MS Teams Direct Routing

What is Direct Routing?

Direct Routing connects Microsoft Teams to the traditional phone network (PSTN). It allows businesses to make, receive and transfer calls to and from Teams like a traditional PBX system, but without the need of having a hosted or on-premise system.

How does Direct Routing work?

Direct Routing works by connecting Microsoft Teams to the PSTN by using a Session Border Controller and SIP Trunks.

Session Border Controller

A Session Border Controller is essentially a firewall. They’re used as a border between different networks to make sure data is transferred correctly. They also provide a layer of security and protection from attacks. We host a Microsoft-Certified SBC which is connected to our SIP Trunks allowing users to make and receive calls using Microsoft Teams. Voiceflex is manufacture approved by all telephone applications sold in the UK, the difference with Direct Routing is, no carrier is approved by Microsoft, it’s the SBC which needs to be approved by Microsoft.

SIP Trunks

A SIP Trunk connects your telephony application to the PSTN network. It is a facility provided by Voiceflex since 2005 that allows the routing of telephone calls an Internet connection rather than using an ISDN line, which provides more flexibility, is more effecient and more cost-effective.

UNIVERGE BLUE® with Microsoft Teams®

As an alternative to Direct Routing, you could opt to use our UNIVERGE BLUE® with Teams cloud-based communications platform. For businesses who have oriented their collaboration solution around Microsoft Teams, CONNECT with Teams offers the best of CONNECT telephone features and disables features such as chat, meetings and file sharing so users aren’t faced with confusing options. Users go to Teams for chat, meetings and files, and CONNECT for all phone related services. CONNECT features are accessed through the phone, desktop and mobile app and the user can sign in to CONNECT with their Microsoft 365 credentials.