuring that calls are clear and reliable.

  • Enhanced Security: Operator Connect includes built-in security features to protect against fraud and unauthorized access, including support for Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption.

  • Local Number Portability: With Operator Connect, organizations can port their existing phone numbers to the new service, allowing them to maintain continuity of business and minimize disruption.

Teams Phone Mobile

This option allows users to make and receive phone calls using their mobile device through the Teams app. Users can use their mobile number as their caller ID and can make or receive calls using their existing mobile data plan or Wi-Fi connection. Other features of Teams Phone for Mobile are:

  • Voicemail: Teams Phone Mobile includes a built-in voicemail system that can be accessed directly within the Teams app. Users can listen to voicemail messages, read voicemail transcripts, and manage their voicemail settings.

  • Call Controls: Teams Phone Mobile offers call controls such as call transfer, hold, and forwarding, allowing users to manage their calls with ease.

  • Accessibility: Teams Phone Mobile is accessible to users with disabilities, with features such as closed captioning and support for assistive technologies such as screen readers.

  • Security: Teams Phone Mobile includes built-in security features to protect against fraud and unauthorized access, including support for Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption.

Direct Routing

With Direct Routing organizations are able to connect their own Session Border Controller (SBC) to Microsoft Teams Phone to enable external calling, using their existing telecommunication provider. Direct Routing enables organizations to leverage their existing investments in PSTN infrastructure while taking advantage of the advanced calling features and integration capabilities of Teams Phone.

The key features of Direct Routing are:

  • Flexible Connectivity: Direct Routing allows organizations to connect their telephony infrastructure to Microsoft Teams using a variety of connectivity options, including Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunks, virtual private networks (VPNs), and direct internet connections.

  • Local Number Portability: Direct Routing allows organizations to port their existing phone numbers to the new service, allowing them to maintain continuity of business and minimize disruption.

In summary, Teams Phone with Calling Plans and Operator Connect are both options for organizations to subscribe to PSTN services through Microsoft or approved telecommunications providers, while Teams Phone Mobile allows users to make calls using their mobile device. Direct Routing, on the other hand, allows organizations to use their existing PSTN infrastructure and telecommunications provider with Microsoft Teams Phone. The choice of option depends on the organization's existing infrastructure, budget, and specific needs.

More detailed information about the different solutions can be found in our documentation at Microsoft Teams voice solution.

Emergency calling

Dynamic emergency calling scenarios in Microsoft Teams are design features that provide a flexible and automated way to handle emergency calls made within the Teams application. These scenarios typically involve dynamically routing the call to the appropriate emergency response team based on the user's location, and providing real-time updates to responders as the user's location changes.

For example, if a user makes an emergency call from within Teams, the system can automatically identify their location based on the IP address or GPS data of the device they're using, and route the call to the appropriate emergency response center for that location. If the user moves to a different location while on the call, the system can dynamically update their location and route the call to the new response center if necessary.

Other features of dynamic emergency calling scenarios in Teams may include providing real-time location tracking information to responders, enabling users to easily report emergencies with a single button or voice command, and integrating with other emergency response systems to streamline the overall emergency response process.

When using the Direct Routing solution, Emergency call routing policies are used to set up emergency numbers to specify how those calls are routed. The Teams admin center provides a Global (Org-wide default) policy for all users, or you can create and customize a new policy.