Glossary

What is Operator Connect?

Operator Connect is a Microsoft Teams calling option that lets you add phone-network (PSTN) calling by selecting a participating carrier directly in the Teams admin center — and the carrier manages the underlying connection (the SBC) for you. It pairs the carrier choice and rates of Direct Routing with near-zero infrastructure to set up.

In practice: you click your operator in Teams, the carrier provisions numbers and the voice path, and Teams users get a dial tone — no SBC to deploy, no SIP trunks to configure yourself.

How Operator Connect works

In the Teams admin center, you choose a carrier from Microsoft’s list of Operator Connect partners.
The carrier provisions your phone numbers and the PSTN connection on their managed, Microsoft-certified SBC.
Numbers appear in Teams admin within minutes and are assigned to users.
Users call from the Teams client; the carrier carries the call to the phone network.

The defining trait is the carrier runs the infrastructure. You manage users and numbers in Teams; the operator owns the SBC, trunks, and uptime.

Operator Connect vs. Direct Routing

Both bring a third-party carrier to Teams. The difference is who runs the plumbing:

Operator Connect — pick a partner carrier in the admin center; they manage the SBC. One-click provisioning, fastest setup, carrier-managed reliability. Limited to carriers in Microsoft’s partner program.
Direct Routing — you (or your provider) configure the SBC and carrier yourself. Maximum flexibility on carrier, rates, regions, and custom call flows; more setup.

Choose Operator Connect for speed and simplicity with a participating carrier. Choose Direct Routing when you need a specific non-partner carrier, complex routing, or coverage Operator Connect partners don’t offer.

Why businesses choose Operator Connect

Fast setup — numbers live in minutes, no SBC project.
Carrier choice and rates — better economics than Microsoft Calling Plans at scale, like BYOC.
Managed reliability — the operator owns the SBC, trunks, and SLA.
Native Teams experience — provisioning and management stay inside the Teams admin center.

Common questions

What is the difference between Operator Connect and Direct Routing?

Both connect Microsoft Teams to the phone network through a third-party carrier. With Operator Connect, you select a participating carrier in the Teams admin center and they manage the SBC and trunks for you — fastest, simplest setup. With Direct Routing, you or your provider configure the SBC and carrier directly — more flexibility on carrier choice, rates, and custom routing, but more to set up. Operator Connect trades some flexibility for near-zero infrastructure work.

Do I need an SBC for Operator Connect?

Not one you manage. Operator Connect requires an SBC like Direct Routing does, but the participating carrier owns and operates it as part of the service. That’s the whole point of Operator Connect — the operator handles the SBC, trunks, and reliability, so you only manage users and numbers inside Teams.

Is Operator Connect free?

Operator Connect itself is included with eligible Teams/Microsoft 365 licensing, but you still pay your chosen carrier for numbers and calling. The model is similar to Direct Routing — carrier rates rather than Microsoft Calling Plan pricing — which usually costs less at scale. You do need a Teams Phone license per calling user.

Can I switch from Calling Plans or Direct Routing to Operator Connect?

Yes. Organizations move between all three Teams calling models, and numbers can be ported or reassigned. A common path is starting on Microsoft Calling Plans for simplicity, then moving to Operator Connect or Direct Routing for better rates and carrier control as call volume grows.

See DialPhone for Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams calling → · Direct Routing → · Pricing →

Direct Routing — the bring-your-own-SBC alternative
SBC — the session border controller the carrier runs
SIP trunking — the trunk layer underneath
BYOC — bring your own carrier