Make external calls from MS Teams and work more efficiently

The integration of Microsoft Teams in a telephony solution: what does that mean exactly?

Vincent Desmarets, B2B Product Manager at Orange Belgium: "Thanks to that integration, Microsoft Teams, the hub for teamwork in Microsoft 365, also allows you to make external calls. That means you can call all fixed and mobile numbers directly from the tool. In that same Teams environment, you can also receive external calls. So you no longer have to leave Teams to make calls.

In addition, all the familiar features of your current telephony system remain, whether it's located on-site at your premises, virtually or in the cloud. Examples include taking and transferring calls - including to call groups - and using voicemail and automatic assistants.

Furthermore, Teams obviously remains the familiar solution for video calling. With the 'Together' mode - based on AI segmentation technology - this makes it feel more than ever as if the participants are in the same room. That allows for better picking up of non-verbal communication as well."

What are the biggest benefits of such a telephony integration in Teams

Vincent Desmarets: "Most enterprises already had a PBX, whether virtual or in the cloud. And since the corona pandemic forced us to switch to home and telecommuting, Microsoft Teams is also well established. The time savings we can achieve by connecting the two communication platforms is obvious. If only because we no longer have to reach for another device or application to make calls and can simply continue to work within our familiar Microsoft environment. That familiar environment also guarantees a high adoption rate for new telephony capabilities. And the integration of various communication tools into one solution naturally also ensures more efficient collaboration with our colleagues."

What are the main strengths of the offering?

Vincent Desmarets: "First of all, we offer solutions in different configurations or implementations: from a full cloud approach to a hybrid setup where we integrate directly with the existing telephony infrastructure. We always screen that existing infrastructure in advance. This way, we optimally take into account the specific needs of companies and guide them towards the right solution. In addition to the actual implementation and configuration of the chosen solution, we also offer advice, support and change management.

A second advantage is that we can enrich the telephony service in Microsoft Teams with all kinds of additional functionalities from our cloud solution. Last but not least, we offer a scalable solution that can grow with the company. The pricing is simple and based on the number of users."