Microsoft Teams Operator Connect is an enterprise voice model that connects Microsoft Teams directly to a certified telecom operator using Microsoft-managed infrastructure. Phone numbers, PSTN connectivity, and calling services are delivered without customer-owned SBCs or custom SIP configurations.
Many IT buyers are migrating away from Direct Routing or Microsoft Calling Plans for practical reasons. Direct Routing delivers flexibility but adds operational overhead through SBC ownership, patching, and troubleshooting. Calling Plans reduce complexity but often lack regional coverage, pricing flexibility, or alignment with local telecom regulations. Operator Connect addresses both gaps.
This guide focuses on execution. It walks through planning, migration, compliance considerations, and post-migration optimization. The goal is to help IT teams migrate voice services without introducing avoidable risk, service disruption, or long-term operational debt.
Operator Connect vs Direct Routing vs Calling Plans
1. Operator Connect vs Direct Routing
Definitions
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Operator Connect: A Microsoft-managed interconnect that links Teams to approved telecom operators. No customer-managed SBCs.
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Direct Routing: Customer-managed SBCs connect Teams to any carrier.
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Calling Plans: Microsoft acts as the PSTN carrier and bundles minutes with licenses.
| Category | Operator Connect | Direct Routing | Calling Plans |
| SBC ownership | Microsoft and operator | Customer | Microsoft |
| Speed to deploy | Days | Weeks to months | Days |
| Regional availability | Operator dependent | Global | Limited |
| Custom routing | Limited | Full control | None |
| Ideal enterprise size | 250 to 20,000 users | Large or complex | Small to mid-size |
Operator Connect removes SBC management while retaining carrier choice. Direct Routing remains relevant for environments with advanced routing or legacy PBX dependencies. Calling Plans fit simpler, single-country deployments.
2. Mixing Operator Connect and Direct Routing
Many large enterprises run Operator Connect and Direct Routing side by side. This is supported and often practical.
Why organizations mix models
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Some countries are not supported by Operator Connect providers.
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Contact centers or trading floors may require advanced routing or SIP customization.
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Legacy carrier contracts may still be active during phased migrations.
Common hybrid patterns
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Operator Connect for standard users in supported countries.
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Direct Routing for:
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Complex call flows or integrations.
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Countries with strict telecom regulations.
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Sites with existing SBC investments not yet depreciated.
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What to plan carefully
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Number ranges must not overlap between models.
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Emergency calling must be validated per routing method.
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Voice routing policies need clear assignment to avoid misroutes.
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Support ownership must be documented; operators and SBC vendors will not troubleshoot each other’s paths.
Hybrid designs reduce risk during transition but increase operational complexity. They work best when Direct Routing is treated as an exception, not the default.
3. Pre-migration planning
Pre-migration planning is where many Teams voice projects succeed or fail. Operator Connect removes infrastructure, but it does not remove dependencies. Licensing gaps, weak networks, incomplete number inventories, or misconfigured emergency calling will surface during cutover, when the impact is highest. The purpose of this phase is to eliminate unknowns before any numbers move.
Licensing check – E5 or E3 plus Teams Phone
Start with licensing because everything else depends on it.
Key checks:
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Confirm every PSTN-enabled user has a Teams Phone license.
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Verify whether users are covered by E5 or require an E3 add-on.
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Identify resource accounts for call queues and auto attendants; these also require licensing.
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Review shared devices and common area phones, which are often missed in audits.
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Validate licensing for conference rooms that place outbound PSTN calls.
A simple gap here results in users who can receive calls but cannot dial out on day one.
Read our guide to Teams Phone licensing here.
Network readiness – QoS, bandwidth, latency
Operator Connect removes carrier infrastructure, but it does not abstract the network. Voice quality is determined almost entirely by how well your LAN, WAN, and Wi-Fi handle real-time traffic. If the network is marginal, Operator Connect will expose it quickly.
This step is about proving the network can carry predictable voice load during peak usage, not average conditions.
Key checks:
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Validate available bandwidth per site against peak call volumes, not headcount.
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Ensure QoS is configured consistently across LAN, WAN, and Wi-Fi, including markings preserved between network segments.
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Confirm latency remains under 100 ms and packet loss below one percent on voice paths.
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Review jitter performance on Wi-Fi networks used for softphones and mobile clients.
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Use the Teams Network Planner to model expected load, growth, and concurrent call scenarios.
Poor network readiness is the most common cause of post-migration dissatisfaction, even when the operator and Microsoft services are performing as designed.
User inventory – Numbers, users, devices
Voice migrations fail when assumptions replace data. You cannot migrate what you have not identified, and missing numbers or devices surface late, when fixes are disruptive.
This inventory establishes the authoritative source for porting, configuration, and testing.
Key checks:
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Export all DIDs, extensions, and service numbers from the current system.
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Map each number to users, call queues, auto attendants, and hunt groups.
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Identify analog lines, fax services, door phones, alarms, and elevators.
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Confirm which devices are Teams-certified and which require replacement or redesign.
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Flag special roles such as executives, assistants, receptionists, and contact center agents.
This inventory becomes the master reference for number porting, assignment in Teams, and validation during pilot testing.
Emergency address setup
Emergency calling configuration is mandatory and heavily regulated. It cannot be treated as a post-migration task or a default setting.
Operator Connect enforces emergency configuration at the tenant level, and incomplete setup can block number assignment entirely.
Key checks:
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Define emergency locations for each office, floor, or subnet.
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Enable dynamic emergency calling where supported.
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Map users to locations using network-based or manual assignment.
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Validate compliance with local regulations such as E911 in the US or 112 in the EU.
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Test emergency calling workflows before assigning production numbers.
Incomplete emergency configuration creates two risks: blocked deployments during migration and regulatory exposure after go-live.
Pre-migration planning does not shorten the project on paper, but it prevents outages, failed ports, and emergency rework when voice services are already in use.
4. Choosing the right operator
Choosing an Operator Connect provider is the most consequential decision in the entire migration. Microsoft supplies the platform, but the operator controls numbering, PSTN access, regulatory compliance, and day-to-day call quality. A poor choice creates ongoing operational issues that are difficult to unwind later.
Key considerations in choosing the right Operator Connect provider include:
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Geographic coverage: Confirm licensing in every required country. Multinational tenants often need more than one operator.
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Services offered: Validate inbound, outbound, toll-free, mobile integration, and conferencing support. Some operators only support fixed voice.
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SLAs and call quality: Review uptime targets, escalation paths, and how call quality is measured.
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Cost structure: Understand whether pricing is per user, per concurrent channel, or usage-based.
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Support and porting capability: Number porting is the highest-risk activity in most projects. Prioritize operators with documented Teams porting experience.
Operator evaluation checklist
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Licensed in required countries
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Clear porting timelines and ownership
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Published SLAs and escalation paths
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Transparent pricing
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Enterprise-scale references
5. Step-by-step migration plan
This migration plan is built specifically for Microsoft Teams Operator Connect, where success depends less on infrastructure build and more on sequencing, coordination with the operator, and disciplined change control as numbers and users move onto Microsoft-managed connectivity.
Step 1: Preparation and scope definition
This step turns the migration from a technical exercise into a controlled change. It defines ownership, sequencing, and boundaries so numbers, users, and call flows move deliberately rather than by side effect.
Start by defining exactly what will migrate and in what order.
Key activities:
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Segment users by site, country, or business unit.
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Identify dependencies such as call queues, auto attendants, compliance recording, and analog devices.
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Decide on phased migration versus single cutover.
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Freeze unrelated Teams voice changes during the migration window.
Deliverable: a documented scope covering users, numbers, services, and timelines.
Step 2: Add and engage the operator
This step establishes the operational relationship between your tenant and the operator. It ensures services are active, support paths are clear, and responsibilities are agreed before any numbers are moved.
Add the selected operator in the Teams Admin Center and approve the connection.
Key activities:
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Assign Teams admin roles and operator admin contacts.
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Confirm activation dates and support hours.
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Align on escalation paths for porting or call quality issues.
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Validate which services are enabled by default and which require configuration.
Deliverable: confirmed service readiness and escalation ownership.
Step 3: Number porting or acquisition strategy
This step controls service continuity. Poor number planning leads to missed calls, partial outages, and extended dual-running of carriers.
Number management is the highest-risk activity.
Key activities:
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Classify numbers as ported, replaced, or retired.
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Batch large ports by site or country to limit blast radius.
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Validate regional porting documentation and lead times.
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Maintain parallel service until port completion is confirmed.
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Define rollback actions if a port fails or is delayed.
Deliverable: a porting plan with dates, batch sizes, and fallback steps.
Step 4: Number assignment and policy configuration
This step determines how calls behave once they reach Teams. Errors here do not stop service, but they break user experience in subtle and persistent ways.
Configuration accuracy matters more than speed.
Key activities:
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Assign numbers to users, call queues, and auto attendants.
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Configure outbound caller ID and masking policies.
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Apply voice routing and emergency calling policies.
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Validate voicemail, call forwarding, delegation, and shared line scenarios.
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Test executive and assistant workflows explicitly.
Deliverable: a validated configuration aligned with real calling behavior.
Step 5: Pilot testing with production scenarios
This step validates assumptions under real conditions. It is the last opportunity to fix issues without broad user impact.
Pilots surface issues before scale.
Key activities:
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Select users across roles, locations, and network types.
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Test PSTN calling, transfers, queues, voicemail, and emergency calls.
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Review metrics in the Call Quality Dashboard, not just user feedback.
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Log issues with clear ownership and resolution criteria.
Deliverable: pilot sign-off based on call quality data and user acceptance.
Step 6: Full rollout and cutover execution
This step converts preparation into live service. Execution discipline here determines whether users trust the platform or escalate issues immediately.
Execution discipline shapes user trust.
Key activities:
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Schedule cutovers during low call-volume periods.
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Communicate timing, impact, and support paths clearly.
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Keep IT and operator support on standby during the first business day.
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Monitor failed calls, latency, and packet loss in near real time.
Deliverable: stable service with no critical call failures after cutover.
Step 7: Decommissioning and documentation
This step removes technical debt created by parallel systems. Skipping it increases cost and confusion long after migration is complete.
Decommission only after stability is proven.
Key activities:
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Shut down legacy trunks, SBCs, and carrier contracts.
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Update network diagrams, operational runbooks, and support documentation.
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Document escalation ownership between IT, Microsoft, and the operator.
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Capture lessons learned for future regions or acquisitions.
Deliverable: reduced infrastructure footprint and clear operational ownership.
Microsoft Teams Operator Connect provides a practical balance of speed, flexibility, and operational simplicity. IT teams gain enterprise voice without managing SBCs or locking into a single calling model.
Strong outcomes come from careful planning, informed operator selection, disciplined migration, and ongoing review.
Next steps
Download our Operator Connect vs. Direct Routing vs. Calling Plans
