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Direct Routing

In 2017 Microsoft released Teams as an integration with their Office 365 subscription productivity suite. Teams is Microsoft’s Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform, and will eventually fully replace Skype for Business Online. Teams allows users to collaborate via chat, video conference, and calling.

In order to use Microsoft Teams as a means to connect to the PSTN, an organization must enable Microsoft Phone System, which can be enabled on certain enterprise licenses. Once an organization enables Phone System, they then have two options for calling within Teams.

Calling Plans vs Direct Routing

One option to connect Teams to the PSTN is Microsoft’s own Calling Plans, which is a seat based model that comes with a list of line features. These plans are powered by Bandwidth, the carrier behind the scenes. Organizations tend to use Calling Plans because of the simplified telecom purchasing and easy-to-understand per seat pricing along with the ease of turning up new workstations. The other option, Direct Routing, tends to become more preferable when organizations want to maintain legacy routing and features/functionality of on-prem equipment, while gaining more control, scalability, and cost efficiency.

How Does Direct Routing Work?

In the simplest terms?

  • Get your numbers and SIP trunking service from a provider like Bandwidth
  • Connect your SIP trunks to your Microsoft Certified Session Border Controller (SBC)
  • Make calls in and out of the PSTN with Microsoft Direct Routing

Remember, you need to set up a Dynamic E911 solution alongside Direct Routing. See below for more information.

Migrating to Direct Routing

Migrating to a cloud-based UCaaS system like Teams presents a whole host of challenges. Learn more about how you can smooth out your migration to the cloud.

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Dynamic E911 for Microsoft Teams Direct Routing

Microsoft Teams leverages dynamic E911 capabilities which provide public safety with user location that is determined at the time of the emergency call. With Teams, organizations can also specify more granular location information such as a floor, suite, quadrant, or room (as well as civic address) to public safety, setting the stage for faster, more reliable emergency outcomes.

Dynamic E911 for Microsoft Teams Direct Routing supports non-fixed VoIP dispatchable location requirements that are now part of many state E911 regulations as well as RAY BAUM’s Act. Teams also includes a notifications feature that can be enabled to alert designated personnel such as a security team of a 911 call. This requirement is now part of Kari’s Law.

While much of the 911 configuration and location management is performed within Microsoft Teams, Bandwidth provides the essential interconnectivity to public safety. We route the calls to the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP) and make the location information available to the 911 call taker for emergency response.

How is Bandwidth Involved with Direct Routing?

As a cloud-native carrier built for the enterprise, Bandwidth gives you all the building blocks you need to build your perfect communications solution: voice services, 911 access, and robust phone number management capabilities. Bandwidth is the only Direct Routing provider that offers both SIP and E911 in a single, integrated solution.

When it comes to powering the voice calling behind Microsoft Teams, you have the power of choice—and Bandwidth is the best one. We own and operate one of the nation’s largest all-IP voice networks, and are trusted by Microsoft as a direct routing provider.

When you partner with Bandwidth through Direct Routing, you can:

  • Access preferred pricing
  • Leverage dynamic E911 capabilities for Microsoft Teams
  • Protect your users with fast, reliable call routing to 100% of public safety
  • Connect to the Public Switch Telecom Network (PSTN)
  • Implement more scalable SIP trunking
  • Directly control disaster recovery and IP failover
  • Trigger ports, order, instantly provision and manage numbers in real time
  • Easily access calling and billing detail records
  • Integrate voice, 911 access, and messaging via APIs

Ready to learn more?

Dynamic E911 for Microsoft Teams Direct Routing

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