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PHONE SYSTEM

TEAMS PHONE

Enhance productivity and reduce telecom costs with
feature-rich, enterprise-level, cloud-connected VoIP phone systems

Enterprise-grade VoIP systems at small-business prices

MICROSOFT 365

Organizations big and small should consider Teams phone as their phone system of choice if a couple of factors are true:

– Already are using Microsoft 365 for email, Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and like Microsoft Teams for meetings, chat and collaboration, and video.

– Want to make and take calls using the Microsoft Teams application to anyone in the world versus via a 3rd party local app or browser-based soft phone.

– The organization has clarity on the traditional phone system features it requires and has reviewed the capabilities with a qualified consultant to determine any gaps in Microsoft Business Voice.

TEAMS PHONE

As you might guess there is no box in the wiring closet…

Microsoft is a cloud company and its voice strategy is fully aligned with that
model. It launched in 2017 as Microsoft basically become a worldwide
telephone company and had made investments and acquisitions like Skype.
Initially, there were some call quality issues and some pretty rudimentary
tools/interfaces to manage and configure it. Early on key features were
missing like auto attendants, call queuing, etc.

Fast forward to 2020. Having been a Microsoft Partner for 20 years we can
attest – rarely does Microsoft get it right out of the gate. Give them 3 tries or 3
years and then lookout. Today the system is feature-rich, elegant, easy as
falling down to use, scales beautifully, and is true Unified Communications
(UC).

MICROSOFT UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

AS A SERVICE

So many organizations have been working to unify communications for businesses. Unified Communications (UC) is technology that allows you to take all the forms of communication: voice, video, chat/text, voicemails, email and enable them for the user via a single service and interface that works on different devices PC, Mac, Android, Apple etc.

Microsoft has done it with Teams and Business Voice and its both an amazing technology and user experience. That doesn’t mean its for everyone. Some people don’t want or need unified communications for their business. They want traditional phone system functionality, reliability and maybe a few bells and whistles like voicemail to email. If this sounds like you the Microsoft Phone System is probably not your bag.

HANDSETS ARE OPTIONAL

Microsoft does not manufacture or sell phone handsets with screens, speaker phones etc. That said there are a number of manufacturers who design, build and offer great handsets ranging in cost from $200 to $500 per device. Yealink, Cisco, Polycom are some examples of companies that offer compatible handsets.

The handsets range from plain to downright sexy with big color touch screens, HD cameras built-in and amazing sound quality.

Many users though are ditching their handsets for good. They simply use the Microsoft Teams app on their PC/Mac and on their smartphone. The app combined with either a headset or built-in mic/speaker gives them everything they need to make, take and manage calls/voicemails.

WHAT ABOUT CONFERENCE ROOMS & MEETINGS SPACES?

Similar to the handsets Microsoft has partnered with a variety major 3rd party manufacturers to provide exceptional hardware for great audio, video, content sharing and meeting experiences.

These solutions can cover small intimate spaces or large ones. They can be as simple as a conference room phone to touch panels, dynamic cameras and multiple microphones and audio speakers placed strategically in the room.

Another nice thing is these solutions will work with other meeting platforms so if you need to connect into a Zoom, GoToMeeting or WebEx they work just like traditional voice and video solutions.

TEAMS PHONE 

FEATURES & FUNCTIONS

Phone Numbers

Organizations can get new local numbers, transfer existing phone numbers, establish toll-free numbers, or get direct phone numbers to allow callers to call/talk directly, etc. Basically, just think of Microsoft as the phone company and your Microsoft partner (such as First Call) as your resource to help your organization through those moves/adds/changes.

Moves/Adds/Changes

All of the workaround moves/adds/changes takes place via a browser in the Microsoft Tenant. An administrator can add new users, adjust licensing and features etc with point and click functionality.

All the work IT teams used to have to do when an employee moves desks, or offices, or wants to work from home etc goes away. Its cloud-based so as an employee moves as long as they have their preferred device and an internet connection the solution continues to work.

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Call Quality

Those of you who have used Teams for their interoffice communication know that call quality is very high even with heavy demand.

Microsoft continues to build out its voice capabilities in the United States and globally. That said Microsoft does not require that is the voice carrier. There are a number of 3rd party national and global carriers you can work with who offer higher levels of call quality guarantees.

As a consumer, you have tremendous choice and can also leverage 3rd parties for redundancy and voice continuity to insure you are not 100% dependent on the Microsoft Cloud.

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Maintenance

Going to the Microsoft Cloud moves the work of managing and maintain the “phone system” away from your IT team and straight to Microsoft.

What if the internet fails?

This is a great question and a consideration for any organization that is embracing the cloud – especially for voice. Calls can be forwarded to cell phones or landlines quickly and easily and routed back when the connection is restored.

BENEFITS

TEAMS PHONE

TEAMS Phone integrates through Office 365 and TEAMS platform — so setting up, the system, migrating and implementing this solution can be done rapidly and with minimal disruption.

Your employees can quickly and easily use this system.

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Single App

Calling, chat, and meetings in a single app
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Easy Billing

Simplified setup, billing, and management
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Keep Your Phone Number

Keep your own phone number or setup a new one.

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Cloud-Based

Full features of cloud-based phone system including call transfer, multi-level auto attendants, and call queues
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Trusted

Delivered from Microsoft’s trusted cloud
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Make and receive calls anywhere

Call from anywhere, on any device
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Dial-In Conference

Dial-in audio conferencing for up to 250 people per meeting.
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Versatile

Use a handset, headset, your mobile phone or your Mac/PC.

A good rule of thumb for the Teams phone software subscription and a carrier plan (whether Microsoft or 3rd Party) is $20 per user per month. This is in-line with other cloud-based unified communication services fees.

Professional fees are going to completely depend on the number of users and scope of migration. Professional services rates are going to range between $100/hour to $200/hour depending on your market.

Finally, user hardware could be as low as $0 if an organization already has compatible hardware or simply prefers not to use handsets. Many users will be perfectly happy not having a desk phone to clutter up their desk at work or at home.

TEAMS PHONE

COST OF OWNERSHIP

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Microsoft 365 subscription

Organizations must have a Microsoft 365 tenant and users subscribed to basic, standard or premium.
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Professional Services

A Qualified Microsoft Partner will have fees for design, setup, migration, installation, and training as part of the implementation.
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Microsoft Business Voice Software Subscription

Microsoft charges each user a subscription fee for the software/capabilities of the system.
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Microsoft or 3rd Party Voice Carrier (Calling Plan)

Similar to how you pay the phone company for a traditional phone system to be able to make and take domestic and/or international calls, an organization needs a call or carrier plan either from Microsoft or a 3rd party carrier to do the same thing when using the Microsoft Business Voice system.

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User hardware

Headsets, handsets, conference phones, webcams etc. These can typically be purchased or provided as a service from your vendor of choice.

Latest Reviews

Meg Ross

Business Development Director – First Call Computer Solutions

Meet with Business Development Director, Meg Ross to discuss your IT, Cybersecurity, or Unified Communications needs!

mross@firstsolution.com

406.721.6462

Jayson Olthoff

Business Development Executive- First Call Computer Solutions

Meet with Business Development Director, Jayson Olthoff to discuss your IT, Cybersecurity, or Unified Communications needs!

jolthoff@firstsolution.com

406.721.6462

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