Direct Voice Routing for Microsoft Teams using TeamsHub by Cyclotron

Introduction

Microsoft Teams is an intelligent communication system that provides a flawless collaboration and immersive engagement experience of hi-def audio and video, calls, chat, screen-share and much more. Workgroup collaboration on projects, sharing ideas via conference meetings and delivering global live events became easier than ever. Thus, in a very short time, Microsoft Teams grew popular. Undoubtedly, Microsoft Teams is the next-gen collaboration suite that smart business leaders of today want to invest in.

Microsoft Teams handles voice in two different ways using Microsoft Phone Systems/

Calling Plans
Direct Routing

Specific countries limit Microsoft Calling Plans. Therefore, configure a user’s existing phone infrastructure using Direct Voice Routing. Direct Voice Routing is one of the most important features in Microsoft Teams. It also incurs lower line costs than Microsoft’s Calling Plans.

Direct Voice Routing

Overview

Direct Voice Routing requires Session Border Controller (SBCs) for Microsoft Teams. This enables connection to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Firstly, you need to configure SBC as recommended by a certified SBC vendor. Secondly, connect it with Microsoft Phone System and enable direct routing and configure voice routing. Finally, translate numbers into an alternate format. Voice routing policy is a container that holds all routing elements such as PSTN Gateways, PSTN Usages, Dial Plans and Voice Routes in it. The ordering of PSTN Usages and Voice Routes is critical for sending calls in order to specific PSTN Gateways. In summary, Voice Routing Policy determines how a call is routed for that user.

Using TeamsHub by Cyclotron

Setting up voice features for Microsoft Teams requires in-depth knowledge of complex PowerShell commands along with rigorous experience in Skype. A user-friendly interface for creating, testing and troubleshooting Direct Routing configuration reduces the utility gap, making it simple and efficient.

Let us look at some of the features that make the administrator’s job simple and easy.

1. PSTN Gateway

PSTN gateway enables phone and media connection between two different types of networks. Configure all protocol related settings here including information to be sent to physically deployed SBCs in the PSTN gateway. This is to add SBC as a PSTN gateway and includes the following parameters shown below

Additionally, set values as shown below

2. PSTN Usage

PSTN usage has multiple voice associated routes to send calls to various regions. Assign PSTN usage, different voice routing policies. PSTN usage finds a matching rule related to call permissions when user dials a number to a particular site.

The field Usage Name is a text pertaining to a geographical location, for example – US, US and Canada, International, etc.

3. Dial Plans

Call authorization and call routing need dial plans, a set of normalization rules to translate dialed numbers to an alternate format. Different dial plans interpret the same string of numbers differently. Based on this interpretation, numbers are translated and routed. The dial plan follows a descriptive naming convention to identify assigned users.

Create and manage a new dial plan simply by filling in the values in the given parameters using TeamsHub by Cyclotron.

Dial Plan Name: Global/NR2

4. Voice Routes

In TeamsHub by Cyclotron, creating a voice route can be followed with simple steps. A descriptive route name can be given to the Name field. Then, Number Pattern is a regular expression to match. Once matched, it sends the call to the defined SBC(s). You can then select FQDN, the domain name for your SBC and PSTN Usage.

For example, the values for these parameters can be set as:

Name: Route1
Number Pattern: [0-9]{10}
FQDN: sbc.contoso.com
PSTN Usage: US & Canada

5. Voice Routing Policy

Using PSTN Usage(s) and their defined Voice Route(s), you can easily create Voice Routing Policy with TeamsHub by Cyclotron.

For example, the values in the given parameters can be set as:

Name: Policy1
PSTN Usage: US and Canada

Direct Voice Routing - Voice Routing Policy

6. Assign Voice Routing Policy

Assigning a Voice Routing Policy is once again pretty straight forward. In TeamsHub by Cyclotron, simply select a Voice Routing Policy and username from Select People.

So, when a user makes a call, based the Voice Routing Policy, a list of PSTN Usage(s) is returned. The Voice Routes linked with the PSTN Usages are verified to check if the number matches. If so, then the call is sent to the SBC(s) in the route with the highest priority. However, if call cannot be routed through the SBC for whatever reasons, the remaining matching routes are used.

Direct Voice Routing - Assign Voice Route Policy

Thankfully, TeamsHub by Cyclotron makes voice configuration hassle-free for administrators.

Summary

When teams grow in large organizations, trying to work collaboratively in a fusion of several communication tools is neither practicable nor productive. It’s time to renounce old communication platforms and welcome a sleek, modern and efficient collaboration suite like TeamsHub by Cyclotron to provide you scalability and happier workforce.

OPERATIONS

INDUSTRY

REMOTE WORK