Direct Routing and Operator Connect are two of the four ways to connect Microsoft Teams Phone to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and the core difference is who owns and manages the connection to your phone carrier.[1] With Operator Connect, you pick a carrier from Microsoft's certified operator program, and that operator runs the session border controllers (SBCs) and the PSTN calling service for you, so you enable them in the Teams admin center and assign numbers without touching any voice hardware.[2][5] With Direct Routing, you bring your own carrier and procure, install, and manage a certified SBC yourself or through a provider, which lets you use almost any trunk and connect legacy PBXs and analog devices, at the cost of running that infrastructure.[3][4] Both models require a Teams Phone license on each user, and one tenant can run both at once, mixing them by region or by type of worker.[1][6] Operator Connect tends to fit organizations that want managed calling with little setup, while Direct Routing fits those that need a specific carrier, a legacy integration, or coverage where the other options are not sold.[1][3]
\n","summary":"Both are PSTN connectivity models for Microsoft Teams Phone, but they split on who runs the carrier connection. Operator Connect is operator-managed: you choose a certified operator, they own the session border controllers, and you assign numbers from the Teams admin center. Direct Routing is customer-managed: you supply your own carrier and a certified SBC, gaining flexibility for legacy systems and any-carrier choice in exchange for more setup and maintenance. A single tenant can run both.","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:39:37.83","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","editorialStatus":"APPROVED","lastReviewedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","nextReviewDueAt":"2026-10-17T00:00:00","templateVersion":"v2","aliases":["Operator Connect vs Direct Routing","Direct Routing vs Operator Connect for Teams","What's the difference between Operator Connect and Direct Routing?","Should I use Direct Routing or Operator Connect?","Operator Connect or Direct Routing for Teams Phone","Teams Phone PSTN options compared","Is Operator Connect better than Direct Routing?","When to use Direct Routing vs Operator Connect","Direct Routing and Operator Connect explained","Can you use Direct Routing and Operator Connect together?","Operator Connect vs Direct Routing SBC","Difference between Direct Routing and Operator Connect in Microsoft Teams"],"confidenceScore":94,"confidenceLabel":"High","canonicalUrl":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"contributorOrganizationProfile":{"entityId":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","legalName":null,"description":null,"websiteUrl":null,"imageUrl":null,"slogan":null,"subtitle":null,"facts":[],"coiNote":null,"foundingDate":null,"numberOfEmployeesText":null,"contactPoint":null,"address":null,"headquartersText":null,"organizationType":null},"contributorPerson":{"slug":"answerstack-editorial-team","displayName":"AnswerStack Editorial Team"},"sections":[{"id":"7abbfe77-efde-4c0f-bfb7-9acfd4ab501b","sectionKey":"what_each_model_does","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"What each model is actually doing","introMarkdown":"Direct Routing and Operator Connect both solve the same problem: giving a Teams Phone user a real phone number and a path to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) so they can call landlines and mobiles.[1] Teams handles the call control and the private branch exchange (PBX) features, but it does not supply the phone line itself, so every deployment needs a separate PSTN connection on top of the Teams Phone license.[6] Direct Routing and Operator Connect are two of the four ways Microsoft lets you make that connection, alongside its own Calling Plan and Teams Phone Mobile.[1]\n\n### The split is about who runs the connection\n\nThe difference between them is not what the user experiences on a call, which is effectively the same, but who owns and operates the plumbing behind it. Operator Connect hands the carrier relationship and the session border controllers to a Microsoft-certified operator, so the hardware and much of the support sit with them.[2] Direct Routing keeps that responsibility with you: you choose the carrier, and you (or an integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service provider) run a certified session border controller, or SBC, that bridges your carrier's trunk to Teams.[1][3]\n\n### Both start from the same license\n\nNeither model replaces the Teams Phone license; both sit underneath it. A user has to be Teams Phone licensed and, for these two models, in TeamsOnly mode before any number will work.[2][3] Because the models are configuration options rather than separate products, a single organization can run Operator Connect for some users and Direct Routing for others, which is common once you account for different offices, carriers, and legacy equipment.[1][6]","introHtml":"Direct Routing and Operator Connect both solve the same problem: giving a Teams Phone user a real phone number and a path to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) so they can call landlines and mobiles.[1] Teams handles the call control and the private branch exchange (PBX) features, but it does not supply the phone line itself, so every deployment needs a separate PSTN connection on top of the Teams Phone license.[6] Direct Routing and Operator Connect are two of the four ways Microsoft lets you make that connection, alongside its own Calling Plan and Teams Phone Mobile.[1]
\nThe difference between them is not what the user experiences on a call, which is effectively the same, but who owns and operates the plumbing behind it. Operator Connect hands the carrier relationship and the session border controllers to a Microsoft-certified operator, so the hardware and much of the support sit with them.[2] Direct Routing keeps that responsibility with you: you choose the carrier, and you (or an integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service provider) run a certified session border controller, or SBC, that bridges your carrier's trunk to Teams.[1][3]
\nNeither model replaces the Teams Phone license; both sit underneath it. A user has to be Teams Phone licensed and, for these two models, in TeamsOnly mode before any number will work.[2][3] Because the models are configuration options rather than separate products, a single organization can run Operator Connect for some users and Direct Routing for others, which is common once you account for different offices, carriers, and legacy equipment.[1][6]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":0},{"id":"fe1a70e8-d910-4ddd-ae52-60190204bd9c","sectionKey":"comparison_table","sectionType":"table_section","heading":"Direct Routing and Operator Connect at a glance","introMarkdown":"The table sets the two models side by side on the points that actually change your work and your options. Each row is explained in its own section below.","introHtml":"The table sets the two models side by side on the points that actually change your work and your options. Each row is explained in its own section below.
\n","outroMarkdown":"Every row assumes the same starting point: each user still needs a Teams Phone license, whichever model supplies the connection.[1][6]","outroHtml":"Every row assumes the same starting point: each user still needs a Teams Phone license, whichever model supplies the connection.[1][6]
\n","contentJson":{"rows":[{"cells":["Who is your carrier","A certified operator you pick from Microsoft's program [2]","Any operator you choose [1]"]},{"cells":["Who runs the SBC","The operator; you manage no voice hardware [2]","You, an integrator, or a DRaaS provider run a certified SBC [1][3]"]},{"cells":["Setup and admin","Enable the operator and assign numbers in the Teams admin center [5]","Pair and manage the SBC, certificates, DNS, and routing policies [3]"]},{"cells":["Control and integration","Operator-managed routing with fewer custom options [7]","Full routing control; connects legacy PBX and analog gear [1][3]"]},{"cells":["Geographic reach","Only where your operator participates [2]","Any country or region [1]"]},{"cells":["Emergency and survivability","Emergency address optional, enabled and managed by the operator [1]","Supports Survivable Branch Appliance; static emergency address handled differently [1]"]},{"cells":["Support path","Operator plus Microsoft [1]","Operator plus SBC vendor plus Microsoft [1]"]}],"columns":["Consideration","Operator Connect","Direct Routing"]},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":1},{"id":"a4660de7-4a42-4419-ae55-01933906b6a1","sectionKey":"who_runs_the_sbc","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Who owns and manages the SBC?","introMarkdown":"The session border controller is the dividing line between the two models. With Operator Connect, the certified operator owns and manages the SBCs and the PSTN calling service, which is why Microsoft describes it as operator-managed infrastructure that saves you the hardware purchase and its upkeep.[2][11] You never pair an SBC, install a certificate, or patch firmware, because that layer belongs to the operator's network.[2][7]\n\nDirect Routing puts the SBC in your hands. You connect a supported, customer-provided SBC to Teams Phone, and that device, whether it is a physical appliance in your data center or a virtual instance, is procured, installed, and managed by you, your integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service provider.[1][3] Microsoft only supports Direct Routing with SBCs it has certified, from vendors such as AudioCodes, Ribbon, Oracle, Cisco, and TE-SYSTEMS, so the hardware choice is constrained even though the carrier is not.[4] Running that SBC brings real work: a public certificate from a trusted authority, DNS records and an FQDN that matches a domain in your tenant, firewall rules for Microsoft's signaling and media ranges, and firmware kept at a supported version.[3] For a team without telephony engineers, a managed SBC service moves that burden to a provider while keeping the any-carrier flexibility Direct Routing is usually chosen for.[1]","introHtml":"The session border controller is the dividing line between the two models. With Operator Connect, the certified operator owns and manages the SBCs and the PSTN calling service, which is why Microsoft describes it as operator-managed infrastructure that saves you the hardware purchase and its upkeep.[2][11] You never pair an SBC, install a certificate, or patch firmware, because that layer belongs to the operator's network.[2][7]
\nDirect Routing puts the SBC in your hands. You connect a supported, customer-provided SBC to Teams Phone, and that device, whether it is a physical appliance in your data center or a virtual instance, is procured, installed, and managed by you, your integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service provider.[1][3] Microsoft only supports Direct Routing with SBCs it has certified, from vendors such as AudioCodes, Ribbon, Oracle, Cisco, and TE-SYSTEMS, so the hardware choice is constrained even though the carrier is not.[4] Running that SBC brings real work: a public certificate from a trusted authority, DNS records and an FQDN that matches a domain in your tenant, firewall rules for Microsoft's signaling and media ranges, and firmware kept at a supported version.[3] For a team without telephony engineers, a managed SBC service moves that burden to a provider while keeping the any-carrier flexibility Direct Routing is usually chosen for.[1]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":2},{"id":"e10356a0-7d8e-4c6b-a329-c068105a8d41","sectionKey":"which_carriers","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Which carriers can you use with each?","introMarkdown":"Operator Connect limits you to carriers that have joined Microsoft's Operator Connect program, while Direct Routing works with practically any carrier. With Operator Connect, you pick from the operators listed in the Microsoft 365 Operator Connect directory for your country, so the choice depends on which providers have completed certification where you operate.[2] The upside is that a participating operator has already built and tested the integration, so you keep your preferred provider or find a new one and let them run the service.[2]\n\nDirect Routing removes the certification gate on the carrier side. Because you connect your own SBC to almost any telephony trunk, you can use a PSTN operator that has no relationship with Microsoft at all, keep an existing carrier contract, or combine several carriers behind one deployment.[3] That is the practical reason organizations pick Direct Routing when their carrier is not in the Operator Connect program, when a regulator requires a specific local provider, or when they want to consolidate carriers they already hold.[1][3] The trade is that the carrier's integration becomes your responsibility to configure and maintain rather than something the operator delivers ready-made.[7][8]","introHtml":"Operator Connect limits you to carriers that have joined Microsoft's Operator Connect program, while Direct Routing works with practically any carrier. With Operator Connect, you pick from the operators listed in the Microsoft 365 Operator Connect directory for your country, so the choice depends on which providers have completed certification where you operate.[2] The upside is that a participating operator has already built and tested the integration, so you keep your preferred provider or find a new one and let them run the service.[2]
\nDirect Routing removes the certification gate on the carrier side. Because you connect your own SBC to almost any telephony trunk, you can use a PSTN operator that has no relationship with Microsoft at all, keep an existing carrier contract, or combine several carriers behind one deployment.[3] That is the practical reason organizations pick Direct Routing when their carrier is not in the Operator Connect program, when a regulator requires a specific local provider, or when they want to consolidate carriers they already hold.[1][3] The trade is that the carrier's integration becomes your responsibility to configure and maintain rather than something the operator delivers ready-made.[7][8]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":3},{"id":"4c1742f4-ae26-419a-a5cc-5defe5535ab7","sectionKey":"setup_and_admin","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"How much setup and ongoing admin does each take?","introMarkdown":"Operator Connect is the lighter setup by a wide margin. After you choose an operator in the Teams admin center under Voice and Operator Connect, select your countries, and share contact details, the operator uploads numbers to your tenant and you assign them to users from the same console, often within minutes.[5] There is no SBC to pair and no routing policy to write, so much of the deployment reduces to picking an operator and assigning numbers.[5][9]\n\nDirect Routing asks for more upfront and continuing work because you are standing up the connection yourself. Configuration runs through the Teams admin center or PowerShell and includes pairing the SBC by its FQDN, voice-enabling users, and building the call routing with voice routes, PSTN usages, and voice routing policies.[3] You also own the ongoing maintenance: renewing the SBC certificate before it expires, tracking certified firmware versions, and adjusting routing as numbers and sites change.[3][4] Independent guides consistently describe Direct Routing as the more complex option to deploy and Operator Connect as the faster one, which matches Microsoft's own framing of operator-managed versus customer-managed connectivity.[7][10]","introHtml":"Operator Connect is the lighter setup by a wide margin. After you choose an operator in the Teams admin center under Voice and Operator Connect, select your countries, and share contact details, the operator uploads numbers to your tenant and you assign them to users from the same console, often within minutes.[5] There is no SBC to pair and no routing policy to write, so much of the deployment reduces to picking an operator and assigning numbers.[5][9]
\nDirect Routing asks for more upfront and continuing work because you are standing up the connection yourself. Configuration runs through the Teams admin center or PowerShell and includes pairing the SBC by its FQDN, voice-enabling users, and building the call routing with voice routes, PSTN usages, and voice routing policies.[3] You also own the ongoing maintenance: renewing the SBC certificate before it expires, tracking certified firmware versions, and adjusting routing as numbers and sites change.[3][4] Independent guides consistently describe Direct Routing as the more complex option to deploy and Operator Connect as the faster one, which matches Microsoft's own framing of operator-managed versus customer-managed connectivity.[7][10]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":4},{"id":"e2034796-6094-4e04-b67d-d9fbef86e63a","sectionKey":"control_and_integration","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"How much control and integration do you get?","introMarkdown":"Direct Routing gives you the most control over call routing and the widest integration with existing telephony, which is its main reason to exist. Because you own the SBC and the voice routing policies, you can write granular rules, apply location-based routing to restrict toll bypass, and connect Teams to a third-party PBX, a contact center, analog devices, or overhead paging.[1][3] A common pattern routes calls to phones on a legacy PBX through Direct Routing so they stay inside the enterprise network rather than crossing the PSTN, while other calls exit through whatever carrier is assigned to the user.[3]\n\nOperator Connect trades some of that flexibility for simplicity. Call routing is largely managed by the operator, with the Teams admin able to configure dialed-number translation but not the full routing stack, so the customization sits within what the operator profile allows.[1][7] For most standard calling needs that is enough, and keeping the routing with the operator is the point of choosing a managed model.[1][7] Organizations that need advanced routing logic, want to keep specialized on-premises equipment, or run their own contact-center integration tend to land on Direct Routing precisely because that control stays with them.[8][7]","introHtml":"Direct Routing gives you the most control over call routing and the widest integration with existing telephony, which is its main reason to exist. Because you own the SBC and the voice routing policies, you can write granular rules, apply location-based routing to restrict toll bypass, and connect Teams to a third-party PBX, a contact center, analog devices, or overhead paging.[1][3] A common pattern routes calls to phones on a legacy PBX through Direct Routing so they stay inside the enterprise network rather than crossing the PSTN, while other calls exit through whatever carrier is assigned to the user.[3]
\nOperator Connect trades some of that flexibility for simplicity. Call routing is largely managed by the operator, with the Teams admin able to configure dialed-number translation but not the full routing stack, so the customization sits within what the operator profile allows.[1][7] For most standard calling needs that is enough, and keeping the routing with the operator is the point of choosing a managed model.[1][7] Organizations that need advanced routing logic, want to keep specialized on-premises equipment, or run their own contact-center integration tend to land on Direct Routing precisely because that control stays with them.[8][7]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":5},{"id":"a19e59e2-9bbf-46c9-a285-41dc4fbfa019","sectionKey":"emergency_survivability_coverage","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"How do emergency calling, survivability, and coverage compare?","introMarkdown":"Coverage and resilience are where the two models diverge in ways that are easy to miss during planning. Direct Routing is the only PSTN option that works in any country or region, because it depends on your carrier and SBC rather than on Microsoft or an operator selling service in that market.[1] Operator Connect is available only where a participating operator offers service, so a company with offices outside that footprint often combines connectivity types by region.[2]\n\nEmergency calling and survivability also differ. With Operator Connect, the registered emergency address is optional and is enabled and managed by the operator, and dynamic emergency calling is supported.[1] Direct Routing supports dynamic location for emergency calls but requires additional configuration, and Microsoft's comparison notes that a registered, static emergency address is not supported the way it is for the managed options.[1] Direct Routing is also the only model that can keep local PSTN calls working through a Survivable Branch Appliance if the connection to the Microsoft cloud is interrupted, which matters for sites that cannot afford to lose dial tone during an outage.[1] United States deployments carry regulatory emergency-calling obligations under both models, so the address and routing setup deserves attention regardless of which you choose.[1]","introHtml":"Coverage and resilience are where the two models diverge in ways that are easy to miss during planning. Direct Routing is the only PSTN option that works in any country or region, because it depends on your carrier and SBC rather than on Microsoft or an operator selling service in that market.[1] Operator Connect is available only where a participating operator offers service, so a company with offices outside that footprint often combines connectivity types by region.[2]
\nEmergency calling and survivability also differ. With Operator Connect, the registered emergency address is optional and is enabled and managed by the operator, and dynamic emergency calling is supported.[1] Direct Routing supports dynamic location for emergency calls but requires additional configuration, and Microsoft's comparison notes that a registered, static emergency address is not supported the way it is for the managed options.[1] Direct Routing is also the only model that can keep local PSTN calls working through a Survivable Branch Appliance if the connection to the Microsoft cloud is interrupted, which matters for sites that cannot afford to lose dial tone during an outage.[1] United States deployments carry regulatory emergency-calling obligations under both models, so the address and routing setup deserves attention regardless of which you choose.[1]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":6},{"id":"77e1df33-96d8-4e23-b2c8-528a4fd1fba6","sectionKey":"which_fits_and_hybrid","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Which one fits your situation, and can you use both?","introMarkdown":"The right model follows from your constraints rather than a ranking, since each is a good fit for a different situation. Operator Connect suits an organization that wants managed calling with little setup, whose preferred carrier is in the program or that is comfortable choosing a participating operator, especially where it does not need deep routing control.[2][1] Direct Routing suits an organization that needs a specific carrier, has to connect legacy PBX or analog equipment, wants full control of routing, or operates in a country where Operator Connect and Calling Plan are not sold.[1][3]\n\n### You can run both at once\n\nA single tenant is not locked into one model. Microsoft supports mixing PSTN connectivity types, and you can even assign a user an Operator Connect or Calling Plan number while routing some of their calls, such as calls to a third-party PBX, through Direct Routing.[1][3] A frequent design uses Operator Connect for standard knowledge workers and Direct Routing for sites with legacy gear or carriers outside the program, which lets each office use the model that fits it.[1][9]\n\n### What to watch either way\n\nBoth models still require a Teams Phone license per user, so the connectivity choice sits on top of that cost rather than replacing it.[1][6] With Direct Routing, budget for the SBC and its upkeep, whether you run it or a provider does, because that infrastructure is the real difference in total effort.[3][10] With Operator Connect, confirm that an operator actually serves every country you need before you commit, since coverage is only as broad as the participating operators in your markets.[2]","introHtml":"The right model follows from your constraints rather than a ranking, since each is a good fit for a different situation. Operator Connect suits an organization that wants managed calling with little setup, whose preferred carrier is in the program or that is comfortable choosing a participating operator, especially where it does not need deep routing control.[2][1] Direct Routing suits an organization that needs a specific carrier, has to connect legacy PBX or analog equipment, wants full control of routing, or operates in a country where Operator Connect and Calling Plan are not sold.[1][3]
\nA single tenant is not locked into one model. Microsoft supports mixing PSTN connectivity types, and you can even assign a user an Operator Connect or Calling Plan number while routing some of their calls, such as calls to a third-party PBX, through Direct Routing.[1][3] A frequent design uses Operator Connect for standard knowledge workers and Direct Routing for sites with legacy gear or carriers outside the program, which lets each office use the model that fits it.[1][9]
\nBoth models still require a Teams Phone license per user, so the connectivity choice sits on top of that cost rather than replacing it.[1][6] With Direct Routing, budget for the SBC and its upkeep, whether you run it or a provider does, because that infrastructure is the real difference in total effort.[3][10] With Operator Connect, confirm that an operator actually serves every country you need before you commit, since coverage is only as broad as the participating operators in your markets.[2]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":7},{"id":"78d1b260-5d92-45c7-9b69-29b58c710e45","sectionKey":"contributor_perspective","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"How this answer was researched","introMarkdown":"The distinctions here come primarily from Microsoft's own Teams documentation on Microsoft Learn: the PSTN connectivity options overview, the planning pages for Operator Connect and Direct Routing, the Operator Connect configuration steps, and the list of certified session border controllers.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Those pages are the authoritative source for what each model manages, what licensing it requires, and how each is set up. Independent explainers from unified-communications publications and telecom providers were used to corroborate the practical differences in deployment effort, control, and carrier choice, and they align with Microsoft's operator-managed versus customer-managed framing.[7][8][9][10][11] Microsoft updates Teams connectivity models, operator availability, and configuration steps regularly, so specifics such as the certified SBC list and the operators in a given country reflect what the cited pages stated on the verification date. Practitioners who deploy or manage Teams Phone connectivity are welcome to suggest corrections or additions, which are checked against Microsoft's primary documentation before any update.","introHtml":"The distinctions here come primarily from Microsoft's own Teams documentation on Microsoft Learn: the PSTN connectivity options overview, the planning pages for Operator Connect and Direct Routing, the Operator Connect configuration steps, and the list of certified session border controllers.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Those pages are the authoritative source for what each model manages, what licensing it requires, and how each is set up. Independent explainers from unified-communications publications and telecom providers were used to corroborate the practical differences in deployment effort, control, and carrier choice, and they align with Microsoft's operator-managed versus customer-managed framing.[7][8][9][10][11] Microsoft updates Teams connectivity models, operator availability, and configuration steps regularly, so specifics such as the certified SBC list and the operators in a given country reflect what the cited pages stated on the verification date. Practitioners who deploy or manage Teams Phone connectivity are welcome to suggest corrections or additions, which are checked against Microsoft's primary documentation before any update.
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":"This answer was written and reviewed by the AnswerStack Editorial Team, which has no commercial stake in the products, companies, or methods discussed. Every claim is cited inline and verified on the dates shown.","noteHtml":"This answer was written and reviewed by the AnswerStack Editorial Team, which has no commercial stake in the products, companies, or methods discussed. Every claim is cited inline and verified on the dates shown.
\n","sortOrder":8}],"citations":[{"title":"Microsoft - PSTN connectivity options","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/pstn-connectivity","excerpt":"With the Direct Routing model, you can use any PSTN operator. Integration of your preferred PSTN operator's access to your tenant is achieved through a certified Session Border Controller (SBC) that is procured, installed, and managed by you, your integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service (DRaaS) provider.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"The four PSTN connectivity models; Direct Routing uses any operator through a certified SBC procured, installed, and managed by you, an integrator, or a DRaaS provider; Operator Connect uses a certified third-party operator with no infrastructure to manage; Direct Routing works in any country or reg","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft"},{"title":"Microsoft - Plan for Operator Connect","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/operator-connect-plan","excerpt":"Your operator manages the PSTN calling services and Session Border Controllers (SBCs), allowing you to save on hardware purchase and management.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Operator Connect operator manages the PSTN calling services and SBCs, saving hardware purchase and management; keep an existing operator or choose a participating one; faster deployment from the Teams admin center; requires Teams Phone license and TeamsOnly mode; availability limited to participatin","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft"},{"title":"Plan Direct Routing - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/direct-routing-plan","excerpt":"Direct Routing lets you connect a supported, customer-provided Session Border Controller (SBC) to Microsoft Teams Phone.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Direct Routing connects a supported, customer-provided SBC to Teams Phone; use virtually any PSTN trunk; interoperate with third-party PBX and analog devices; keep an existing carrier contract; Teams Phone and Teams licenses required; SBC infrastructure requirements (certificate, FQDN/DNS, firewall ","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Session Border Controllers certified for Direct Routing - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/direct-routing-border-controllers","excerpt":"Microsoft only supports certified SBCs to pair with Direct Routing.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Microsoft only supports certified SBCs with Direct Routing; certified vendors include AudioCodes, Ribbon, Oracle, Cisco, and TE-SYSTEMS; support escalation flows through the SBC vendor; certified firmware version requirement","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Microsoft - Configure Operator Connect","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/operator-connect-configure","excerpt":"You can enable, edit, and remove operators in the Teams admin center. In the left navigation pane, go to Voice > Operator Connect.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Enable an operator in the Teams admin center under Voice and Operator Connect, select countries, then the operator uploads numbers and you assign them to users; no SBC to configure; users need a Phone System license and TeamsOnly mode","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft"},{"title":"What is Teams Phone","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/what-is-phone-system-in-office-365","excerpt":"A PSTN solution is separate from a Teams Phone license. A PSTN solution provides a customer's tenant with phone numbers and PSTN access to domestic, international, and emergency calling. The Teams Phone license entitles a Teams user to enhanced calling capabilities within the tenant and access to the PSTN solution.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Teams Phone is Microsoft's call control and PBX technology in Microsoft 365; internal Teams calls stay off the PSTN; a PSTN solution is separate from the Teams Phone license and both are required for external calls; any combination of PSTN solutions is supported","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Microsoft Operator Connect vs Direct Routing","url":"https://www.uctoday.com/unified-communications/microsoft-operator-connect-vs-direct-routing/","excerpt":"Connecting and assigning phone numbers to users only takes minutes.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent corroboration that Operator Connect is operator-managed with no local SBC, deploys in minutes from the Teams admin center, and offers less routing control, while Direct Routing keeps the SBC in the corporate data center, works with virtually any provider, and suits organizations needing ","domain":"uctoday.com","publisherName":"UC Today"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams Direct Routing vs. Operator Connect","url":"https://ribboncommunications.com/company/get-help/glossary/microsoft-teams-direct-routing-vs-operator-connect","excerpt":"Direct Routing allows companies to have more flexibility.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent corroboration that Direct Routing gives more flexibility and customer-managed SBC control for advanced features and carrier choice, while Operator Connect is provider-managed with numbers assigned from the Operators tab and is limited to participating operators","domain":"ribboncommunications.com","publisherName":"Ribbon Communications"},{"title":"What Is the Difference Between Operator Connect, Calling Plans and Direct Routing for Teams?","url":"https://www.pure-ip.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-operator-connect-microsoft-calling-plans-and-direct-routing-for-teams","excerpt":"Yes, you can mix Direct Routing and Operator Connect within the same Microsoft Teams environment. Microsoft fully supports a hybrid configuration.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent corroboration that the carrier owns the connectivity in Operator Connect (fast deployment, no SBC) while Direct Routing is customer-managed with an SBC, and that Microsoft fully supports a hybrid mix of Operator Connect and Direct Routing in one tenant","domain":"pure-ip.com","publisherName":"Pure IP"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams: Calling Plans Vs Operator Connect Vs Direct Routing","url":"https://www.communicationsquare.com/news/calling-plans-vs-operator-connect-vs-direct-routing/","excerpt":"Direct routing requires additional infrastructure, such as a session border controller (SBC), which can add to the upfront cost.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent corroboration that Direct Routing requires additional infrastructure such as an SBC that adds to upfront cost and complexity, that the operator manages the SBCs under Operator Connect for cost savings, and that Direct Routing offers the most customization","domain":"communicationsquare.com","publisherName":"Communication Square"},{"title":"Microsoft Operator Connect Explained: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It","url":"https://www.atlantech.net/blog/microsoft-operator-connect-explained","excerpt":"Operator Connect reduces operational overhead by eliminating the need for customer-managed Session Border Controllers (SBCs).","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"SUPPORTING","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Business-facing corroboration that Operator Connect is a Microsoft-certified, operator-managed calling model that removes the need for customer-managed SBCs; corroborated by [2] and [1]","domain":"atlantech.net","publisherName":"Atlantech Online"}],"revisions":[],"relatedAnswers":[{"id":"9cfa6183-815b-4644-861d-2bfe543492cc","slug":"how-does-teams-phone-work","question":"How does Teams Phone work?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:47:27.534","confidenceScore":93,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone turns Microsoft 365 into a cloud phone system: a call-control service in the cloud acts as the PBX, internal calls run over the internet, and a Teams Phone license plus a PSTN connection (Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing) let users dial real phone numbers. Admins assign numbers, voice enable users, and build auto attendants and call queues, while call audio flows over the most direct path it can find, encrypted with SRTP.","url":"/q/how-does-teams-phone-work"},{"id":"8317c7a7-d7a6-4a7c-8428-441b19177913","slug":"how-do-i-choose-a-pstn-connectivity-option-for-teams-phone","question":"How do I choose a PSTN connectivity option for Teams Phone?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:43:05.249","confidenceScore":92,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone needs a PSTN connection on top of the phone license, and Microsoft offers four ways to provide it: a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, and Direct Routing. The right pick depends on whether Calling Plans are sold in your countries, whether you want to keep a current carrier, how much infrastructure you want to run, and any emergency-calling or continuity needs. A single tenant can combine options by region or by type of worker.","url":"/q/how-do-i-choose-a-pstn-connectivity-option-for-teams-phone"},{"id":"67fc8518-2dba-4c3b-8029-0a39c59afd28","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-teams-phone-and-a-calling-plan","question":"What is the difference between Teams Phone and a Calling Plan?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:41:44.225","confidenceScore":95,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone and a Microsoft Calling Plan are two different purchases that most organizations buy together. Teams Phone is the cloud phone system, the per-user license that adds PBX features like auto attendants, call queues, and PSTN dialing. A Calling Plan is one of four ways to connect that phone system to the public phone network; it makes Microsoft your carrier and supplies the numbers and minutes. Internal Teams calls need neither, and a Calling Plan cannot work without a Teams Phone license underneath it.","url":"/q/what-is-the-difference-between-teams-phone-and-a-calling-plan"},{"id":"dc0dd213-a7d5-4cd3-95e3-5457b9308922","slug":"what-teams-phone-license-do-i-need","question":"What Teams Phone license do I need?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:41:33.762","confidenceScore":93,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone licensing comes in layers. Every user needs a base Microsoft 365 or Teams subscription, then a Teams Phone license, then a PSTN connection for external calls. E5 plans already include Teams Phone; lower tiers add Teams Phone Standard at about $10 per user per month. A Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing supplies the outside line, and only the Microsoft Calling Plan route needs its own extra license.","url":"/q/what-teams-phone-license-do-i-need"}],"contributorStats":{"verifiedAnswers":224,"openDisputes":0},"schemaJson":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between Direct Routing and Operator Connect?","text":"What is the difference between Direct Routing and Operator Connect?","url":"https://www.answerstack.io/q/what-is-the-difference-between-direct-routing-and-operator-connect","answerCount":1,"datePublished":"2026-07-18T03:39:37.83","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"AnswerStack Editorial Team","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AnswerStack"},"url":"https://www.answerstack.io/contributors/answer-stack"},"about":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"Teams Phone"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Telecommunications"}],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Direct Routing and Operator Connect are two of the four ways to connect Microsoft Teams Phone to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and the core difference is who owns and manages the connection to your phone carrier.[1] With Operator Connect, you pick a carrier from Microsoft's certified operator program, and that operator runs the session border controllers (SBCs) and the PSTN calling service for you, so you enable them in the Teams admin center and assign numbers without touching any voice hardware.[2][5] With Direct Routing, you bring your own carrier and procure, install, and manage a certified SBC yourself or through a provider, which lets you use almost any trunk and connect legacy PBXs and analog devices, at the cost of running that infrastructure.[3][4] Both models require a Teams Phone license on each user, and one tenant can run both at once, mixing them by region or by type of worker.[1][6] Operator Connect tends to fit organizations that want managed calling with little setup, while Direct Routing fits those that need a specific carrier, a legacy integration, or coverage where the other options are not sold.[1][3]","url":"https://www.answerstack.io/q/what-is-the-difference-between-direct-routing-and-operator-connect","upvoteCount":0,"datePublished":"2026-07-18T03:39:37.83","dateModified":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"AnswerStack Editorial Team","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AnswerStack"},"url":"https://www.answerstack.io/contributors/answer-stack"},"citation":[{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft - PSTN connectivity options","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/pstn-connectivity"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft - Plan for Operator Connect","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/operator-connect-plan"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Plan Direct Routing - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/direct-routing-plan"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Session Border Controllers certified for Direct Routing - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/direct-routing-border-controllers"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft - Configure Operator Connect","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/operator-connect-configure"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"What is Teams Phone","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/what-is-phone-system-in-office-365"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Operator Connect vs Direct Routing","url":"https://www.uctoday.com/unified-communications/microsoft-operator-connect-vs-direct-routing/"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams Direct Routing vs. Operator Connect","url":"https://ribboncommunications.com/company/get-help/glossary/microsoft-teams-direct-routing-vs-operator-connect"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"What Is the Difference Between Operator Connect, Calling Plans and Direct Routing for Teams?","url":"https://www.pure-ip.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-operator-connect-microsoft-calling-plans-and-direct-routing-for-teams"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams: Calling Plans Vs Operator Connect Vs Direct Routing","url":"https://www.communicationsquare.com/news/calling-plans-vs-operator-connect-vs-direct-routing/"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Operator Connect Explained: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It","url":"https://www.atlantech.net/blog/microsoft-operator-connect-explained"}]}}}