What is Operator Connect ?

With the increasing popularity of the hybrid workspace and the growth of Microsoft Teams, many organizations are looking for quick and efficient ways to connect their Microsoft Teams deployment to the PSTN (telephone carrier) to enable external telephone communication. For example, they may want their employees to be able to add a participant to a Microsoft Teams meeting from a cell phone or a regular landline number.

For organizations interested in doing this, as described on our Microsoft Teams Phone Systems page, there are 3 different PSTN connectivity options. These are Microsoft Calling Plans, Microsoft Direct Routing and Microsoft Operator Connect. In this article we will discuss the last of these options.

So what exactly is Operator Connect ?

Fast and easy PSTN connectivity for small customers

Operator Connect offers customers the ability to choose the carrier they wish to select for their PSTN calls directly from the Microsoft administration center Teams. All they have to do is click on the Operators tab, where a list of qualified operators is displayed, and select their preferred operator. After that, the selected operator contacts the customer and connects them to the service. At this point, the customer receives all the phone numbers they need for their users, or they can keep their existing numbers.

Microsoft Teams PSTN connectivity via Operator Connect has several advantages for small customers. These include:

• Simple connectivity, no telecom expertise required to get started with Microsoft calls Teams.
• Customers can stay with their existing operators if they appear on the list, which creates an important sense of continuity.
• PSTN call services and the SBC infrastructure are managed by the operators themselves, which reduces costs considerably.

In short, Operator Connect is a very easy way to select an operator to work with. However, as the terms and conditions and prices offered by different providers can vary considerably, it is well worth taking the time to fully consider the pros and cons of each before committing to a particular provider. In addition, integration with existing IP-PBX unified communications or contact centre systems is not included, so the cost of this needs to be considered.

You can request your integration offer from Lambert Consulting who will find you the most suitable operator for your needs and budget, but also advise you on the best way to go migration .