Key Terminology Explained
Get Things Done Together
Create communities with like-minded people to connect to ideas and make plans. Approximately quarter of a billion people use Microsoft Teams every month, making it the dominant platform for business communication and collaboration.
Teams on its own is not fully equipped to serve as your exclusive telecommunications platform independently. To unlock its full potential, integrating a PSTN carrier is imperative to enable authentic business calling.
Microsoft currently provide three pathways for integration of PSTN services into Teams:
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Operator Connect
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Direct Routing
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Calling Plan
Operator Connect was developed as a simpler alternative to Direct Routing. Both options allow organizations to integrate a PSTN provider with Teams, but Direct Routing is notoriously difficult to set up and manage users. Microsoft launched Operator Connect to provide organizations with a new way to connect their chosen carrier. Let’s explore relevant terms to know so you can put this new feature to work.
Terms To Know
Operator Connect is the latest advancement allowing organizations to bring any approved PSTN carrier into the Microsoft Teams’ ecosystem. Operator connect is swiftly evolving into the preferred approach for turning Teams into a comprehensive UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) platform.
With any new technology, there are some terms that might sound a bit confusing. So, let's break down the important terms that Microsoft uses to explain what these features can do. This way, you'll have an easier time understanding this useful aspects, helping you cut through any complex language and make business communications simpler to grasp.
Public switched telephone network
We’ve already said PSTN a few times, and it’s at the heart of Operator Connect, but what is it?
A Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the infrastructure and services necessary for telecommunications. It’s a complex network composed of traditional telephone lines, fiber optic cables, and cellular networks, each connected by switching centers to allow users to make and receive calls.
Some organizations try to rely exclusively on VoIP solutions, but most businesses still require PSTN capabilities to place and receive calls from partners and customers.
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together on a shared project or goal. Use collaboration tools for business to easily create and edit content with your team. Share files, co-author and edit content simultaneously, automatically save everyone’s changes, communicate in real-time, ideate in the Whiteboard app, work together in channels, and more.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
VoIP calls enable rich video calling, unlike traditional PSTN phone service. Try a VoIP call on Teams Phone. VoIP converts signals from analog to digital before transmitting them over the internet. Microsoft Teams Phone supports VoIP phone calls to anyone, whether they’re using a landline, mobile phone, or the Teams app.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
Traditional PBX phone systems are analog. Get more features and less cost with a digital solution that uses the internet and Teams. PBX is the internal network of software and hardware that manages business phone systems. Set up a cloud-based PBX business phone system to get clearer audio, scale more easily, and enable more capabilities..
Business phone systems
Create a business phone system with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling and a cloud-based Private Branch Exchange (PBX).
Replace phone lines and analog, on-premises systems with a cloud-based system and get PBX capabilities without complicated and expensive equipment.
A Microsoft-Approved Operator Connect provider is a PSTN carrier that has been rigorously tested and evaluated by Microsoft and has been formally included in the Operator Connect program.
You’ll see a few other terms that all refer to the Microsoft-Approved Operator Connect Providers, such as:
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Operator (Microsoft-Approved is implied depending on context)
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PSTN carrier or just carrier
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PSTN provider or just provider
Microsoft themselves consistently uses ‘Operator’ to describe PSTN carriers included in this program. Direct Routing providers are not called Operators, even though they technically do operate the PSTN.
Microsoft-approved Operator Connect Provider
Unified communications as a service (UCaaS)
Streamline your communication channels with UCaaS, an all-in-one solution that combines voice,, video, and messaging capabilities, empowering your team to collaborate effectively from anywhere.
Transfer & Ring Back
Streamline your communication channels with UCaaS, an all-in-one solution that combines voice, video, and messaging capabilities, empowering your team to collaborate effectively from anywhere.
Microsoft Teams Phone
Simplified communication and collaboration. Save time, reduce costs, and improve business performance by bringing together calling, chat, and meetings—all in one app that empowers teams with a collaborative and context-rich experience. Stay connected while working from any location, whether in the office, on the go, or at home, with voice and video calls through VoIP and PSTN with Teams Phone.
Enterprise-grade calling
Deliver core and advanced calling features.
Keep pace with hybrid work from any location with a single business-provided phone number that works across computers, mobile devices, and desk phones. Keep your business connected with reliable capabilities that accelerate setup and enablement, as well as streamline management.
Voice and video calling
Collaboration is working together on a shared project or goal. Use collaboration tools for business to easily create and edit content with your team. Share files, co-author and edit content simultaneously, automatically save everyone’s changes, communicate in real-time, ideate in the Whiteboard app, work together in channels, and more.
Operator-managed infrastructure
This term specifies that the Operator manages the PSTN infrastructure, specifically, PSTN calling services and Session Border Controllers (SBCs). You’ll generally see this used by Microsoft to indicate to contact your PSTN operator should any issues arise.
Bring-Your-Own-Carrier (BYOC)
As the latest of the ‘Bring Your Own’ terms found throughout tech, BYOC was popularized by Microsoft specifically for the Operator Connect and Direct Routing programs. The reasoning behind the term is that you can maintain existing contracts and relationships, integrating your carrier with Microsoft Teams.
Before these programs, Calling Plan was the only option, which required making Microsoft your PSTN provider. So, with the two new options, BYOC specifies that you don’t need to break any agreements. .
