Rainbow Telephony is a business telephony integration for Microsoft Teams by telecom giant Alcatel-Lucent.
Alcatel Lucent launched its Rainbow suite of solutions in 2016 to make its enterprise services accessible to companies of every size via the cloud. Rainbow includes collaboration capabilities and robust telephony systems to support business communication and collaboration. It was a key step in the company’s journey towards an as-a-Service model, and Alcatel-Lucent has constantly improved upon its rainbow offerings since then.
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Last year, in 2020, the company announced an end-to-end UX overhaul for Rainbow, further enhancing the collaboration experience while supporting teamwork during WFH. The overhaul included the introduction of AI, collaboration spaces called Bubbles, a UI redesign, and lots more.
Rainbow Telephony is the cloud-based phone system module of Rainbow, which can be accessed via a smartphone, PC, or desk phone device. Typically, there are two ways to use Rainbow Telephony – on the cloud or routed via an on-premise communication server called OXO Connect. The Rainbow Telephony app for Microsoft Teams allows you to gain from OXO Connect without leaving the Teams environment. Let us review its features in more detail.
Inside Rainbow Telephony for Microsoft Teams
To start using Rainbow with Microsoft Teams, you need to have an existing subscription with a business or enterprise license. There should also be a PPX extension linked to your account and a correctly set up WebRTC gateway so that you can make/receive VoIP calls from your desktop or workstation.
Once these prerequisites are in place, you can download the Rainbow Telephony app from Microsoft AppSource. You can also look for the app in your Teams application store and download the Rainbow Connector.
Here are the key features to expect with Rainbow Telephony for Teams:
- The Rainbow dialpad – When you open the Rainbow app on Microsoft Teams, you will be greeted by the Telephony tab. This is where you can access most of the app’s features and functionalities, including the dialpad. The Rainbow dialpad is positioned on your top left, and you can type in a number or a user’s name, as saved in your enterprise directory.
- Call history – The Rainbow Telephony app integrates with your business telephony system to fetch data. Right next to the dialpad, you will find all of this necessary data associated with your Rainbow account. You will see a list of all voicemail messages you have received on your number. You will also see a complete history of your past call records, including outgoing, incoming, and missed calls. The list displays call duration, date and time, and a quick call button to directly jump into a conversation from your call records .
- Call from any phone number – Using the Rainbow Telephony app; you can choose the phone number from which you want to initiate calls. The app allows you to preconfigure two numbers by default (one for your VoIP-enabled desktop and another for your work mobile), and you can enter a custom number on demand.
- Active Directory integration – A major advantage of the Rainbow Telephony app for Teams is that it integrates with Azure Active Directory so you can fetch and call the numbers stored in your Microsoft 365 ecosystem. When you search for a user from the dialpad, the app automatically searches through your Active Directory contacts.
- Conferencing, forwarding, and voicemail – You can gain all the standard functionalities of a business telephony system from the Rainbow Telephony app for Teams. This includes conferencing with multiple call participants, forwarding to a preconfigured number, and managing your voicemail without having to leave the Teams platform. The forwarding feature will sync with your Microsoft Teams availability status – when you are out of the office or unavailable, calls can be directed to a custom number.
- One-click calling – In a recent app update, Alcatel-Lucent added the one-click call-in feature. This allows you to look up contact information and initiate a call quickly.
Why the Rainbow Telephony App Makes a Difference
As companies increasingly rely on Microsoft Teams for business communication purposes (in addition to collaboration), apps like Rainbow will be vital. They allow you to retain your existing investment in telephony infrastructure while gaining from the Teams interface.
What We Think
Existing Alcatel-Lucent customers can significantly expand their user reach by implementing the Teams app.
You can download Rainbow Telephony for Microsoft Teams here.
