Microsoft Teams has fast become the go-to Unified Communications solution for businesses in the cloud environment. Offering a range of conferencing, messaging, and other modes of communication, Teams makes it easier to connect and collaborate across organisations.
But not all organisations have the option of using the commercial version of Office 365.
Even as Microsoft provides its commercial customers with a strong level of security, some of its customers require a higher level of security standards. This is why Microsoft released its Government Community offering, which met the requirements for most of its US government clients.
However, for the most sensitive elements of the government in the Department of Defense, an even higher level of security and resilience was deemed necessary. Out of this need developed the GCC High offering that has now become the sole option for the DoD and those who work with them.
If you are a defence contractor that wants to collaborate on Microsoft Teams with your customers in the defence sector, then you have to be on GCC High. When you are a big enough entity like the DoD, you get to set the standards. It’s good to be the king.
Addressing the Need for Voice in GCC High
GCC High has most, though not all, of the features that come with the commercial version of Office 365. It also has some of its limitations — namely the lack of an option for making voice calls through the PSTN or running your own PBX for calling.
While Microsoft Teams provides powerful tools for audio and video conferencing on top of its other communication options, voice is still an important element. Whether it’s for connecting with people in areas with poor internet connectivity or simply the convenience of adding someone from their phone, companies need to have the dial-in option. If a defence contractor wants the ability to provide a call-in number for conferences, make callbacks to a person’s phone, or even just to add someone to the conversation, then the ability to connect their cloud-based PBX through the PSTN is a must.
In the commercial version, organisations looking to make calls through the PSTN need to work with a Direct Routing provider as Microsoft does not offer this service and is unlikely to add it anytime in the near future in GCC High, due to the compliance regulations. And like the platform itself, the Direct Routing provider works with Microsoft on the same high level of security standards that allow them to be authorised for Impact Level 5 on Azure Government.
So, what does a Direct Routing provider have to do in order to qualify for offering services within the GCC High framework?
For starters, the GCC High License Provider works with Microsoft on all of the data sovereignty compliance requirements like FedRAMP High, NIST 800, DFARS, ITAR, and more. They also need to show that their systems are resilient enough to withstand a cascade of failures, manmade or otherwise, with multiple data centres located within the United States.
Only CallTower meets these security and resilience requirements, making them the sole provider of Direct Routing services for GCC High. Being a Microsoft Gold partner with years of proven experience in offering voice service doesn’t hurt, but who’s counting?
CallTower works with their partners to provide end-to-end solutions for voice calling. Partnered with Microsoft, Cisco, and other major vendors, they can help customers to implement a comprehensive, compliant cloud solution that brings their UC tools and voice under a single package. As well as any additional features that they need for their business, helping them work with their customers, however, they want to collaborate.
This reduces complexity in managing multiple platforms, making it easier for users and reducing costs while meeting compliance standards.
My Thoughts
For organisations, both big and small contractors that are working with the DoD, the need to communicate efficiently with all of the relevant actors is essential. Microsoft Teams has established itself as the leading platform that covers just about all of the needs that most users expect to come standard — all except voice, of course.
By adding Direct Routing, companies can avoid having to switch between various platforms, bringing uniformity and greater simplicity of use.
For reasons that are obvious to those in the defence sector, GCC High will likely never be an exact match for the breadth of options that are available in the commercial version. But that comes with the territory and the fact is that in recent years, GCC High is catching up.
By adding CallTower’s Direct Routing capability earlier last year, Microsoft — in coordination with the regulators — are continuing to make this ecosystem of products a significantly better experience.
