As Microsoft Teams’ popularity increases, there’s still one feature companies were missing: external calling. Until now.
The increase in remote work is driving people to Microsoft Teams
Between April and October 2020, Microsoft grew from 75 million daily active users to 115 million daily active users.
This 50% increase in users in just a few months means Teams is Microsoft’s fastest-growing business app ever.
“Teams is Microsoft’s fastest-growing business app ever.”
Microsoft, “Microsoft Viva: Empowering every employee for the new digital age”, February 2021.
One factor accelerating this growth is that Microsoft has been steadily improving the user experience and adding features. For example, Microsoft launched Together Mode in 2020, which the NBA used to bring virtual fans to the stands during its summer games.
But the most significant factor in increasing daily user numbers is that companies have already invested in Microsoft. The company has 258 million paid seats for Office 365, which includes access to Teams.
As company workforces become more distributed, employees increasingly rely upon Teams for collaboration, chat, internal calling, and meetings.
However, when it comes to external, public switched telephone network (PSTN) calls remote employees need to place, they usually have no choice but to reach for their home phones and personal mobile devices.
But there is a way to keep these external voice calls all within the Teams apps.
MetTel Direct Routing
Use Microsoft Teams as Your PBX
This cost-effective solution makes Teams your primary source for calls while eliminating the need for your PBX and desktop phones. Direct Routing allows external (PSTN) calling by connecting Microsoft’s system to MetTel’s SBC using SIP Trunks.
With MetTel’s plan, employees make calls exclusively using the Teams mobile or desktop application using Microsoft’s PBX. But you can stay with the tradition of desktop phones if you’d like—MetTel offers Poly CCX series desktop phones for Teams calling.
MetTel Direct Routing Features
- Flexible pricing – Just buy the SIP trunks you need and only pay for the minutes you use.
- User friendly – Employees can keep their current phone numbers and use their desktop apps, mobile apps, or desktop phones.
- Advanced features – Get call recording, auto-attendant, and real-time call analytics.
- Easy setup – MetTel engineers do the heavy lifting.
- Regulatory compliance – MetTel navigates clients through complex E911 regulations.
Final Steps to Completely Cut Ties with Legacy Phone Systems
Even after migration to Teams for all voice calls, many companies still rely upon plain old telephone lines (POTS) for some services. These are voice and data services that traditionally require analog dial tones, such as alarms, elevators, and fax machines.
In the past, migrating these services would have been overwhelming. But MetTel has streamlined the process for our customers.
MetTel has built a solution, POTS Transformation, to completely transform all traditional phone lines for voice and data services that previously had been on copper lines. With this fully managed service, from deployment to replacement, MetTel oversees the entirety of the migration process.
MetTel POTS Transformation includes:
- Turn-key deployment, including managed equipment and professional installation
- Business continuity, even during network outages
- Ongoing management from 24/7/365 US-based NOC monitoring and support
How to Get Started Migrating from Legacy to Modern External Calling
MetTel recently hosted a webinar, Utilizing Microsoft Teams for External Voice, explaining the technology behind Microsoft Teams External Voice. The on-demand webinar is a great way to learn more about the benefits of leveraging Teams for external calling and how MetTel can help.
