Today, millions of professionals use market-leading unified communications solutions such as 8x8 and Microsoft Teams to enable their employees to work productively from anywhere. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of users around the world rely on 8x8 for real-time customer communications within Microsoft Teams.

Looking for Microsoft Teams calling options? We’ve got you covered.

Choosing the right Teams calling solution requires an understanding of the unique needs of your organization and its users. That’s why 8x8 offers plenty of options.

First, 8x8 Voice for Microsoft Teams offers Direct Routing as a Service. This can be more flexible for complex deployments with legacy equipment or an expanded global footprint, with full PSTN (public-switched telephone network) replacement in over 59 countries.

There’s also a cost-effective calling option through the 8x8 Phone App for Microsoft Teams, as well as omnichannel customer engagement through the Teams-certified 8x8 Contact Center for Microsoft Teams.

The newest Teams global calling option: 8x8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams

Recently, we introduced 8x8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams. Compared to other calling options, it provides the quickest onboarding experience through Operator Connect, Microsoft’s preferred method for integrating third-party PSTN calling service providers through Teams.

TalkingPointz Principal Analyst and Founder Dave Michels notes in his monthly Insider Report, “8x8 shifted quickly to Operator Connect and announced native Operator Connect services with direct peering to Azure, a familiar user experience, and improved provision and management from Teams.”

Adding value to Microsoft Teams through telephony and CX services

The analyst firm Cavell Group estimates that integrating third-party PSTN calling service providers through Teams via Operator Connect will overtake direct routing as the most popular Teams calling option by the end of 2024.

Cavell Head of Research Patrick Watson says about the latest addition to the 8x8 for Microsoft Teams portfolio, “There is a huge market opportunity for partners to add value to the Microsoft Teams platform through telephony enablement and CX services, such as contact center. As organizations review and rationalize their Teams investments, partners who are able to provide the full range of communications solutions are best suited to meet customer needs throughout their Teams’ estates.

“Currently, only 8x8 is equipped and certified across the range of communications and customer engagement solutions for Teams. Now, with the addition of 8x8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, 8x8 can meet the needs of every possible persona in an organization while also reducing the number of communication partners required to maximize their investment in the platform.”

Not all Operator Connect partners are created equal

Metrigy President and Principal Analyst Irwin Lazar also commented on 8x8’s growing Teams portfolio. In his MetriNote, 8x8 Launches Operator Connect he said: “8x8 continues to build out its Microsoft Teams integration portfolio as it seeks to provide a flexible set of options for companies who wish to use Teams Phone for some or all of their calling needs, and who also need the additional, integrated customer engagement capabilities that 8x8 provides through its Teams-certified contact center platform.

“The new Operator Connect offering provides a simplified way for obtaining PSTN access for Teams Phone without the need to deploy and manage a session border controller or obtain separately managed services from a Direct Routing provider. It also simplifies Teams Phone management by allowing for number management directly within the Teams Operator Console.

“By using 8x8 for both Teams PSTN connectivity and contact center, customers can simplify their PSTN management without having to use different providers for contact center and Teams Phone.”

Selecting the right Teams phone service for your organization

In Selecting the Right Microsoft Teams Phone Service, Lazar advises that “there are both a number of certified contact center providers that integrate with Teams, as well as providers offering support for Operator Connect, Direct Routing, and / or calling features that integrate into the Teams app, but rarely do providers offer all of the above.”

Lazar notes that buyers should do their due diligence and select communications partners who:

  • Offer support for a variety of Teams calling approaches, including the ability to support both Teams Phone and third-party UCaaS and CCaaS connectivity with presence federation
  • Support for a variety of Teams Phone PSTN access approaches including Direct Routing and Operator Connect
  • Enable Teams users to manage their phone features and place and receive calls within the Teams app, without having to switch to a different app
  • Have the geographic reach and scale to support both current and future needs
  • Have the experience delivering flexible solutions for extending calling into Teams
  • Provide a minimum of five-9s (99.999% reliability) including support for fail-over scenarios to protect calling even in the event of a Teams outage
  • Provide Teams Certified omnichannel contact center platform with appropriate analytics to evaluate system performance and customer engagement.

Learn more in the webinar with Metrigy principal analyst Irwin Lazar

Ready to learn more about 8x8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, or want to compare Operator Connect and Direct Routing as a Service? Get more information here or join Metrigy principal analyst Irwin Lazar and 8x8’s Talon Morris on June 20th to learn about Unifying Microsoft Teams and Contact Center through Operator Connect.