It’s not a stretch to say that Microsoft Teams is one of the most popular communication tools in the world. Around 270 million people used Teams last year,1 so it’s easy to see why more companies are looking for a way to use this fast, reliable collaboration platform as a business voice solution.
While there are currently 80 million active Microsoft Teams Phone users,2 voice-enabling the platform can be a complicated process for businesses of all sizes. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of using Teams Phone, the complexities of Microsoft phone system licensing, and how to find the best solution for voice-enabling Teams for your organization.
What Are the Benefits of Using Microsoft Teams as a Phone System?
Using the Teams phone system offers a variety of benefits for businesses of all sizes. Some of the biggest advantages include:
Unified Communication and Collaboration
Microsoft Teams calling plans integrate seamlessly with the rest of the Teams platform, so you can unify your communication and collaboration tools into a single platform. Employees can make calls, send messages, share files, and collaborate in real time, all in the same easy-to-use interface.
Cost Savings
Teams leverages Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, which tends to be more cost-effective than traditional phone systems. Plus, Microsoft calling plans and pricing options – including domestic and international calling packages – are competitive, so your business can pick an option that suits your budget best.
Scalability
Teams Phone is designed to scale alongside business needs. Since it’s cloud-based, you can easily add or remove phone lines and users as needed without having to make significant changes to your voice infrastructure.
Hybrid Work Support
Microsoft Teams has made a name for itself as a must-have for remote and hybrid work collaboration. With the phone system add-on, your employees can leverage Teams’ audio conferencing and other communication tools, as well as make and receive business calls from any device, anywhere.
Advanced Management
System administrators can easily configure and manage phone system settings, assign phone numbers, set up call routing, and control calling features for individuals or departments from a centralized portal. Teams’ management functionality also simplifies user management by enabling supervisors to generate comprehensive reports, lead meetings, monitor calls, and more.
Seamless Integrations
Microsoft Teams Phone can seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft 365 tools, including Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive, so employees can access contacts, schedule meetings, share documents, and collaborate while on a call.
Calling Features
Use advanced features, such as auto attendants, call forwarding, call queues, and more, to create efficient call-handling workflows, streamline customer service, and improve the overall communication experience for your employees.
Security and Compliance
Microsoft prioritizes security and compliance, and Teams Phone is no exception. The platform includes data encryption protocols, secure authentication measures, compliance with industry regulations, and adherence to data protection standards, so you can have peace of mind knowing your call data is secure.
What Features Are Included in a Microsoft Teams Phone System?
Voice-enabling Microsoft Teams offers more than the ability to make and receive calls within the application. A Teams phone system license unlocks enterprise voice features such as:
Auto Attendants
Auto attendants automate call handling and routing for incoming calls. You can configure them to provide options for callers to hear a recorded message or select specific departments.
Voicemail
Teams’ cloud voicemail functionality enables your employees to receive and manage voicemail messages and text transcripts directly within the Teams app.
Caller ID
Caller ID displays the incoming caller’s phone number or name directly in the Teams app. MS Teams also enables easy caller ID customization for outbound PSTN phone numbers.
Call Forwarding
Call forwarding allows incoming calls to automatically redirect from one number to another. You can configure MS Teams’ call forwarding rules to redirect incoming calls to other employees as needed.
Call Transfer
Teams also supports call transfer functionality, which enables your employees to transfer ongoing calls to other team members or phone numbers.
Conference Rooms
Audio conferencing enables your employees or other users to call into meetings from their phones, internal or personal, using shared audio conferencing numbers or toll-free numbers.
Call Park and Retrieve
Employees can place a call on hold, which generates a unique code that any other employee or administrator can use to retrieve the call.
Call Queues
Call queues help distribute incoming calls to a group based on predefined routing rules, which can be especially useful for call centers or departments that handle a high call volume.
Call Analytics
Teams offers advanced call analytics and reporting features, so administrators can easily monitor call quality, analyze call data, and gain valuable insights.
What Microsoft Licensing Is Required To Get Calling in Teams?
While using MS Teams phone system capabilities can give your business a competitive advantage, purchasing a calling plan license directly from Microsoft can be confusing.
For organizations with a Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 plan, you’ll have to procure the right Teams calling plan to meet your company’s specific voice needs. E5 plans include a Teams Phone Standard license (more on that below), but determining whether this option offers everything you need can be difficult without in-depth knowledge of how these calling plans work.
Here’s a high-level overview of the basic Microsoft calling plan options:
Microsoft Teams Phone Standard
Teams Phone Standard is the basic licensing option for Microsoft’s hosted telephone service. This option provides all Teams Phone capabilities through a direct routing solution, so you can use your current SIP trunks and on-premises voice infrastructure to leverage Teams’ phone system PBX capabilities over PSTN or an internet connection.
Microsoft Teams Phone with Calling Plan
Purchasing a calling plan for Teams enables your users to make outbound calls via the app by connecting to PSTN phone numbers with Microsoft as your PSTN provider. Basic Microsoft calling plans include:
- Domestic – Employees can call external numbers located in the country or region where they’re assigned in Microsoft 365.
- International – Employees can call domestic and international numbers in nearly 200 different countries and regions.
- Pay-As-You-Go – Employees can call domestic and international numbers, with outgoing calls charged based on the minutes used.
Why Should Businesses Voice-Enable Microsoft Teams via Direct Routing?
Direct routing is a straightforward way for businesses to make and receive phone calls in Microsoft Teams using the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). With direct routing, you can leverage the collaboration benefits of Microsoft Teams while still choosing a preferred provider for your voice services.
While this option often still requires an MS phone system add-on license to work, many businesses prefer direct routing because it provides more flexibility, uptime, and resilience. By integrating Teams via direct routing, you benefit from reliable voice services delivered through your VoIP carrier’s purpose-built backbone – something Microsoft doesn’t have.
Cut Through the Confusion of Microsoft Teams Phone System Licensing With CommQuotes
Navigating Microsoft Teams phone system options can be a challenge, but you don’t have to do it alone.
CommQuotes has helped businesses voice-enable Microsoft solutions for over a decade, so we can take the guesswork out of licensing requirements, pricing, and feature gaps to help you get started with Teams Phone. We have access to hundreds of direct routing partners, so we’ll help you get the Teams calling tools and features you need at a price you can afford.
Trust CommQuotes to deliver:
- Personalized Advice – We’re committed to understanding your current needs and future plans so that we can help you find the right solution.
- Easy Implementation – Once you make your decision, we can walk you through implementation in the most efficient way possible.
- Best Possible Pricing – We leverage our long-standing relationships with hundreds of suppliers to offer you better-than-direct pricing.
- Ongoing Support – You’re not alone after you make your purchase. Our experts will stick by your side with post-sales support and escalation channels.
Reach out to CommQuotes today to learn more about how we can help you find the right Microsoft Teams Phone solution for your business.
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