Connect Your Infrastructure to Microsoft Teams
Direct Routing enables you to connect Microsoft Teams to your existing telephony infrastructure using certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs). Maintain control over your PSTN connectivity while leveraging the power of Teams Phone.
What is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing?
Direct Routing is a Microsoft Teams calling solution that lets you connect your own telephony infrastructure to Teams using a Session Border Controller (SBC).
Direct Routing as a Service
Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is a feature that allows organisations to connect their own telephony infrastructure, such as SIP trunks or PBX systems, to Microsoft Teams. With Direct Routing, companies can keep their existing phone numbers and use Microsoft Teams as their primary communication platform, enabling users to make and receive calls from within the Teams app.
However, in order to use Direct Routing, companies must have a Session Border Controller (SBC) to connect their telephony infrastructure to Microsoft Teams. Microsoft only supports Direct Routing with certified SBCs from vetted vendors. This ensures that the SBC is fully compatible with Microsoft Teams and provides a secure and reliable connection.
Direct Routing as a Service (DRaaS) is an offering from Voice Consultancy Ltd where we manage the SBC and Direct Routing configuration on behalf of your organisation. This allows you to leverage Direct Routing without having to purchase, manage, and maintain your own SBC hardware and software.
Direct Routing provides a PSTN solution for the Microsoft Teams Phone System. It allows users to make and receive UK and international calls to, and from, non-Teams users, without needing a hosted telephony system or PBX. It is a solution that can be provisioned in minutes and offers a cost-effective alternative to Microsoft's Calling Plan.
By using Direct Routing, you are able to leverage several areas of resilience which provides several options for Business Continuity. By working with Voice Consultancy Ltd, we are able to provide complete control over your telephony needs by not relying on any one component of the complete solution.
Fully Managed SBC
We manage the SBC hardware and software, including installation, configuration, and maintenance.
High Availability and Redundancy
Our DRaaS offering includes redundant SBCs and PSTN connections to ensure high availability and minimise downtime.
Security and Compliance
We ensure that the Direct Routing configuration is secure and compliant with industry standards and regulations.
Support and Monitoring
We offer support and monitoring services to ensure that the Direct Routing service is operating correctly and any issues are resolved quickly.
How Direct Routing Works
Understanding the components and call flow of Direct Routing.
Session Border Controller (SBC)
The SBC is the critical component that connects Teams to your PSTN connectivity. It handles protocol translation, security, and call routing between Microsoft's cloud and your telephony network.
- TLS/SRTP encryption for secure signaling
- Media optimisation and codec transcoding
- High availability and failover capabilities
- Integration with existing infrastructure
SBC Hosting Options
Choose the deployment model that fits your infrastructure and operational requirements.
- On-Premises SBC (your datacenter)
- Cloud-hosted SBC (Azure, AWS, etc.)
- Carrier-provided SBC
- DRaaS - Managed SBC service
Routing & Translation
The SBC handles call routing policies, number translation, and protocol conversion.
- Dial plan normalization
- Number manipulation and routing
- Least cost routing capabilities
- Emergency calling compliance
Direct Routing as a Service provides a PSTN solution for the Microsoft Teams Phone System.
Unlimited UK minutes and competitive out-of-bundle call charges
600-minute international call bundle option
Cost-effective calling for the Microsoft Teams Phone System which can be deployed in minutes
Numbers available in 160+ countries and every UK area code
Two way calling including Emergency Services, in 50+ countries
Geographic and freephone numbers available
No onsite hardware required
Policy-Based Per-seat Teams Call Recording with retention period up to 7 years
Secure SIP trunk connectivity
30-day contract terms available
Our Direct Routing Deployment Process
Proven methodology for successful Direct Routing implementations.
Design & Architecture
We begin by conducting a comprehensive assessment of your current telephony landscape, existing carrier relationships, and technical requirements. Our team designs the optimal SBC architecture tailored to your needs, including high availability and disaster recovery configurations, media flow optimization, and integration points with your existing infrastructure. We create detailed documentation covering network topology, security policies, and voice routing strategies to ensure a robust foundation for your Direct Routing deployment.
Planning & Design
SBC Deployment & Configuration
Our certified engineers deploy and configure the SBC infrastructure according to Microsoft's best practices and security standards. We establish secure connectivity to the Microsoft Teams Direct Routing interface using TLS/SRTP encryption, configure trunk connections to your carrier or existing PBX system, and implement dial plans, number normalization rules, and routing policies. All configurations are thoroughly documented and tested to ensure reliability and compliance with your business requirements.
Build & Connect
Testing & Migration
Before full deployment, we conduct extensive testing of all call flows including inbound, outbound, and internal calls. We validate failover scenarios, emergency calling functionality, call quality, and integration with call recording, voicemail, and auto-attendant systems. User migration is performed in carefully planned phases, starting with a pilot group to identify and resolve any issues before wider rollout. We provide comprehensive training sessions, user guides, and hands-on support throughout the migration to ensure smooth adoption and minimal disruption to your business operations.
Test & Deploy
Monitoring & Support
Post-deployment, we provide continuous monitoring of your SBC health, call quality metrics, and trunk utilisation through our advanced monitoring platform. Our proactive alerting system identifies and addresses potential issues before they impact your users. We deliver regular performance reports, ongoing optimisation recommendations, and 24/7 technical support to ensure your Direct Routing service operates at peak efficiency. This ongoing partnership ensures your telephony infrastructure remains secure, reliable, and optimised for your evolving business needs.
Operate & Optimise
Ready to Implement Direct Routing?
Book a consultation to discuss your requirements and explore whether Direct Routing or DRaaS is the right fit for your organisation.
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