If your staff already live in Microsoft Teams, the office phone system can move there too. Calls to and from your existing numbers arrive in Teams on a laptop, a mobile or a desk phone.
What you need
Each person who makes and receives calls needs a Teams Phone licence on top of their Microsoft 365 plan. You also need a connection to the public phone network, which comes through a carrier that supports Teams. Your existing numbers can be ported across.
What you get
Staff get one app for chat, meetings and calls, on any device. You get auto attendants, call queues, voicemail to email, call forwarding and shared lines, all managed from the same admin centre as the rest of Microsoft 365.
What to check first
List every number you own and what it does, including fax lines, lift phones, alarm lines and payment terminals. Some of these can't move to Teams and need their own arrangement. Map how calls flow today, including after hours.
Network and headsets
Call quality depends on the network. Check wifi coverage and internet capacity at each site, and budget for decent headsets. A poor headset causes more complaints than anything else.
Where it doesn't fit
A busy contact centre with detailed reporting and call recording needs may want a dedicated contact centre product that works with Teams. Reception desks with heavy call handling need the right setup and some training.
How to run the move
Pilot with one team, port a small batch of numbers first, and keep the old system running until the queues and after-hours handling have been tested. Train reception and anyone who transfers calls before the cutover day.
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