When should you migrate to Operator Connect?
Introduction
Microsoft Teams has solidified its presence in the corporate realm as the preferred choice for communication and collaboration. What initially started as a direct contender to Slack, emphasizing chat and internal voice and video calls, has evolved significantly. Ongoing enhancements and potent add-ons have propelled Teams to an impressive count of approximately quarter billion daily active users, in stark contrast to Slack's 18 million daily active users.
Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS)
Microsoft Teams has evolved into a comprehensive Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) platform, capable of competing with standalone UCaaS tools when coupled with appropriate add-ons and licensing plans. The process is straightforward—select the right plan and include a public switched telephone network (PSTN) add-on, essential for external calls to non-VoIP numbers.
Initially, the Calling Plan emerged as the PSTN option, but it necessitated designating Microsoft as your PSTN provider, accompanied by the management of costly calling credits. Subsequently, Direct Routing was introduced, granting organizations the freedom to integrate their chosen PSTN provider. Nevertheless, Direct Routing involves intricate setup and user management procedures.
​
In response to feedback on existing options, Microsoft introduced Operator Connect as a solution. This relatively recent addition enables organizations to seamlessly integrate a Microsoft-approved PSTN carrier into the Microsoft Teams environment, all without the complexities of intricate setups or expensive calling credits.
Choosing to transition your company's communication to Microsoft Teams can alleviate IT challenges, reduce communication expenses, and position your telecom infrastructure for future growth.
Curious about whether migrating to Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams is the right move? Continue reading to understand why and when upgrading or transitioning to this new standard in business communications holds value.
"Building a Future-Proof Microsoft Teams Phone System“
Traditional on-premises phone systems and legacy telephony networks are progressively falling behind. Each upgrade in provider infrastructure brings forth new technological challenges for these outdated systems. Consequently, many older phone systems have either already become obsolete or are teetering on the brink of obsolescence.
Embracing the right platform for your communication needs positions you at the vanguard of emerging technologies, rather than consistently playing catch-up or resorting to temporary solutions.
For decades, on-premises telecom systems have been the norm. However, recent years have witnessed a shift from on-premise PBX systems to cloud-based PBX solutions, followed by the adoption of UCaaS systems facilitating both internal and external calls. Concurrently, businesses have embraced platforms like Microsoft Teams or Slack, which offer advanced features such as mobility, file sharing, and chat.
​
Now, Microsoft Teams can become your single platform for the variety of communication and collaboration tools a future-ready business requires.
A future-ready phone system is also primed to expand in sync with your business growth. Outmoded or costly telecom systems would fall short as your call volume increases, your workforce expands, and new collaborations form. What you truly require is a system capable of accommodating ten employees just as seamlessly as it can handle 10,000.
Is it the time right for your organization to make the shift to Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams can be your complete UCaaS solution
Opting for Operator Connect within Microsoft Teams yields cost savings, simplifies processes, and enhances both employee and customer experiences.
Let's delve into several scenarios that signify the right moment to transition to Operator Connect.
​
Your business needs a single feature-rich platform
Utilizing distinct platforms for external calls and internal communication can impede productivity, while feature limitations might arise from the fragmentation across multiple platforms. Shifting to Microsoft Teams via Operator Connect addresses these concerns, granting employees, partners, and customers diverse communication avenues encompassing voice, video, text, and chat.
Furthermore, this transition ensures access to crucial business calling features, including:
-
Tailored call routing
-
Auto-attendant and call queuing
-
Voicemail
-
Call holding and forwarding
-
Customizable business and holiday hours
​
Bringing business calling into Microsoft Teams with Operator Connect gives you one platform with everything you need.
You’ll be able to cancel other services, simplify the workload for the IT department, and give everyone a better telecom experience.
Migrate if you already have Microsoft licenses
Does your business already have Microsoft licenses for other apps and services? Review your agreement to see if Microsoft Teams is included — the app is included in most plans.
​
If you have Teams, you’ll need additional add-ons to enable Microsoft Operator Connect.
-
Microsoft Teams Phone System
-
PSTN Operator Connect/Direct Routing add-on
You’ll also need a Microsoft-approved Operator, such as First Technology, through the Teams Admin Center, or another existing operator listed in the official directory. “Operator” is a key Operator Connect term that describes a PSTN carrier that has undergone and passed Microsoft’s approval process.
You’ll be ready to migrate all PSTN services to Microsoft Teams once you have an active agreement with an Operator, the correct licensing, and add-ons.
​
Upgrade if you have issues managing telecom services
Earlier, we explored why future-proofing your phone system is vital to your business. A symptom of a phone system that is not future-proofed is frequent issues with existing services. These issues can range from poor voice quality to extensive downtime.
Downtime directly impacts your business, while other issues can cause frustration among your employees and customers. It’s simply not worth continually applying quick fixes as issues emerge. Instead, upgrade to Microsoft Teams with Operator Connect for a robust and future-proof solution.
When to migrate to Microsoft Operator Connect from other Teams PSTN options
What if you’re using Microsoft Teams as your sole communication solution, but you’re not using Operator Connect?
​
-
If you have Teams, you’ll need additional add-ons to enable Microsoft Operator Connect.
-
If your existing solution is cost-effective, reliable, and manageable, you might not need to migrate.
-
However, you may discover that Calling Plan is becoming cost-inefficient or managing Direct Routing is absorbing too much time. Operator Connect can alleviate both of these issues, making migrating from legacy options worth considering.
​
Migrate from direct routing for better user management
Direct Routing provides a similar service as Operator Connect with some notable differences. A significant difference between them is that Direct Routing has a complex setup and user management process. Working with Direct Routing requires PowerShell knowledge and telecom experience. Even a simple task like provisioning a new user will necessitate opening PowerShell and running a series of commands with both your PSTN carrier and Microsoft.
Conversely, Operator Connect gives administrators an easy-to-use dashboard for managing your Microsoft Teams environment — which includes simplified user management, the ability to assign phone numbers and manage your calling services with your Operator through the Teams Admin Center and a specialized Operator Connect dashboard. The initial setup process is also streamlined and does not require advanced training. Organizations with delays setting up new users, re-assigning phone numbers, or struggling to even complete the setup process may wish to migrate to Operator Connect instead.
Migrate from calling plan for cost-effective business calling
Calling Plan is prized for its easy setup process, but the trade-off is a complicated billing structure involving calling credits. Businesses that make little to no external calls might be fine with Calling Plan, but most organizations will quickly discover it’s not cost-effective.
Operator Connect solves this issue by contracting a PSTN carrier with more effective billing plans. The exact plan will depend on your carrier, but you’ll sidestep managing calling credits to make sure you don’t go over your limit.
​
Dependable Operator Connect Solutions
Is your business on the cusp of consolidating its communications within a unified framework? Microsoft Teams coupled with Operator Connect presents an all-encompassing platform, enriched with features catering to both internal collaborations and comprehensive contact center management. This future-ready solution evolves alongside your business, remaining aligned with the latest technological advancements.
As a trailblazer in the telecommunications realm, First Technology stands out for delivering dependable services with remarkable uptime, pristine voice quality, user-friendly management interfaces, and unparalleled support for seamless solution availability.
Are you prepared to fast-track your company's journey to Microsoft Teams?
Join us today and unveil the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of forging a future-ready phone system.
