Transitioning to Microsoft Teams Phone via Operator Connect with Pure IP meant changing the foundation of a regulated voice environment.
In this context, even minor architectural adjustments carry risk. Critical services must remain intact:
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Emergency lines must function without interruption
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Alarm systems must maintain continuous connectivity
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Recording policies must withstand regulatory scrutiny
UCB used the transition to remove fragmentation, not carry it forward.
To hear directly from UCB about the journey and the decisions behind it, watch the video ⬇️
The challenge
UCB’s legacy voice environment reflected years of regional growth and operational requirements.
It included:
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Extensive on-premise SBC deployments
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Analog lines supporting elevators, alarms, and emergency phones
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Ongoing fax requirements in regulated sites
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Region-specific routing logic
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Distributed escalation ownership across teams
Telephony changes required coordination between infrastructure, networking, and compliance functions, often slowing decision-making and blurring accountability. Escalations were not always centrally owned, and architecture decisions were sometimes shaped more by existing hardware constraints than by policy.
In a pharmaceutical environment, that distinction matters. Compliance obligations are strict and continuous. Emergency lines must function without interruption, alarm systems must remain connected, and recording or transcription controls must withstand audit scrutiny across jurisdictions.
Voice services were operational, but governance was distributed across regions and teams. The risk was not in daily performance. It was embedded in the structure itself.
The solution
With Pure IP, UCB consolidated its global voice estate into a cloud-governed operating model.
The program included:
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Completing migration from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams
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Deploying Teams Phone globally
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Replacing Direct Routing with Operator Connect
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Consolidating telephony services under Pure IP
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Reducing the on-prem SBC footprint
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Retaining on-prem infrastructure only where regulatory constraints required it
Instead of layering cloud services onto legacy complexity, UCB used the transition to simplify the underlying architecture and centralize control.
The cloud became the control layer, bringing clearer escalation ownership and standardized routing across regions. Infrastructure no longer dictated design decisions. Policy did.
As new capabilities such as transcription and AI-driven meeting recap became available, they were introduced through structured governance. Internal recording policies were reviewed and updated before activation, and compliance approval was secured prior to rollout.
Innovation continued, but it moved within clearly defined boundaries rather than ahead of them.
The results
The transition delivered structural and operational improvements:
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Reduced infrastructure complexity
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Centralized escalation accountability
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Simplified global routing architecture
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Lower coordination overhead across IT teams
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Consolidated vendor ownership
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Clearer compliance alignment
Analog services remain in place where legally required, but they no longer define the architecture.
UCB moved from a distributed, infrastructure-driven telephony estate to a centrally governed, cloud-controlled model.
Operational risk decreased. Oversight strengthened. Future change is now managed within a consistent global framework.
Voice is no longer shaped by legacy hardware decisions. It is governed by policy, compliance, and centralized control.
