What is Ribbon Connect, and what does it offer today’s business leaders?
Simply put, Ribbon Connect is a connectivity solution created by the Ribbon brand to expand calling functionality within Microsoft Teams.
Demand for Microsoft Teams as a cloud-based Unified Communications solution has skyrocketed in recent years. As companies search for more effective ways to synchronise teams in the hybrid and remote world, Teams is quickly becoming the new hub for digital work.
Part of what makes Teams such a compelling choice for business leaders is its flexibility. Not only does the platform offer a variety of in-built tools, from meeting solutions to generative AI-driven bots, but it gives companies the freedom to customise their tech stack. With solutions like Ribbon Connect, companies can bring their own telephony carrier into Teams via Direct Routing.
Crucially, Ribbon Connect doesn’t just empower enterprises and end-users to get more from Teams; it also helps service providers and partners add Teams to their offering too.
Let’s take a closer look at what companies can do with Ribbon Connect.
What is Ribbon Connect? Ribbon Connect Direct Routing
At its core, Ribbon Connect is a solution designed to expand the functionality of Microsoft Teams as a full UCaaS solution. The Ribbon SaaS and communications company has been working hand-in-hand with Microsoft for more than 15 years, and has decades of experience deploying carrier network solutions for Microsoft users. Connect builds on this experience, offering a cloud-based service to securely link new or existing phone lines, calling plans, and numbers to Microsoft Teams.
Built-in Microsoft Azure, the solution is fully compliant, and comes with a completely automated deployment process that can streamline weeks of planning, configuration, and deployment into the click of a single button. Ribbon Connect’s Direct Routing solution for Microsoft Teams allows organizations to take advantage of Ribbon’s portfolio of certified Session Border Controllers, to connect Teams with almost any telecoms provider.
The Ribbon SBCs secure the telecommunications connection, ensuring rapid and convenient interoperability. Plus, the solution gives companies the opportunity to leave legacy PBX and cloud UC solutions in place when moving to Teams. Organizations can set up 1 or thousands of users in seconds, and allow them to place outbound calls from Teams directly.
Ribbon Connect’s Direct Routing service for teams includes:
- Support for single locations or global, multi-site enterprises
- Integration with existing PBXs, analogue devices, and phones
- Cloud, software, or hardware deployment options
- Local survivability options with Microsoft SBA support
- Emergency calling integrations
- Direct support from the expert Ribbon team
The Benefits of Ribbon Connect for Direct Routing
The Ribbon Connect solution or Direct Routing combines Ribbon’s expertise as a Microsoft partner, with state-of-the-art technology, and secure telephony connections. The Ribbon SBC technology handles all the hard work of connecting a Teams instance to an existing telephony network. It also includes simultaneous ringing, SIP phone and device support, and redundant SIP trunks for failover.
Notably, the Ribbon Connect Direct Routing solution isn’t just suitable for internal communications. The intelligent solution can also empower organisations to integrate contact centres, ACDs, and call groups into their Teams environment. Ribbon Connect offers an excellent combination of ease of use and flexibility. Teams can take advantage of intuitive web-based interfaces for management, and APIs that configure the solution on their behalf.
The solution is also available on a pay-as-you-go basis, ensuring companies only pay for the connections and phone functionalities they use.
Ribbon Connect for Operator Connect
Alongside the central Ribbon Connect Direct Routing service, Ribbon also announced the introduction of an Operator Connect Accelerator solution, powered by the same technology. Operator Connect, the alternative to Direct Routing for connecting external carriers to teams, uses API-centric integration models to empower service providers to bring telecom tech to Teams users.
Ribbon Connect for Operator Connect helps to minimize the complexity service providers face when joining the Operator Connect program. It was designed to accelerate time-to-market results, and eliminate the needs for providers to initiate and manage IT programs themselves.
Ribbon Connect for Operator Connect comes with the same automated workflows and web portals that make the Direct Routing solution so easy to use. The solution enables convenient digital workflows, building on the simplicity of the Operator Connect model, which uses the Teams Admin Centre to help users manage telephony investments.
Ribbon Connect extends the digital engagement model with automated responses, digital forms, and intuitive workflows, in a straightforward dashboard. Plus, the solution is built on top of Ribbon’s Carrier Grade platforms. The foundation of the service is the same proven Ribbon elements responsible for powering some of the largest communication brands worldwide.
The Benefits of Ribbon Connect for Operator Connect
The Ribbon Connect solution designed for operators and service providers leveraging the Operator Connect model features many of the same benefits as the Direct Routing service. Once again, companies will have access to Ribbon’s carrier grade products, and a dedicated professional service team, committed to accelerating their path to market.
The streamlined solution for service providers offers:
- Simplified solutions for API integration and certification
- Automated sales tools and workflow management
- Customer portals for easy and convenient self-service
- A comprehensive service provider portal for set-up and provisioning
- Reseller portals for channel engagement
- Media normalization and signalling tools on-demand
Since Ribbon employees spend a significant amount of time working with service providers, they built the Connect solution or Operator Connect to tackle the everyday issues these professionals space. Not only is the solution designed to be simpler than building an Operator Connect solution from scratch, but it’s intended to be more affordable too.
What is Ribbon Connect?
Simply put, Ribbon Connect is an all-in-one solution designed to make accessing the Teams ecosystem for telephony purposes simpler. The Direct Routing solution allows enterprises to rapidly bring contact centre and calling functionality into the Teams landscape. Alternatively, the Operator Connect solution empowers service providers to offer their carrier solutions to users already within Teams, and expand their revenue potential.
