Since the PTSN connectivity solution Operator Connect launched eighteen months ago, it has become a popular solution for calls in Microsoft Teams. According to Microsoft’s Q2 earnings report for the fiscal year 2023, Teams recently topped more than 280 monthly users.
In addition to Microsoft Teams’ suite of solutions for enabling external calling, Operator Connect is a third option that combines the best of Calling Plans with Direct Routing.
The popularity of Operator Connect has been reflected in Pure IP‘s work as an original launch partner and global voice network with connectivity in 47 countries. The firm is finding that an increasing number of customers are choosing it for their preferred PSTN connectivity method. But why are they switching?
In Pure IP’s experience, customers moving to Operator Connect appear to fall into four distinct groups:
- Customers who switch from Microsoft Calling Plans to save costs
- Those migrating from Direct Routing to take advantage of simplified administration, enabling easy delegation of administrative tasks without the need for specialised expertise
- Organizations who need Operator Connect because they are without internal direct routing capabilities to support and manage their services — whether they have lost these capabilities or do not have anything in-house
- Companies migrating from legacy or legacy non-Microsoft services to Operator Connect to take advantage of a more collaborative and flexible workstyle while relieving the workload of operating internal resources and managing services
How Operator Connect is Changing the Game
Before Operator Connect, Direct Routing was a popular method for businesses with needs beyond what Calling Plans could provide. Calling Plans can go a long way to meet the needs of organisations with minimal calling requirements, but they only sometimes meet the remits of organisations with more complex conditions.
For example, Direct Routing was the first choice for businesses operating in countries where Calling Plans were unavailable or for companies that wanted feature parity with their previous phone system.
There is also the issue of pricing. Direct Routing results in lower operating BAU (business as usual) costs, especially from providers that offer “pay as you use” tariffs.
Operator Connect is as simple as Calling Plans; organisations can work with their operators to configure the service directly on their tenant. It also gives them access to the cost-effectiveness and flexibility of Direct Routing but without the complex and often pricey set-up configurations that require specific skills. Instead, it’s up to the operators to connect organisations to the appropriate service.
There are some scenarios for which Operator Connect would not be appropriate, and there is still a place for Direct Routing, such as for complex communications and large businesses needing call centres.
Direct Routing Remains Important
Operator Connect can fulfil the requirements of the vast majority of businesses, including those that were previously using Direct Routing.
That said, Direct Routing remains a valuable option for many organisations with more niche requirements.
Direct Routing’s inherent customisable nature makes it more flexible, particularly if there are more complex needs around areas such as the SBC.
It’s important to note that this isn’t an either-or decision. For example, companies could implement Operator Connect for the majority of their workforce and also opt for Direct Routing where more advanced features are needed for a small user group.
The combined approach comes with its own challenges, which is why Pure IP recommends organisations partner with an expert in the space to ensure the implementation – particular the migration from Direct Routing to Operator Connect – runs smoothly.
Operator Connect Offering Continues to Grow
Operator Connect has become a go-to connectivity solution for enterprises of all sizes. In the past year, five million PSTN seats were added to Teams Phone. The number of seats is expected to keep gathering momentum, not least because of the additional features introduced by Microsoft.
Pure IP has seen the product itself evolve and mature, correlating with the rising popularity of Microsoft Teams. It has seen more APIs added to support the delivery of services. The interface has also been streamlined with filter options to make finding the right services for tenants easier.
To learn more about PTSN Calling in Microsoft Teams and Operator Connect and also download a guide to compare with Direct Routing, click the link here.
