In recent years, Microsoft Teams has grown into more than just a collaboration tool. The service now offers PBX functionalities that can even replace a traditional PBX (cloud-based telephony). To fully leverage all the benefits of Teams, more and more organizations are combining their PBX with Microsoft Teams or are fully transitioning. With Teams as a PBX, users can, for example, add someone via phone to an existing Teams meeting (landline or mobile), make calls from a fixed number within Microsoft Teams, or receive calls on a fixed number and answer them directly in Teams. Voice & Operator Connect is a solution that turns Microsoft Teams into a fully functional PBX.
Voice & Operator Connect - Microsoft Cloud Telephony
With Voice & Operator Connect, an organization can fully transition to Microsoft Teams as it PBX. Operator Connect is a fully managed service by Enreach (your operator) that connects PSTN calls to Teams. With this solution, Teams users can make and receive calls to landlines and mobile numbers directly from Microsoft Teams.
By the end of 2026, it is expected that over 25% of employees worldwide will use Microsoft Teams as their business phone system (Source: Cavell). Currently, there are already more than 270 million monthly active users, making microsoft Teams one of the most widely used communication platforms for organizations moving to hybrid work.
Benefits of Operator Connect
Fast, simple deployment
Use the familiar Microsoft Admin Center to deploy Operator Connect and configure PBX functionalities as needed. Both phone lines and numbers are immediately available in Teams and can be assigned to Teams users via the Admin Center almost instantly. Only a Teams Phone license within Microsoft Teams is required to implement Operator Connect.
Operator-managed infrastructure
With operator Connect, there is no need to purchase or manage your own Session Border Controller (SBC). The SBC and the service to connect PSTN calls to Teams are managed by Enreach, saving your clients both hardware costs and administrative overhead.
Work entirely within the Microsoft environment
With Operator Connect, users communicate entirely within the Microsoft Teams environment, regardless of the device they are using: from chatting and (video) calling to collaborating and attending meetings. Using the same application on both PC and mobile devices is not only convenient for users but also simplifies management for IT administrators.
Another advantage for IT administrators is managing PBX functionalities directly in the Microsoft environment. The Microsoft workflow is familiar to IT staff, allowing them to manage Operator Connect quickly and efficiently, unlike a telecom company that may use a different workflow and struggle to implement or manage Operator Connect.
All-in-One Microsoft Certified solution
Using third-party solutions to turn Teams into a PBX carries risks, such as compatability issues when Teams is updated, or the need to repeated integrations By offering Voice & Operator Connect to your clients, you provide a Microsoft Certified solution, guaranteed by Microsoft for reliability. Operator Connect is automatically updated with every Teams development.
Voice & Operator Connect provides an all-in-one Microsoft Certified solution, including PBX functionalities and Microsoft Teams. This avoids reliance on third-party connectors and ensures full compatability with Microsoft's ongoing developments.
Microsoft Certified solution
Enreach is one of the first providers in Europe certified to offer Operator Connect in the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. Enreach maintains back-to-back agreements with Microsoft, providing IT administrators with direct support. This ensures reliable and accessible service for you and your clients. Operator Connect also delivers high-quality voice service through the direct connection of Enreach’s voice network to Microsoft’s network via Azure Peering.
Leverage the future of Microsoft Teams
If many of your clients already use Microsoft 365, offering Voice & Operator Connect is an easy way to expand your services with a telephony solution. By starting now, you become an early adopter and benefit from Teams’ growth as a business phone system. You stay ahead of competitors while embracing the fast-evolving IT and telecom landscape.
Getting started with Voice & Operator Connect
To implement Microsoft Teams as a PBX for your clients, a Microsoft license with Teams (e.g., Microsoft 365 Business Standard) and a Teams Phone license are required. You can then create a Voice & Operator Connect contract in the DSD platform and implement and configure the solution for your clients.
How it works
Operator Connect begins in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center. By selecting ‘Enreach’ as the telecom provider, users gain immediate access to purchased phone numbers, which can be assigned to Teams users for making and receiving calls.
With Operator Connect, you can:
- Make outgoing calls and answer incoming calls directly within Microsoft Teams, using business phone numbers.
- Purchase and assign multiple phone numbers directly from the Teams Admin Center.
- Save on purchasing and managing fixed telephony infrastructure by using Enreach Voice Connect with Teams.
The subscription is a monthly plan based on the number of users and required call volumes. Competitively priced calling plans have fixed pay-per-use rates.
