Why 85% of Companies Choose Third-Party Calling for Microsoft Teams

Complete guide to understanding your
options for adding enterprise calling to Teams

Why 85% of Companies Choose Third-Party Calling for Microsoft Teams

Complete guide to understanding your options for adding enterprise calling to Teams

The Microsoft Teams Calling Challenge: What Every IT Leader Should Know

These days, every team needs a convenient hub for collaboration and communication. The right software makes it easy for team members to stay connected, even when working remotely or from different campuses. One of the preeminent options for workplace communication is Microsoft Teams, a robust software suite that provides every employee with chat, videoconferencing, and other easy-to-use communication tools.

The Microsoft Teams Calling Challenge: What Every IT Leader Should Know

These days, every team needs a convenient hub for collaboration and communication. The right software makes it easy for team members to stay connected, even when working remotely or from different campuses. One of the preeminent options for workplace communication is Microsoft Teams, a robust software suite that provides every employee with chat, videoconferencing, and other easy-to-use communication tools.

MS Teams at a Glance

While Teams has long been a popular option for workplace communication, its popularity has risen considerably over the past couple of years. Actually, that may be an understatement: adoption of Teams has increased from about 20 million users in 2019 to 320 million at the end of 2024.

Teams is popular due to its range of features, including team messaging and video conferencing, but it’s also important to note what isn’t included. Teams doesn’t offer telephony, at least not when you implement it on its own. (A separate Microsoft phones license may be added on to your Teams application.) So, if you want your Teams to allow telephone calls outside of the organization, you’ll need additional solutions.

MS Teams
at a Glance

While Teams has long been a popular option for workplace communication, its popularity has risen considerably over the past couple of years. Actually, that may be an understatement: adoption of Teams has increased from about 20 million users in 2019 to 320 million at the end of 2024.

Teams is popular due to its range of features, including team messaging and video conferencing, but it’s also important to note what isn’t included. Teams doesn’t offer telephony, at least not when you implement it on its own. (A separate Microsoft phones license may be added on to your Teams application.) So, if you want your Teams to allow telephone calls outside of the organization, you’ll need additional solutions.

Your Complete Guide to Microsoft Teams Calling Options

Teams Standalone
  • What You Get:
    Teams without any calling capabilities to external phone numbers
  • What’s Missing:
    Any telephony features whatsoever
  • Best For:
    Organizations that only need internal collaboration
Microsoft Calling Plans
  • What You Get:
    User phone numbers and bundles of domestic and international minutes
  • What’s Missing:
    Call recording, advanced caller ID, and common enterprise phone applications
  • Best For:
    Organizations wanting simple telephony addition with basic calling needs
Third-Party Operator Connect
  • What You Get:
    Phone numbers, minutes, plus full enterprise telephony features 
  • What’s Missing:
    Nothing – includes all standard business calling capabilities 
  • Best For:
    Organizations needing comprehensive calling solutions with advanced features
  • Why Popular:
    85% of Teams users choose this route for better rates, flexibility, and support

Your Complete Guide to Microsoft Teams Calling Options

Teams Standalone
  • What You Get:
    Teams without any calling capabilities to external phone numbers
  • What's Missing:
    Any telephony features whatsoever
  • Best For:
    Organizations that only need internal collaboration
Microsoft
Calling Plans
  • What You Get:
    User phone numbers and bundles of domestic and international minutes
  • What's Missing:
    Call recording, advanced caller ID, and common enterprise phone applications
  • Best For:
    Organizations wanting simple telephony addition with basic calling needs
Third-Party Operator Connect
  • What You Get:
    Phone numbers, minutes, plus full enterprise telephony features 
  • What's Missing:
    Nothing - includes all standard business calling capabilities 
  • Best For:
    Organizations needing comprehensive calling solutions with advanced features
  • Why Popular:
    85% of Teams users choose this route for better rates, flexibility, and support

Understanding Third-Party
Operator Connect Solutions

When evaluating Microsoft Certified Resellers for your Teams calling needs, look for providers that can offer everything you love about Teams, along with full-featured call center and enterprise telephony capabilities.

Enhanced telephony features to evaluate:

Enhanced telephony features to evaluate:

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