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)

Use Microsoft Phone
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.

Emergency Address

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

Operator Connect

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)

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.

Microsoft

Then the order is placed.

Order

All the numbers will be displayed under Phone numbers.

Phone numbers

Assign a phone number to a user.

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

Assign a phone number

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

Add number

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

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.

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

Auto Attendants

Operator

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

Call routing

I call routing, we can create options for callers.

E.g. Press 1 to speak to Kaveendra

Kaveendra

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

Call Queue

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

Business hours

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.

Settings

Christmas

Call settings

Dial Scope

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

Resource Account tab

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

Authorized users

5. Create Call Queue

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.

Caller ID

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

Call answering

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)

Longest idle

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

Call back

Other settings -->

Other

None

Queue Call