How to Use Teams as Telephone System

Licenses required

• Microsoft Teams Phone standard license
• Microsoft E5
• Microsoft Teams Phone Resource account license

Requirement for connecting Microsoft Teams phone system (Choose one out of the two options)

1. Use Microsoft Phone
2. Use a Telecom Provider that has a Teams plug-in (Operator Connect)

1. Acquire Phone Numbers

First, we need to add an Emergency Address to the tenant.

Go to the Operator Connect under Voice and check who is available to provide Operator Connect service.

After registering with the operator, we can order numbers through that operator.

Then numbers will display under Phone numbers.

Or you can directly purchase numbers from Microsoft.

Here to purchase a number for a user, need to select User (subscriber)

Reference: Acquire phone numbers for your organization - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

Number usage	Usage type and purpose	Number type supported
User	User (subscriber): These numbers are for users or devices in your organization.	Geographic (Toll)
Voice app	Call queue and Auto attendant Voice app service numbers are for assigning to resource accounts that support voice applications.	Geographic (Toll) Toll-free
Conference	Dedicated conference bridge. Conference service numbers are for assigning to conference bridges so that users can dial in to a Teams meeting.	Geographic (Toll) Toll-free

We can add numbers directly from Microsoft, and can assign numbers by below methods.

Then the order is placed.

All the numbers will be displayed under Phone numbers.

Assign a phone number to a user.

Go to phone numbers, edit and select the user category & assign a user.

Auto Attendant

An auto attendant is a virtual receptionist that answers calls and routes them based on caller input or other criteria.

Key features

• Greet callers with customizable messages
• Provides menu options (press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support, etc.)
• Can route calls

Call Queue

A call queue distributes incoming calls to a group of people (agents) according to specified rules.

Key features

• Places callers on hold with music or messages
• Distributes calls

2. Add Auto Attendant and Call Queue phone numbers

Go to Phone numbers --> Add number --> Select from number Type whether Auto Attendant or Call Queue

You can select from the operator whether from Microsoft or the Company.

To assign acquired numbers of Auto Attendant or Call Queue, we need to create resource accounts first.

Resource accounts

Service principals that represent auto attendants and call queues in Entra.

3. Create resource accounts

Teams admin center --> Voice --> Resource Accounts.

These resource accounts will be displayed in Admin Center à Active Users.

Then, we need to assign Microsoft Teams Phone Resource account licenses.

Then go to Phone Numbers and assign the numbers purchased for the Auto attendant and Call Queue.

4. Create Auto Attendants

Go to Teams Admin Center --> Voice --> Auto Attendants

In the Call flow, there are options to add Greeting messages and call routing.

I call routing, we can create options for callers.

E.g. Press 1 to speak to Kaveendra

E.g., Press 2 to speak to the IT department (We can assign a Call Queue after configuring)

In advance settings, there is an option to create call handling hours separately (Business hours, non-business hours, Weekends, etc)

We can change the Business hours to the company's preferred times and working days.

Also, we can create customized holiday plans for the organization, such as Christmas and New Year.

In the Resource Account tab, you need to add a pre-created licensed resource account.

In the Authorized users, People who can make changes can be added as authorized persons.

5. Create Call Queue

First, we need to add a pre-created resource account.

Then assign a calling ID to make outbound calls to display the caller ID to external people, and choose the language.

As in the Auto Attendant, you can choose greetings and music on hold.

An incoming call can be answered via a channel or an individual.

In the agent selection, it shows how calls will be presented to agents.

There are four methods.

• Select agents (users who will receive calls from this queue)
• Choose distribution method:
  • Attendant routing (all agents simultaneously)
  • Serial (one at a time in order)
  • Round robin (evenly distributed)
  • Longest idle (agent who hasn't taken a call the longest)

If enabled, the Call Back, callers will receive a callback instead of waiting in the queue based on eligibility conditions configured.

Other settings -->