Microsoft Teams Phone System for Business
Make and take normal phone calls in the Teams app your staff already use.
Indigo Unified Communications sets up Microsoft Teams as a business phone system for organisations across Glasgow and Scotland. Your team can call any landline or mobile from Teams, and customers can call them on their normal business numbers. We do this in two ways: with Microsoft Teams Phone on its own, or by connecting an 8x8 or 3CX phone system to Teams. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Modern Work, we supply the licences and numbers, set up the call flows, then support it from Glasgow.
Can Microsoft Teams replace our phone system?
Yes. Out of the box, Teams handles calls between colleagues. To call people outside your organisation, and for them to call you, Teams needs two things:
- A Teams Phone licence for each user who makes and takes phone calls. For Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard and Premium it's an add-on licence.
- A connection to the phone network, so Teams has real phone numbers and can reach landlines and mobiles.
Indigo supplies both. We provide Teams Phone licences, and connect Teams through a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect with 8x8, or Direct Routing via 8x8 or 3CX. Once both are in place, your staff answer calls in Teams on a laptop, the Teams mobile app or a Teams-certified desk phone. Teams Phone also includes auto attendants, call queues, voicemail, call forwarding and transfer, so a small office can run its whole phone system from Teams.
How do you connect Teams to the phone network?
The three main ways to connect Teams to the phone network are:
| Option | Who supplies the numbers and calls | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Calling Plan | Microsoft, supplied through Indigo | Small teams that want everything from Microsoft |
| Operator Connect | A phone provider in Microsoft's Operator Connect programme. We provide this through 8x8 | Businesses that want a chosen provider without running extra equipment |
| Direct Routing | Your own phone provider or phone system, connected through a certified session border controller (SBC). We provide this via 8x8 or 3CX | Businesses that want to keep a phone system such as 8x8 or 3CX, or need more control over call flows |
Every user still needs a Teams Phone licence, and options can be mixed.
Teams with 8x8 or 3CX
Connecting 8x8 or 3CX to Teams gives your staff calls in Teams while the phone system does the heavy lifting.
- 8x8 Voice for Microsoft Teams uses Direct Routing to give Teams users calls over 8x8's voice network. 8x8 also offers a Teams-certified contact centre and Teams compliance recording with CallCabinet.
- 3CX connects to Teams through Direct Routing, so Teams users make and receive calls through 3CX. Only the people who want to work in Teams need a Teams Phone licence. Everyone else can use 3CX apps and desk phones. Teams integration is available depending on the 3CX edition, which we confirm in your review.
This suits businesses where office staff live in Teams, but reception or site teams are better on desk phones or a mobile app. You also get the phone system's queues, wallboards and call recording →.
Which is right for you?
- Teams Phone on its own suits smaller teams that work in Microsoft 365 all day and need basic calling, a menu and simple queues.
- Teams with 8x8 suits businesses that want a full contact centre, detailed reporting or several sites on one cloud platform.
- Teams with 3CX suits larger teams where only some people need Teams calling.
We price each route in your free review. How we price phone systems →
What we set up
- Teams Phone licences and Calling Plans, supplied and assigned to the right users
- Your existing numbers moved across, with the new system running before the port. Number porting is included in our set-up price, with no separate porting fee. Keep your number →
- Auto attendants, call queues, out-of-hours routing and a wallboard for Teams queues. IVR and auto attendant →
- A 999 emergency address recorded for every user and site, including home workers
- Teams-certified desk phones and headsets where people need them
- Training, and support from the same Glasgow team that looks after your Microsoft 365
Why Microsoft 365 and phones from one team
Teams calling touches your Microsoft 365 tenant, your network and your phone numbers. When one company looks after all three, a call quality problem doesn't bounce between providers. Indigo Unified Communications has completed 100+ Microsoft 365 migrations and also supplies the business broadband and leased lines your calls run on. How switching to Indigo works →
Frequently asked questions
Can I make external phone calls from Microsoft Teams?
Yes. Each user needs a Microsoft Teams Phone licence, and Teams needs a connection to the phone network through a Microsoft Calling Plan, an Operator Connect provider or Direct Routing. Once set up, you can call any landline or mobile from Teams on a laptop, phone or Teams-certified desk phone, using your normal business number.
What licence do I need for Teams calling?
Every user who makes or takes phone calls needs a Teams Phone licence. For Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard and Premium it's an add-on, and some enterprise plans include it. If Microsoft is your phone provider you also need a Calling Plan. With Direct Routing or Operator Connect, your calls come from the phone provider or phone system instead. Indigo supplies Teams Phone licences and Calling Plans.
What is Teams Direct Routing?
Direct Routing connects Microsoft Teams to a phone provider or phone system of your choice, through a certified session border controller (the secure link between Teams and the phone network). It lets you keep a platform such as 8x8 or 3CX while your staff make and take calls in Teams. It gives more control over numbers, call routing and costs than a Microsoft Calling Plan.
Can we keep our existing numbers if we move to Teams?
Yes. In almost all cases your existing numbers can be moved to Teams, 8x8 or 3CX. We set up and test the new system first, then arrange the port. Openreach schedules ports during the working day, 9am to 5pm, and calls simply start arriving in Teams. Number porting is included in our set-up price, with no separate porting fee.
Does everyone in the company need Teams Phone?
No. With Teams connected to 3CX, you can give Teams calling only to the people who work in Teams all day. Reception, warehouse and site staff can use desk phones or the 3CX mobile app on the same system. We work out the best mix in your review.
Book a free phone system review
We'll look at your Microsoft 365 licences, users and call flows, then recommend Teams Phone on its own or Teams with 8x8 or 3CX. You'll get a written recommendation within 2 working days.