But did you know that you can also connect your phone system to Teams using a feature called Direct Routing?
Direct Routing enables organizations to connect their own Session Border Controllers (SBCs) to Teams, allowing them to make and receive external calls using their existing phone system. With Direct Routing, organizations can take advantage of Teams' rich features while also maintaining their existing phone system and phone numbers.
Here's how Microsoft Teams Direct Routing works:
Set up an SBC: To use Direct Routing, an organization needs to set up an SBC, which acts as a bridge between Teams and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The SBC is responsible for translating and routing the voice traffic between the two systems.
Connect to a telecom provider: Once the SBC is set up, the organization can connect it to their telecom provider or a third-party provider to connect to the PSTN for inbound and outbound calling. By using Direct Routing, organizations can choose their own telecom provider, which can result in cost savings and increased flexibility.
Configure Teams: The next step is to configure Teams to use Direct Routing. This involves creating a Direct Routing trunk in Teams and configuring the SBC to connect to Teams. Microsoft provides detailed documentation on how to set up Direct Routing for Teams.
Make and receive calls: Once Direct Routing is set up, users can make and receive external calls using Teams. Calls can be made using the Teams client on a desktop or mobile device, or using a physical phone that is connected to the SBC.
Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is a useful feature for organizations that want to integrate their existing phone system with Teams and take advantage of its collaboration features. By using Direct Routing, organizations can maintain their existing phone system and phone numbers while also using Teams for messaging, file sharing, and collaboration. Additionally, Direct Routing allows organizations to choose their own telecom provider, which can result in cost savings and increased flexibility.
Overall, Direct Routing is a great way to connect your phone system to Teams and enhance your organization's communication and collaboration capabilities.
