Enhance Your Company With Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams

Communication is the cornerstone of every successful business, plain and simple. It is how you exchange ideas, make announcements, spread positive vibes in the workplace, etc. Every serious company leader should establish an efficient platform where the employees can participate, give their opinions on relevant issues and increase the overall productivity.

We’ve been living in the digital age for quite some time now. Cloud technology is the new norm, file storage has replaced piles and piles of documents stacked on our desks, and platforms such as Microsoft Teams have become invaluable components of our office experience. Since the introduction of VoIP, people have been finding intelligent solutions for cloud-based telephony, one of them being the topic of this article: direct routing. Go to to learn more.

Some Basic Facts

There are two fundamental types of phone networks: PBX, or the office phone system, and PSTN, which entails all lines outside of your business. Direct routing is a method of connecting a platform such as Teams to the outside phone system so that you can communicate with clients and partners without being limited by outdated analog lines.

Teams and similar platforms are usually thought of as office tools. While that was the initial idea, now you have the opportunity to use them as PBX, using all the benefits of a phone system and reaching everyone worldwide. You can do it either by using Microsoft calling plans or by direct routing.

The first method is generally more limiting and not as practical. Yes, it does achieve the goal of turning the platform into a business phone network, but the cost is usually higher, and you might have issues with the process of porting numbers. On the flip side, direct routing expands your possibilities by connecting Teams with different providers. This way, you get dedicated support and enjoy attractive benefits such as cheap call rates.

The concept of routing is pretty straightforward, so we’ll try to explain how the relationship between the software and PTSN works in a few sentences.

The Core Elements

To complete direct routing successfully, you need a Session Border Controller and SIP Trunks. Don’t let these technical terms baffle you – they’re actually easy to understand. The controller is there to assure you that data will pass from one to another network, acting as a shield from potential attacks at the same time. And SIP Trunks is just another name for links between the business and public phone network and the Internet.

There are a few steps you should follow to set up direct routing. Logically, you start by establishing the phone number base, either by porting existing numbers or demanding new ones from the provider. Next, the provider sets up the controller and trunks after they check your Teams’ status. Then you have a number of tests to see if the system’s working correctly, and finally, you integrate your PBX into the digital world. Check this website for more.

If you’re wondering how this will affect your budget, the answer is: it depends. Each provider has its own terms, there are licenses involved, and not every business has the same needs and requirements. But, as we mentioned, direct routing will cost you less than calling plans, so it’s best to check with your chosen provider to determine the actual costs.

How Rewarding Is It?

Video call

The whole concept of moving your PBX to the cloud is to achieve unified communications. Apart from physically speaking to each other, which should never be replaced by technology, the idea is to do calls, messages, video conferences, one-on-one or group chat, file sharing all under one roof. And a digital environment, without any extra phone hardware, is obviously the ideal choice.

We already mentioned porting numbers. Adapting to a cloud phone system doesn’t mean creating a new base from scratch. Instead, you just import your old numbers and build your contacts from there. It would be a colossal waste of time if you had to give up your faithful phonebook and start all over again, but luckily Teams is user-friendly enough to save you the trouble.

The privilege of selecting your own provider is something to appreciate. A third-party company can help you in so many ways, such as hosting your PBX from beginning to end, saving you unnecessary fees, etc. In contrast, an on-premises system would require telecom experts for repairs and maintenance, but the cloud solution skips all this hassle and lets you focus on your business priorities.

There’s not a single feature of a traditional phone system that you can’t enjoy digitally. Adding voice to Teams gives you the whole communication gamut: regular calls, queues, speed dialing, call forwarding, voicemail, music on hold – you name it, and it’s there. This is extremely valuable for older employees who are used to these features but fear the transition to cloud PBX. With patient training, you can explain that the only thing changing is the technology, and all principles stay much the same.

The Target Audience

If you’re planning to move your telephony online, it’s up to you which method you’ll pick. Generally speaking, direct routing is more intended for businesses that prioritize flexibility and cost-effectiveness. In case you’re not concerned about budget and prefer predetermined conditions, then you’ll probably opt for calling plans. Either way, you achieve the primary goal.

It’s an excellent solution for any organization that places equal importance on inside and outside communications. You no longer have to lose sleep over costly long-distance calls or physically damaged lines that need days or weeks to be repaired. With stable connectivity and quality headsets as your allies, you can talk your head off for as long as you want.

There’s a good reason why you should choose your provider carefully. Someone like G12 direct routing can provide forthcoming and professional service, as setting up cloud PBX requires expertise and experience. The best providers will not only organize your network, but they will guide you through the process, explain everything step by step and offer free tips for future use. Companies with a limited IT staff will benefit greatly from external support.

Surviving The Age of Lockdown

Imagine starting your business a couple of years ago: everything’s going according to plan, your sales are doing great, you start expanding gradually, and then – the pandemic strikes. Unfortunately, that is the case for thousands of companies worldwide, and each owner has no other choice but to adapt or else give up the whole thing altogether.

Based on the evidence we’ve presented so far, you’ll surely agree that the latter scenario would be a huge shame. Connecting employees remotely has never been more convenient, and it’s vital to maintain a functioning communication platform for quite some time, as no one can predict when things will go back to normal.

But until they do, nothing’s more important than keeping your head up and staying in touch with others. Those who know how to adapt technologically will survive, and the Internet is the one place the new devastating virus can’t penetrate. Using it to host our businesses and personal communications until we can move freely once again is a sure winner.

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