In only four short years, Microsoft Teams is now used by half-a-million businesses as their default messaging platform.
Over 115 million people use the app to collaborate. Its deep integration with Office makes it ideal for workers to chat and work together online.
But did you know that Teams also includes VoIP calling? And that it works seamlessly within the software?
This article offers a guide to Microsoft Teams VoIP and its benefits.
Discover the top 5 advantages of using VoIP within Teams including making calls from anywhere. Learn how its low prices can slash your company’s communications spend. And how to keep your phone calls crystal-clear and secure.
Read on to learn all about Microsoft Teams VoIP for business.
What Is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is a technology that uses the Internet to make and receive voice calls.
Instead of utilising analogue phone lines, VoIP converts your voice into a digital signal. That data gets sent through your Internet router and is translated back into the audio format by the receiver’s device.
Millions of businesses are turning to Voice over IP technology because it:
- Offers lower costs than traditional systems
- Provides extra functionality like personalised answering
- Can fully scale as required
VoIP works with many types of apps like Skype or WhatsApp. However, Microsoft has added it to its Teams software which is great news for all businesses as you’ll soon discover.
Microsoft Teams VoIP
Microsoft saw the benefit in VoIP when it purchased Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion.
At the time, Skype was the dominant player in the VoIP scene. Users the world over made free calls through the app and could pay to call landlines and mobile phones.
Microsoft released its Teams application in 2017 and included the ability for members to phone Skype users and vice versa. They then decided to go one step further by adding VoIP technology directly into the app.
You need a Microsoft 365 license to make calls in Teams.
Companies with 300 employees or fewer also require a Microsoft 365 Business Voice licence. Alternatively, a Direct Routing option exists which routes all calls to an existing PSTN network.
Regardless of the method, Microsoft Teams VoIP for businesses offers a wide range of benefits. But what are they and how can they make your company more productive?
Benefits of Microsoft Teams VoIP
We’ve highlighted the top 5 advantages that Teams and VoIP bring to the business table below. The list is not exhaustive but gives an overview of how well the service works to benefit all stakeholders.
1. Increase Productivity With in-App Calls
Good communication is the cornerstone of every productive team.
Microsoft Teams is designed to let your employees do just that. Features like online meetings, chat messaging, and screen sharing encourage interaction. Throw VoIP into the mix and it turns the platform into the perfect conversation channel.
The software places simple icons into the workflow that enable staff to make a call as they work.
They don’t need to leave the software to open Skype or another VoIP app. Everything’s handled within Teams. Add those time savings up and it produces a lean working environment with less cause for distractions.
2. Phone Calls Using Microsoft Teams Mobile App
The Microsoft Teams mobile app now integrates VoIP calls.
That means you can make and receive calls while on the go. You can also join one-to-one calls, schedule meetings, and group chat.
Adding more participants during a live conversation is simple.
The mobile app enables you to find additional members using the search facility or enter a number directly. This also works for team members that are outside of your organisation.
3. Low Pricing
VoIP has revolutionised the telephony industry by lowering phone bills to a fraction of their previous cost.
MS Teams continues this tradition by offering a low-cost monthly fee to use its Microsoft 365 Business Voice service. For this cost, you get:
- Call transfer and queue ability
- 1,200 minutes per user per month
- Up to 250 users audio conferencing facility
- Call from any device running Microsoft Teams
Alternatively, you can choose to host your own VoIP calls on the cloud.
AdEPT offers affordable VoIP services that fully integrate with Microsoft Teams or as a standalone option. Additional features like instant messaging bring all the benefits of older tech into the modern workplace.
4. Secure High Definition Voice Quality
One negative issue that’s associated with VoIP is the quality of the calls. Lesser services can produce tinny or hollow audio which won’t suffice for business use.
With Microsoft Teams, you always receive crystal-clear, HD quality calls.
The platform uses Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology to transmit data. Because Azure is an ultra-fast network that spans the globe, connections rarely drop out. Audio gets transmitted as intended and both parties can communicate as if they were in the next room.
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is also coming to Microsoft Teams in 2021.
A recent statement made at the Ignite event showcased E2EE on the platform. However, it requires both parties to have it enabled and for them to opt-in.
5. Auto Attendants
Is it possible to give incoming callers a virtual list of voice prompts that redirect them to the right person?
The Microsoft Teams Phone System offers this service and allows callers to type from their keypad or by using their voice. Their choices can forward the call to another auto attendant, staff member, or to a call queue.
It’s relatively simple to create custom corporate menus with multiple levels. There’s also a directory search that the caller can filter by speaking a name.
The feature even supports specifying business hours and holidays.
Microsoft Teams VoIP for Business with AdEPT
Microsoft Teams offers two flavours of VoIP functionality within the app.
You can use the software to talk to any other Teams user within your organisation. Or you can use it to make calls to landlines and mobile phones.
Called Microsoft Teams – Direct Routing, this VoIP solution makes it easy for your staff to add voice calls. As a Microsoft Gold Partner, AdEPT can help you take advantage of those benefits today.
AdEPT is an award-winning telecommunications service provider with over twenty years of experience.
We assist 12,000 companies throughout the UK to get the best out of Microsoft Teams. We also offer cloud services on Azure, managed support, and our Nebula Voice service.
Get in touch to discover how your staff can become AdEPT at using VoIP in Microsoft Teams.
