Room1.05Floor 1 Help desk and devices
Microsoft Teams Phone setup for business
We set up Microsoft Teams Phone so your business number rings in Teams on every computer, mobile and desk phone, with numbers ported, auto attendants and call queues built around how you answer, and 9-1-1 locations set correctly.
- Your number rings in Teams
- Numbers ported, not changed
- Auto attendants and call queues
- 9-1-1 locations set
Your business number, ringing in Teams
Microsoft Teams Phone turns Teams into your office phone system. Your main number and every direct line ring in the Teams app on staff computers and mobile phones, and on Teams-certified desk phones where you want them. Callers hear your greeting, choose from a menu and reach the right person or team, whether that person is at a desk in Mississauga or working from home in Oakville.
It works in two parts. Teams Phone itself is the phone system: extensions, transfers, voicemail, menus, queues. Separately, Teams needs a connection to the public phone network so it can make and receive outside calls, and there are three ways to provide that. Choosing the right one, and setting up the call flows around how your office actually answers the phone, is most of the work.
Teams Phone suits offices already working in Microsoft 365 and Teams, especially with staff who move between home, office and site. It is a weaker fit for a high-volume call centre that lives in a specialist dialer, or an office whose internet connection cannot carry voice reliably. We will tell you if either describes you.
Three ways to connect Teams to the phone network
All three give the same experience to your staff. The differences are who carries your calls, how numbers are managed and what else the connection can support.
| Option | Who carries your calls | Good for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Calling Plan | Microsoft, as your phone carrier | Small offices that want one bill and nothing extra to manage | Numbers are managed in the Teams admin centre. Calling plans are sold in Canada, with domestic and international options |
| Operator Connect | A carrier from Microsoft’s Operator Connect directory, such as Bell or Rogers in Canada | Offices that want an established Canadian carrier, its rates and its support, without extra hardware | The carrier connects directly to Teams. Some also offer Teams Phone Mobile, which puts your business number on the phone’s own dialer |
| Direct Routing | A carrier of your choice, through a session border controller we configure | Complex routing, keeping an existing SIP provider, or connecting fax machines, door entry and other analog devices | The most flexible option, with one more component to look after |
The options can be mixed. A common pattern is Operator Connect for everyone, plus a small Direct Routing gateway for the fax line and the door buzzer. Our phone system migration page covers how numbers are ported from your current provider without changing them.
The licences you need, and the ones you do not
Teams Phone licensing confuses almost everyone, partly because it depends on the Microsoft 365 plan you already have. This is the short version.
| If you have | Add for each person who makes calls |
|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard or Premium | Teams Phone Standard, plus a calling option: a Microsoft Calling Plan, or service from an Operator Connect or Direct Routing carrier. Microsoft also sells Teams Phone and a Calling Plan together as one licence |
| Microsoft 365 E3 | Teams Phone Standard, plus a calling option |
| Microsoft 365 E5 | Only a calling option, since Teams Phone is already included |
- Auto attendants and call queues use resource accounts, which take a free Teams Phone resource account licence
- Lunchroom, warehouse and reception phones that nobody signs in to personally use a shared device licence rather than a full user licence
- Staff who never make outside calls do not need Teams Phone at all, and can still be reached through Teams
We read your current licences before quoting, and only add what each person actually needs. Licences are supplied through our cloud subscriptions service.
Call flows built around how you answer the phone
The menu a caller hears, who rings first and what happens after hours shape how your business sounds. We design these with the people who answer the phone, not from a template.
A typical professional office routes the main number through an auto attendant with your greeting and a short menu. Each option goes to a call queue, which rings the right group in a set order: all at once, one after another, round robin, or whoever has been idle longest. Holidays, including Ontario’s statutory holidays, are set in advance so the right greeting plays without anyone remembering to change it.
Calls nobody answers go to a shared voicemail that arrives in a Teams channel or a shared mailbox, so a message left at 6 p.m. is picked up first thing by whoever is in, not by one person who happens to be away. Executives can give an assistant permission to answer and make calls for them, and call park lets the front desk hold a call for someone walking over from the warehouse.
Headsets, desk phones and the front desk
Most staff end up using Teams Phone through a good headset and the Teams app. Some roles still need a handset, and a few devices need special handling.
Headsets
A Teams-certified headset makes a larger difference to call quality than anything else on this page. We recommend models by role: noise-cancelling for open offices, wireless for people who walk while they talk.
Desk phones
Teams-certified desk phones sign in to Teams directly and work like a normal phone, with the same number and voicemail as the app. Reception usually gets a phone with a sidecar or a large touchscreen showing who is busy.
Shared and common area phones
Phones in the lunchroom, warehouse or a meeting room are set up as shared devices, with their own licence and locked-down settings.
Fax, door entry, alarms and elevators
These analog devices cannot sign in to Teams. They are connected through an analog gateway on Direct Routing, or kept on a separate line where the device or its monitoring company requires it. Each is listed and tested before the old system is switched off.
9-1-1, done properly
With an internet phone system, a 9-1-1 call carries whatever address was registered for it. If that is wrong, emergency services go to the wrong place. Teams supports dynamic emergency calling in Canada, which works out where a caller is from the network they are connected to.
- Each office is defined in Teams by its network, down to the floor or wing where it helps, with the correct civic address attached
- Calls from those networks carry that address automatically, so a person who moves between your two offices is always located correctly
- Staff working from home are prompted to confirm their address in Teams, so a 9-1-1 call from a home office carries the home address
- Reception, a manager or a security team can be notified in Teams whenever someone dials 9-1-1, so they can meet responders at the door
Emergency addresses are tested before go-live, and updated whenever you move. Our office relocation page lists them among the details a move must not miss.
Teams Phone projects we quote
Setup and number porting are quoted as a fixed project. After go-live, changes to call flows, new users and help with devices go through our help desk on the managed IT plan. If you are still comparing phone systems, our business phone systems page sets Teams Phone beside hosted VoIP.
- Teams Phone setup for a small officeFixed quote
- Move from an on-site PBX to Teams PhoneFixed quote
- Operator Connect or Direct Routing configuredFixed quote
- Auto attendants and call queues designed and builtFixed quote
- Desk phones, headsets and reception console suppliedFixed quote
- Dynamic 9-1-1 set up across several officesFixed quote
Questions people ask
Can we keep our phone numbers when moving to Teams Phone?
Yes. Numbers are ported from your current provider to Microsoft or to your Operator Connect or Direct Routing carrier. The port is scheduled so calls keep reaching you throughout, and your numbers do not change.
What is the difference between a Calling Plan and Operator Connect?
With a Calling Plan, Microsoft is your phone carrier and bills the calls. With Operator Connect, a carrier such as Bell or Rogers connects directly to Teams and bills the calls instead. Staff see no difference. The choice comes down to rates, support and what else you buy from the carrier.
Which licences do we need for Teams Phone?
Each person who makes outside calls needs Teams Phone, which is included in Microsoft 365 E5 and added on to Business plans and E3, plus a calling option. Auto attendants and call queues use free resource account licences, and shared lunchroom or warehouse phones use a shared device licence.
Do we need desk phones?
Not necessarily. Most staff use the Teams app with a good headset. Teams-certified desk phones suit reception, shared areas and people who prefer a handset, and they use the same number and voicemail as the app.
How does 9-1-1 work with Teams Phone?
Teams supports dynamic emergency calling in Canada. Each office network is mapped to its civic address, home workers confirm their address in Teams, and a 9-1-1 call carries the right location automatically. Reception or security can be alerted when someone dials 9-1-1.
What happens to our fax machine, alarm and door entry?
These analog devices cannot sign in to Teams. They connect through an analog gateway on Direct Routing or stay on a separate line where the device or monitoring company requires it. Each is listed and tested before the old system is turned off.
Can Teams Phone ring our mobile phones?
Yes. The Teams app on a mobile phone receives business calls on your business number. Some Canadian carriers also offer Teams Phone Mobile, which puts the business number on the phone's own dialer.
Will call quality be good enough?
On a properly set up network, yes. We check your internet capacity and firewall settings, prioritize voice traffic, and recommend certified headsets. Poor call quality is almost always a network or headset problem that can be fixed.
Tell us what’s going on
Pick how urgent it is and leave a way to reach you. The help desk replies by phone or email. If work has stopped, call 647-812-3775 instead.
Something broken, or something to plan?
For anything urgent, call. A technician answers the emergency line 24/7. For everything else, open a ticket and tell us what is going on.