Unified Communications (UC) is a rapidly evolving field that is transforming the way organizations communicate and collaborate. With the proliferation of digital communication channels, it has become increasingly important to be able to integrate these channels and provide a seamless communication experience for employees and customers alike. Microsoft Operator Connect is a new, key player in this transformation.
What is Operator Connect
What is Operator Connect... well... if your existing carrier (or... operator as the term is used here) is a participant in the Microsoft Operator Connect Program, they can manage bringing PSTN calling to your Microsoft Teams environment. Operator Connect integrates directly into Microsoft Teams/Azure and is managed within the Microsoft Teams Admin Center. It’s a flavor of Direct Routing. You can choose a carrier (called the operator) and even pick phone numbers. Of course, you can port your current phone numbers, too. Operator Connect is a new way to enable Microsoft Teams Voice with a SIP trunk configured back to Microsoft.
The Operator Connect program provides the following benefits:
- Leverage existing contracts, or find a new operator.
You can keep your preferred operator (like Atlantech Online!) and contracts, or choose a new one from a selection of participating operators to meet your business needs. - Operator-managed infrastructure. Your operator manages the PSTN calling services and Session Border Controllers (SBCs), allowing you to save on hardware purchase and management.
- Faster, easier deployment. You can quickly connect to your operator and assign phone numbers to users -– all from within the Microsoft Teams admin center.
- Enhanced support and reliability. Your carrier (or operator) will provide technical support and shared service level agreements to improve support service, while direct peering powered by Azure creates a one-to-one network connection for enhanced reliability of your Microsoft Teams Calling plan.
More Benefits of Microsoft Operator Connect
One of the key benefits of Microsoft Operator Connect is its ability to simplify the communication experience for users. By bringing voice functionality directly into Teams, users no longer need to switch between multiple applications or devices to communicate. If you're a Microsoft 365 user, you can streamline your applications, telephony and conferencing within the the M365 environment. This streamlines the communication process and enables users to be more productive and efficient. Training and troubleshooting are easier, too.
Another benefit of Microsoft Operator Connect is its flexibility and scalability. Businesses can easily add or remove phone lines as needed, and can scale their phone system up or down depending on their needs. This makes it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises. Your Microsoft 365 Administrators can connect operator of your choice (such as Atlantech Online!) phone service to Teams via an interface which also allows them to handle user management, provisioning, and de-provisioning. There’s no coding or PowerShell knowledge required on the backend; everything is simple enough that even a business with no IT professionals can understand and leverage it.
Microsoft Operator Connect Roadmap
But perhaps the most exciting aspect of Microsoft Operator Connect is its potential for innovation and growth. As UC continues to evolve, Microsoft is well positioned to lead the way with new features and functionality that enhance the communication experience. For example, Microsoft has already begun exploring the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve call routing and analytics. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way businesses communicate and collaborate.
Microsoft Operator Connect can be a critical component of the future of unified communications. By providing a streamlined and flexible phone system that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, businesses can improve communication and collaboration across their organization. With its potential for innovation and growth, Microsoft Operator Connect is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of UC.
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