Posted in MS Teams

Teams Telephony

   September 15, 2024

Microsoft Teams Telephony: Overview

Microsoft Teams Telephony (also known as Microsoft Teams Calling) transforms Teams into a powerful unified communication platform, enabling users to make and receive phone calls to landlines and mobile phones through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). With Microsoft Teams Telephony, organizations can consolidate their telephony, messaging, and collaboration needs into a single platform.

Teams Telephony offers two primary ways to enable phone calls via PSTN:

  1. Microsoft Calling Plans: A cloud-based phone service where Microsoft acts as the phone carrier.
  2. Direct Routing: Integration with an organization’s existing telephony infrastructure (SIP trunks or PBX systems) via a Session Border Controller (SBC).

This comprehensive guide covers the components, features, and configuration of Microsoft Teams Telephony.

Key Components of Microsoft Teams Telephony

1. Microsoft Phone System (Cloud PBX)

  • Function: Microsoft Phone System is the backbone of Teams telephony. It provides cloud-based PBX functionality, allowing users to manage calls, set up call forwarding, voicemail, and perform other typical telephony tasks directly from Teams.
  • Capabilities:
    • Call control (hold, transfer, forward, and voicemail).
    • Auto-attendants and call queues.
    • Voicemail transcription and integration with email.
    • Shared lines and delegation for assistants or managers.

2. Calling Plans

  • Function: Microsoft Calling Plans are cloud-based PSTN services where Microsoft acts as the carrier. Users can make and receive domestic and international calls using phone numbers provided by Microsoft.
  • Types:
    • Domestic Calling Plan: Provides calling minutes for local and national calls.
    • International Calling Plan: Offers calling minutes for both domestic and international calls.
  • Usage: Ideal for organizations that prefer an all-in-one solution where Microsoft handles phone services.

3. Direct Routing

  • Function: Direct Routing allows organizations to connect their existing PSTN infrastructure (such as a legacy PBX or SIP trunk) to Microsoft Teams via a Session Border Controller (SBC). This provides more flexibility and control over how calls are routed, especially in hybrid environments.
  • Usage: Often used by enterprises with existing contracts with telecom providers or in regions where Microsoft Calling Plans are not available.

4. Session Border Controller (SBC)

  • Function: The SBC is a critical gateway that bridges Microsoft Teams with a third-party telephony provider. It handles the secure and reliable connection between Teams and the PSTN or on-premises phone systems.
  • Capabilities:
    • Ensures secure SIP signaling between Teams and the telephony provider.
    • Manages call routing, number translation, and traffic management.
    • Enforces security protocols and media encryption.

5. Auto Attendants

  • Function: Auto attendants provide a menu-driven system for answering incoming calls, playing greetings, and routing calls based on caller input (e.g., “Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support”).
  • Capabilities:
    • Multiple language options and customizable greetings.
    • Routing to specific departments, users, or voicemail.
    • Integration with call queues for smooth call handling.

6. Call Queues

  • Function: Call queues manage incoming calls by holding them in a queue until an agent becomes available. Callers are played hold music and receive announcements while they wait.
  • Capabilities:
    • Different distribution methods (round robin, serial, or attendant routing).
    • Custom greetings and hold music.
    • Overflow handling to manage high call volumes.
    • Integration with reporting tools for monitoring call performance.

7. Cloud Voicemail

  • Function: Cloud voicemail provides voicemail services directly integrated with Microsoft Teams. Voicemails are stored in the cloud and accessible from any Teams client.
  • Capabilities:
    • Voicemail transcription: Converts voicemail audio into text, making it easy to read voicemails.
    • Integration with email: Voicemails are delivered to users’ inboxes as email attachments.
    • Custom voicemail greetings and forwarding options.

8. Caller ID Management

  • Function: Administrators can configure outbound caller ID settings for Teams users. This can be customized to show a company’s main number, the user’s number, or even block caller ID.
  • Capabilities:
    • Outbound caller ID customization.
    • Number masking for privacy.
    • Assigning different caller IDs for different departments or users.

9. Emergency Calling (E911)

  • Function: Provides support for emergency calling services (e.g., 911) to ensure that Teams users can contact emergency services and that their location is automatically shared with responders.
  • Capabilities:
    • Configuring user locations for emergency services.
    • Dynamic emergency calling that provides location updates in real time for mobile or roaming users.

10. Delegation and Shared Line Appearance

  • Function: Delegation allows a user to assign someone else (e.g., an assistant) to make and receive calls on their behalf. Shared Line Appearance allows multiple people to share the same phone number, such as a front desk or customer service team.
  • Capabilities:
    • Call delegation with permissions for assistants or managers.
    • Shared lines for teams that need to manage incoming calls together.

Key Features of Microsoft Teams Telephony

  • Call Management: Full call control features such as call transfer, hold, forward, and consultative transfers.
  • Voicemail and Transcription: Cloud-based voicemail with automatic transcription.
  • Number Porting: Allows you to port existing phone numbers into Microsoft’s Calling Plans or Direct Routing infrastructure.
  • Flexible Deployment: Choose between Microsoft Calling Plans or Direct Routing, based on your organization’s needs.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Detailed call logs and reporting features to monitor call quality, dropped calls, and overall performance.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Configure and Manage Microsoft Teams Telephony

Setting up Microsoft Teams Telephony involves several components, including assigning licenses, configuring calling plans or Direct Routing, and managing users. Below is a detailed step-by-step guide.

Step 1: License Configuration

Before setting up telephony, ensure you have the appropriate licenses assigned to users:

  • Microsoft 365 E5, or
  • Microsoft 365 E1/E3 with the Phone System add-on.

If using Microsoft Calling Plans, you’ll need the Calling Plan license assigned to users. If using Direct Routing, ensure users have the Phone System license.

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
  2. Assign Phone System licenses to the necessary users by navigating to Users > Active users and assigning licenses.

Step 2: Set Up Calling Plans (If Applicable)

If you’re using Microsoft Calling Plans, follow these steps to assign phone numbers:

  1. Navigate to the Teams Admin Center > Voice > Phone numbers.
  2. Click on Add to acquire new phone numbers for users or services (auto attendants, call queues).
  3. Assign the phone numbers to specific users or services:
  • Go to Users > Select a user > Assign phone number.

Step 3: Set Up Direct Routing (If Applicable)

If you are using Direct Routing with an SBC, follow these steps:

  1. Deploy the SBC: Follow your SBC provider’s instructions for deploying and configuring the device.
  2. Register the SBC with Microsoft:
  • Go to the Teams Admin Center > Voice > Direct Routing.
  • Add the SBC’s FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and configure the connection between Teams and the SBC. Example PowerShell command to add SBC:
   New-CsOnlinePSTNGateway -Fqdn sbc.example.com -SipSignalingPort 5061 -MaxConcurrentSessions 100 -Enabled $True
  1. Configure Voice Routing Policies:
  • Create voice routes to determine how calls are routed through the SBC to the PSTN.
  • Assign voice routing policies to users to ensure calls use the correct path.

Step 4: Configure Auto Attendants and Call Queues

  1. Auto Attendants:
  • Go to Teams Admin Center > Voice > Auto attendants.
  • Click + Add to create a new auto attendant, set a greeting message, and define the call flow (e.g., route to specific departments or users).
  1. Call Queues:
  • Go to Teams Admin Center > Voice > Call queues.
  • Click + Add to create a new call queue. Configure the distribution method (round robin, serial, etc.), set custom greetings, and add agents to the queue.

Step 5: Configure Cloud Voicemail

  1. Enable Cloud Voicemail:
  • Cloud voicemail is automatically enabled when users have a Phone System license.
  1. Customize Voicemail Settings:
  • Go to Teams Admin Center > Voice > Voicemail settings.
  • Enable voicemail transcription and customize greeting options.

Step 6: Set Up Emergency Calling (E911)

  1. Go to Teams Admin Center > Voice > Emergency policies.
  2. Configure emergency addresses and emergency call routing. This ensures that users can contact emergency services and that their location is passed along to responders.

Step 7: Manage and Monitor Calls

1.

Call Quality Dashboard:

  • Use the Call Quality Dashboard in the Teams Admin Center to monitor call performance, including dropped calls and call quality.
  1. Call Reporting:
  • Navigate to Analytics & Reports to generate call reports, track PSTN usage, and review call details for users.

Working and Usage Examples of Teams Telephony

1. Small Business with Microsoft Calling Plans

  • A small business uses Microsoft Calling Plans to handle all inbound and outbound calls. The admin assigns phone numbers to employees through the Teams Admin Center, allowing them to use the Teams app to make and receive calls from their computers and mobile phones. An auto attendant routes incoming calls to the correct department.

2. Enterprise with Direct Routing

  • A large enterprise with offices across multiple countries uses Direct Routing to integrate Microsoft Teams with its existing telephony infrastructure. The company deploys an SBC to route calls through local PSTN providers, allowing them to manage costs and maintain existing telecom contracts. Teams users can seamlessly make and receive external calls through their desktop or mobile clients.

3. Call Center Using Call Queues

  • A customer service department sets up call queues to manage incoming customer support calls. Callers are greeted by an auto attendant, and calls are distributed to available agents in a round-robin fashion. The call center manager monitors call performance through the Call Quality Dashboard to ensure service levels are met.

Microsoft Teams Telephony brings a full suite of calling features to the Teams platform, allowing organizations to unify their voice, messaging, and collaboration tools. Whether through Microsoft Calling Plans or Direct Routing, Teams telephony provides flexibility for different types of organizations, from small businesses to large enterprises with complex telephony needs.

By leveraging components like the Phone System, auto attendants, call queues, voicemail, and SBCs, Teams telephony delivers a powerful, scalable solution for modern communication.

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Author: tonyhughes