Microsoft Teams, currently boasting around 145 million daily active users, is the technology on the front line of the transition to flexible work. Now that most companies agree that hybrid work is the future of the way we operate, companies everywhere are revamping their tech stack to support globally distributed teams. Increasingly, the focus on “collaboration” is growing.  

Microsoft Teams has emerged as more than just a tool for collaboration – it’s a service enabling exceptional UCaaS functionality and even features for contact centre management. However, for Microsoft users to leverage the full benefits of Teams, they need to access the right telephony strategy.  

The good news for today’s brands is that Microsoft offers a range of ways to connect to the Microsoft Phone System (the Microsoft cloud PBX). You can either use a Microsoft calling plan, access direct routing, or now take advantage of the new “Operator Connect” service.  

For many people wanting to take a more flexible approach to Microsoft Teams calling, by maintaining their own chosen voice provider, direct routing and operator connect can seem like very similar solutions. Today, we’re going to look at how they differ and how you can choose the right option for your needs. 

Microsoft Phone Systems: Your Options 

To perform as a full UCaaS solution, Microsoft Teams needs access to the Microsoft Phone System. The Microsoft group have their own solution for this in the form of Microsoft Calling Plans – offered on a per-user, per-month basis. The Calling Plans include a selection of minutes for outbound calls, and a phone number for inbound calls. While Microsoft’s calling plans allow companies to leap into cloud-based telephony easily, they have their negative points. 

Microsoft’s calling plans aren’t the most cost-effective options in the world for companies with specific demands. Direct routing solutions and alternatives often tend to be more flexible. Additionally, there’s limited support available for organisations with complex requirements. 

To give Teams’ users more freedom, Microsoft introduced both Direct Routing, and Operator Connect, as a way of allowing customers to choose their own providers. According to studies, around 70% of organisations planning on moving to Microsoft Teams calling will be using a direct routing provider. The ability to choose your own cloud provider comes with benefits like: 

  • Greater phone number control: Direct routing allows companies to maintain control over its phone numbers and dial plan, rather than porting numbers directly to Microsoft. This supports faster migration to Microsoft Teams’ phone system
  • Geographic reach: Microsoft is constantly expanding its calling plan availability – but it’s not available everywhere. Direct routing and Operator Connect provide international companies with more freedom to bring local calling into underserved markets
  • Ability to use various cloud providers: Around 15% of companies in the study mentioned above are using more than one calling platform. You can use direct routing to route your calls to various different systems
  • Retained benefits: Sticking with your existing calling providers can be a great way to take advantage of existing deals and maintain benefits as a loyal customer. It also reduces the risk of having to switch to a new provider

Microsoft Teams Operator Connect and Direct Routing 

As companies continue to adopt both the Teams phone system and Direct Routing capabilities at a rapid scale, options for the enterprise have expanded drastically. Now, companies can maintain flexible UCaaS with Microsoft through: 

  • Operator Connect: Announced at the Ignite conference, Operator Connect is a solution within the Teams Operator Console which allows customers to directly configure their services from several providers, including Intrado, BT, Orange Business Services, NuWave, Verizon, T-Mobile, and many others
  • Direct Routing: Now available from a wide variety of UCaaS companies, direct routing solutions allow Microsoft Teams users to make calls, access UCaaS features, and unlock new functionality within the Teams client

So, what makes these two offerings so fundamentally different? 

Defining Microsoft Teams Direct Routing 

Let’s start with the better-known service for Microsoft Teams UCaaS. Direct Routing represents a simple and flexible way for companies to connect to the Microsoft Phone System. Organisations can source SIP trunks from carriers or use managed service providers to get a more end-to-end solution. The direct routing offering allows organisations to configure Session Border Controllers (SBCs) to route calls from the Microsoft Phone System to the network for public telephony. 

Depending on the direct routing service you get, it’s possible to access additional specialist support to help optimise your telephony offering. For instance, you can port existing numbers from your incumbent carrier, so you don’t have to change numbers during a migration.  

Microsoft revealed that through 2020, the direct routing calling minutes grew by 8 times, with more than 4 times as many organizations using direct routing to enable calling in Teams. To provide organizations with choice and flexibility for their direct routing deployments, the Microsoft group has continued to add to the list of SBC options certified for Teams recently.  

The Reality of Direct Routing with Microsoft Teams 

Direct Routing allows Microsoft Teams users to access their telephony solutions in more countries than you could access with Microsoft Calling Plans. Additionally, unlike with Microsoft Calling plans, Direct Routing gives companies a sensational range of routing options to choose from. There’s no limit to the kinds of bundles and tailored solutions you can access from the right provider.  

As Microsoft continues to deliver new direct routing options with leading providers around the world, organisations have extensive freedom to find a UCaaS system that works for them. You can work with managed service providers, access advanced features not available within Calling Plans, and even connect your Microsoft Teams offering to your contact centre.  

Though direct routing might be a little more complex for some companies than simply purchasing a full system from Microsoft Teams, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue, provided you’re working with a leading company that has plenty of experience in the direct routing area.  

Direct routing is often advised as the ideal solution for Teams UCaaS if you’re looking for flexibility, advanced features, global coverage, and more opportunities for fantastic deals. Large enterprises can even choose providers that create custom or tailored solutions intended to suit their specific requirements.  

Defining Microsoft Teams Operator Connect 

Operator Connect is the more recent addition to Microsoft’s list of solutions for calling functionality. The platform aims to enable enterprises to choose their own Teams PSTN carrier – similar to direct routing. With operator connect, the focus is on using a PTSN service via a managed service model rather than handling things on your own through direct routing.  

With Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, IT groups will be able to connect to their provider and assign numbers to their users through a Teams admin dashboard “Operators” tab. This means there’s no need for any telephony expertise or carrier negotiations. If you already have a relationship with one of Microsoft’s many Operator Connect partners, you can maintain that relationship going forward. 

Operator Connect is part of Teams’ commitment to delivering sensational calling experiences to suit every kind of company. The operator-managed system makes it easier to bring your operator into Teams with minimal headaches. You also get benefits like: 

  • Access to existing operator contractors, so you can minimise costs
  • Quick and easy deployment, as it only takes minutes to connect and assign phone numbers to users. You can do everything in the Teams admin centre
  • Operator-managed infrastructure in Operator Connect means that your SBC and PSTN calling service technologies are managed by operators, reducing hardware requirements
  • Enhanced reliability and support from operators such as excellent guidance, shared service level agreements, and more  

Operator Connect is already equipped with a wave of fantastic partners, including Intrado, Telenor, Verizon, Pure IP, Swisscom, BT, and countless others. Microsoft’s commitment to working closely with these operators allows for a more seamlessly integrated experience, and more partners will be added to the program going forward.  

Why Choose Operator Connect? 

Operator Connect is a fantastic solution for companies keen to reduce the headaches of bringing their own PSTN solution into Microsoft Teams. You don’t have to worry about buying your own Session Border Controllers or managing functionality on your site. Operator Connect Partners will handle all the complicated stuff for you.  

Operator Connect Partners with Microsoft also get direct peering between the SIP Trunking infrastructure and Team’s platform. This should ensure a greater level of reliability for these services, according to the Microsoft crew. Enterprises already in the process of moving into the Teams phone system with a SIP trunk company which isn’t an Operator Connect partner can either continue with their migration or wait for their operator to become certified.  

Microsoft also announced Operator Connect Conferencing at the same time as the standard Operator Connect experience. This functionality accesses the same administrative interface as the Operator Connect system. You can add dial-in numbers into the Microsoft Conferencing bridge within the Microsoft Teams admin centre.  

Users of Microsoft operator Connect Conferencing will once again be able to bring their own operator into the conferencing environment, using operators participating in the program. You can also access expanded geographical dial-in coverage, and enhanced reliability and support, with technical guidance from your provider included as part of the experience.  

Differences Between Direct Routing and Operator Connect 

At first glance, both Operator Connect and Direct Routing seem like similar concepts. After all, both solutions allow you to have more flexibility with your transition into Microsoft Phone functionality. If you’re looking for a solution for Microsoft UCaaS that doesn’t have the same restrictions as the Calling Plans from Microsoft themselves, either service will work. 

Both Direct Routing and Operator Connect provide companies with the option to choose their own PSTN provider and build lasting relationships with their chosen operators. The launch of Operator Connect largely builds on the existing popularity of Microsoft’s Direct Routing functionality. Microsoft has seen evidence that people do want more control over their PSTN provider, and they largely prefer to stick with their existing operator when moving to Teams.  

Operator Connect simply creates a third option in the selection of calling options that today’s companies have when moving to Teams. The Operator Connect system is a little different because it’s more of a peering relationship between a service provider, and Microsoft. The solution also includes a set of valuable APIs which integrate the deployment and purchase process, allowing for more simplicity for provisioning.  

Operator Connect takes the UCaaS offerings in Teams beyond basic connectivity, allowing administrators in the enterprise to simply go into their admin account, choose a service provider and administer phone numbers whenever they choose. It’s as simple as selecting and downloading applications form an app store.  

Which Strategy Should You Choose? 

Because Operator Connect and Direct Routing both offer significant benefits to users, they’re both likely to continue their growth in the Microsoft Teams world. However, Operator Connect could represent the most powerful new option for companies that want to simplify their transition into Teams. With a simple web-based interface, Operator Connect will be far more accessible than the standard command-line oriented approach.  

There’s less need to use things like PowerShell to set up the Direct Routing experience, and Operator Connect ensures that engaging with Microsoft Teams services is easier than ever. This new offering will take its place within the Microsoft ecosystem as a tool to increase opportunities for every organisation keen to leverage a full range of Teams benefits.  

For companies planning to access Microsoft Teams for their UCaaS and CCaaS solutions, the choice between Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and Operator Connect will be a highly personal one. Those with the confidence to access SBCs on their own, and companies moving to Microsoft Teams with a partner not on the Connect list yet will stick with direct routing.  

Business leaders in search of simplicity and easy provisioning for their UCaaS offering will be tempted by the straightforward design of Operator Connect.  

 



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