Microsoft Teams Telephony

The Microsoft Teams Telephony or, in Microsoft language, “direct routing” is, in simple terms, structured as follows:

• The user dials a number using their Teams client (whether on their mobile device, Mac/Windows or via a desktop device).
• The Teams telephony client connects to its Microsoft 365 tenant, where the virtual Teams telephone system in the Microsoft cloud decides where the call should go.
• Typically, the telephone system sends this call to a so-called PSTN gateway at Microsoft. There are currently four global gateways (Asia, USA, Europe, Australia) provided by Microsoft for Teams telephony.
• From the gateway, the call is routed to the configured SBC (Session Border Controller) for this customer tenant.
• The SBC acts as a gateway and router and forwards the call to the telecom provider.
• The telecom provider then searches for the subscriber via its carrier network.

Put simply, four elements are needed:

1. A SIP trunk from a telecom provider with telephone numbers
2. A session border controller that is certified for Teams
3. Office 365 licenses (Teams Phone Standard Add-On)
4. A corresponding installation and configuration of the above three parts

For more information, please read our explanations in the FAQ section: “Prerequisites Teams Telephony”

There are two points to distinguish:

One-off costs: The cost to configure/install Teams Telephony is approximately CHF 600-800 (average, depending on customer/complexity and scope). In addition, there may be costs for the purchase of new telephone number blocks, porting costs from the old provider to us, or purchases such as headsets, DECT devices or other desktop devices.

Recurring/usage-dependent costs: In addition to the Microsoft licenses (which you can also purchase from us on account), there is also a tariff model for the telephone calls (with us flat rate subscription or optionally according to tariff).

There is no billing for number blocks or any basic subscriptions. In addition, certain support quotas are included in the respective subscriptions, so that there are no additional costs for you should you ever need support.

There is no definitive answer to this question. In essence, the decision hinges on the specific requirements that need to be met by the telephone system. The Teams telephony solution offers a comprehensive range of functions. These include call queues (ringing calls), automated attendants with IVR, opening hours and holiday switching, music on hold, call forwarding with and without consultation, voicemails for users, deputies and much more. Microsoft is committed to providing users with the latest updates and additional features. These include voice-enabled channels, which allow users to manage ring calls in a team directly from the Teams app.

Indeed, Teams has developed rapidly in recent years, offering the full range of functions typically associated with a classic telephone system, along with a number of additional features. Microsoft Teams direct routing is already in use by companies of all sizes and across all industries, and has become a viable alternative to traditional hardware telephone systems for many customers. The use of Teams as a daily communication and collaboration tool makes it an attractive option for many companies looking to transition to telephony. The ability to integrate hybrid solutions is a significant advantage for companies considering migrating their PBX systems.

We are frequently asked whether the voice quality, or speech quality, is satisfactory for everyday use with direct routing for teams. Those who have experience of using Microsoft Teams will be aware that the voice quality is excellent when calling another user. Microsoft employs a highly sophisticated and optimized codec that is capable of handling network latency and interruptions.

The voice quality on the public telephone network differs due to system-related factors. The codec, which packages voice packets, is a legacy codec used by public telephone network providers worldwide. However, issues such as robotic voice interference or choppy conversations, which are commonly experienced in mobile telephony due to poor reception, do not typically arise.

In the case of quality problems, or rather voice quality problems (robot voice, dropouts, etc.), the underlying network connection (WLAN or LAN/WAN/GPRS), or typically poorly configured firewalls and routers, as well as poor ISP connections, are more likely to be the cause. The problem is not primarily bandwidth, but rather jitter or latency. If you are experiencing these problems, we offer the following root cause analysis solution.

Yes, you can block unwanted calls directly in Microsoft Teams.

No, a user can only have one phone number. But Microsoft has announced this for 2025.

The direct number of a user is always used by default. However, there are various outgoing options for displaying an alternative number if required.

At this time, there is no functionality within the administrator console that allows for the logout of other users. However, this is a capability offered by Microsoft Queues, a component included in the Teams Premium offering. It is possible to log in and out at any time within the Teams client, accessible on desktop, web, and mobile devices. This flexibility allows for convenient access even when on the move.

By default, Teams can only access the contacts stored in the mailbox of the respective Microsoft Teams user. Our ‘Contact sync’ add-on allows you to synchronize centrally stored contacts with all users, providing access to all company contacts in Teams and on the smartphone.

You can manage all the settings for the Microsoft Teams telephone system yourself in the Teams Admin Center. To do this, you need a user with the role of “Teams Administrator”.

At present, this is only possible if the ‘Teams Administrator’ role is assigned to the respective Microsoft Teams ‘Team’ managers. Microsoft is working on this and has already enabled certain parts that can also be managed independently by ‘normal’ users.

Yes, you can specify the time at which each public holiday begins. For example, Maundy Thursday from 4:00 p.m., even if your opening hours are normally until 5:00 p.m.

Yes, you can record a message in advance for each public holiday. This is done via the Teams Admin Center Holiday Management.

Yes, you can set a whole period for public holidays.

The changes take effect immediately. This also allows you to make unforeseen or unplanned changes quickly.

With the so-called Teams Voice enabled channels (or Teams Collaborative Calling), it is possible to map calls that go to a call queue directly in a Teams channel in the Teams app. This means that you can see all calls in this Teams channel, as well as which agents are currently active in this queue. In the medium term, this should provide the call queue owner and the agents with increased transparency, as all connections of all agents become transparently visible.

Indeed, there are numerous manufacturers that offer Microsoft Teams phones on the market. These include manufacturers such as HP/Poly, AudioCodes, Yealink and other providers. The manufacturers provide a range of device types and variants, with new additions being made regularly.

The main differences between these devices are in their shape, material, feel and appearance. They are typically operated with Android and use a customised version of the Teams client designed for such devices. This Teams app has some limitations in functionality compared to the standard version. It is maintained by Microsoft and software updates are delivered directly via Microsoft’s customer Tenant. The devices can also be managed directly via the Tenant.

A headset for teams can only be certified if it has a USB dongle. This is the only way to ensure that radio connections are stable and reliable.

You can find a list of all certified headsets on the Microsoft website.

As of today, Microsoft only supports a small number of manufacturers with Teams DECT devices. This means that there are manufacturers who sell DECT devices for Teams directly. However, it is possible to connect existing DECT systems to Teams telephony. This is a so-called hybrid configuration in which the session border controller acts as a hub between the “old” world and Teams telephony. The same applies, of course, to parallel operation with a local telephone system.