Service providers like Vodafone, Orange and Verizon connect Teams to their telephony networks to offer a suite of integrated apps and calls.

This is achieved through Operator Connect, which enables service providers to offer deeper integration into the Teams platform to enhance and streamline the Teams Phone experience around networking, provisioning, management, and reporting.

With Operator Connect, businesses can leverage their existing telecommunication services while enjoying the benefits of Microsoft Teams. This eliminates the need for additional third-party applications or complex integrations, streamlining communication processes.

Teams Phone Operator Connect Mobile

With Operator Connect, businesses can leverage their existing telecommunication services while enjoying the benefits of Microsoft Teams. This eliminates the need for additional third-party applications or complex integrations, streamlining communication processes.

As this Microsoft Mechanics presentation demonstrates, the Teams Phone Operator Connect Mobile service is an industry first that lets you use a single SIM-enabled mobile phone number across your company provided mobile, desk phone, and Microsoft Teams.

Mahendra Sekaran, VP of Program Management for Microsoft Teams, joins Jeremy Chapman to share the quick admin steps to set up the first fixed mobile convergence productivity solution for business. This is enterprise-grade security and consistent call quality as you move between mobile voice and data networks.

• Instead of two business numbers, use and pay for just one SIM-enabled mobile number.
• Uplift from a voice-only call to a Teams call. Add video, people, and share content.
• As an admin, assign a SIM-enabled phone number to your employees, set policies for enterprise-grade security.

Direct Routing

Microsoft Operator Connect and Microsoft Teams Direct Routing are two methods for enabling PSTN calling in Microsoft Teams, but they differ in setup, management, flexibility, and target use cases.

Direct Routing allows businesses to connect their own telephony infrastructure (e.g., SIP trunks or on-premises PBX) to Microsoft Teams using a Session Border Controller (SBC).

It offers greater control and customization, you can use any PSTN provider or SIP trunk, not just Microsoft-approved ones, as long as the SBC is certified for Teams. There is support for advanced integrations, such as connecting to legacy PBX systems, analog devices (e.g., fax machines, alarms), contact centers, call recording, or analytics platforms.

This makes it ideal for phased migrations or hybrid setups where some locations use Teams while others retain existing systems. There is also global availability, it offers broader reach since it works with any carrier worldwide, making it suitable for organizations operating in regions not covered by Operator Connect.

For information about whether Direct Routing is the right solution for your organization, see PSTN connectivity options. For information about prerequisites and planning your deployment, see Plan Direct Routing.

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