What is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing? A Complete Guide

Microsoft Teams has become the go-to platform for unified communication and collaboration offering chat, video meetings, file sharing, and project management all in one place. However, when it comes to integrating voice calling (the ability to make and receive external phone calls through Teams), several businesses hit a roadblock.

If you’re looking into direct routing for Microsoft Teams, here’s what you need to know.

Microsoft offers Calling Plans to enable voice in Teams, but they come with limitations: higher costs, regional restrictions, and limited flexibility. This is where implementing PBX.IM's Microsoft Teams Direct Routing offers you a more adaptable, scalable, and cost-effective way to connect Teams to the traditional phone network using Session Border Controllers (SBCs) and SIP trunks.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• What Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is and how it works
• The benefits of Direct Routing vs. Microsoft Calling Plans
• How to choose the right Direct Routing provider for your business
• How PBX.IM makes Microsoft Teams voice calling easy, secure, and scalable

What is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing?

At its core, Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is a way to add full phone calling capabilities to your Microsoft Teams setup without being tied down to Microsoft’s own Calling Plans.

When you use Microsoft Teams for chat, meetings, and collaboration, your team stays connected inside the platform – but what if you want to call regular phone numbers, like a customer’s mobile or a supplier’s office landline? Microsoft’s built-in solution is Microsoft Calling Plans, which give you phone numbers and calling features through Microsoft’s network. However these plans come with less flexibility.

That’s where Direct Routing comes in.

Direct Routing connects your Microsoft Teams environment to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the regular phone network that allows you to call mobiles and landlines around the world, using a Session Border Controller (SBC) and SIP trunks. Instead of relying solely on Microsoft’s service, it lets you choose your own VoIP provider (like PBX.IM) to handle the calling side. This gives you more control over costs, flexibility to scale, and the ability to use advanced call features.

Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Teams Direct Routing lets your business use Microsoft Teams as a full business phone system.
• You can keep your existing phone numbers or choose new ones, and connect them to Teams.
• Calls are managed by a secure SBC (a virtual gatekeeper) and routed through a SIP trunk (a digital phone line) provided by a trusted provider like PBX.IM.
• You gain access to advanced features like voicemail, auto-attendants, call queues, and local caller IDs  plus global coverage.

How Does Teams Direct Routing Work?

Basically, Direct Routing acts as a bridge that connects your Microsoft Teams platform to the outside world the regular phone network. This allows your team to make and receive calls to any number, anywhere, directly from within Teams.

Here’s a more detailed outline of how it all works:

Microsoft Teams as Your Communication Hub

Your business already uses Microsoft Teams for internal communication: messaging, meetings, file sharing, and more. However, Teams doesn’t automatically let you call external phone numbers, like a customer’s cell phone or a supplier’s landline. That’s where Direct Routing fills the gap.

Let’s take each component one by one:

The Role of the Session Border Controller (SBC)

The SBC is like a translator and a security guard merged into one. It connects your Teams environment to the outside phone network, converting digital calls from Teams into a format that the public phone system understands and vice versa. It also handles things like call routing, traffic management, and keeping your voice data secure.

Key benefits of an SBC:

• Converts Microsoft Teams digital calls to standard phone calls (and back)
• Secures call data with encryption
• Ensures high-quality voice transmission even under heavy call loads
  

SIP Trunking - Your Virtual Phone Lines

A SIP trunk is like a virtual highway for your calls, connecting the SBC to the PSTN  the global phone system we all use for mobile and landline calls. Instead of using physical phone lines, SIP trunks carry calls over the internet. This means you can scale up your calling capacity without expensive hardware.

SIP trunk helps your business to:

• Reduces costs compared to traditional phone lines
• Scales easily with your business needs
• Works from anywhere with a stable internet connection

PSTN - The Global Phone Network

This is the network your customers, partners, and suppliers use to make and receive calls. Direct Routing ensures that your Teams environment connects to this network so when you call a mobile or landline number, it goes through just like any regular phone call.

Modern and More Efficient Communication: Teams Direct Routing

Now that you understand how direct routing works, let’s look into some of the main benefits it offers to your business:

1. Single Hub for All Communication

With Direct Routing, Microsoft Teams becomes your one-stop platform for all communication: messaging, meetings, file sharing, and now, phone calls to external numbers. No need to switch between multiple apps or systems. It’s all integrated and easy to use.

2. Greater Flexibility

Microsoft’s own Calling Plans are limited, but with Direct Routing gives you the freedom to:

• Choose your own VoIP provider (like PBX.IM) for better rates and service
• Use your existing phone numbers and keep them when moving to Teams
• Customize features like auto-attendants, call queues, and local caller IDs
  

3. Scalable and Cost-Effective

Whether you’re a small business or a growing enterprise, Direct Routing scales with you. With SIP trunking and a managed SBC from PBX.IM, you can add users, phone lines, and features as needed. You can check PBX.IM’s pricing page here. 

4. Advanced Call Features for Professional Service

Your clients expect more than just a “hello.” Direct Routing lets you deliver:

• Voicemail-to-email so messages never get missed
• Call queuing and routing to connect clients to the right person
• Local caller ID that builds trust and improves answer rates
• Advanced call analytics to monitor performance and optimize workflows
  

5. Designed for Hybrid and Remote Work

Your team isn’t always in the same place and that’s okay. Direct Routing works wherever your team does, as long as they have Teams and an internet connection. PBX.IM ensures that remote and hybrid workers have the same high-quality calling experience as in-office staff.

Here are some use cases where Teams Direct Routing usually works best:

• Sales teams making outbound calls to clients and prospects globally
• Support centers handling high call volumes with smart routing and queuing
• Professional services (law, finance, consulting) requiring reliable voice communication with clients
• Healthcare providers coordinating appointments and follow-ups in a timely and securely manner
• Any organization wanting to modernize and simplify its communication systems

Teams Direct Routing a New Solution in Cloud Telephony?

If Direct Routing sounds interesting for your business let’s see how it fits into the cloud telephony trend. 

Cloud telephony, also known as hosted telephony or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), delivers phone services via the internet rather than traditional phone lines. With cloud telephony:

• There’s no need for expensive PBX hardware in your office.
• Calls can be made and received from anywhere with an internet connection.
• You can scale your phone system easily as your business grows.
• Advanced features like call forwarding, voicemail, and analytics are built-in.

Direct Routing brings cloud telephony directly into Microsoft Teams, transforming it from a collaboration tool into a complete cloud-based phone system instead of relying on Microsoft’s own Calling Plans.

Microsoft Teams Calling Plans vs. PBX.IM Direct Routing?

Speaking of Microsoft Calling Plans, let’s analyze how they are different from PBX.IM Direct Routing. 

If you are a business owner looking into ways to add voice calling to Microsoft Teams you have 2 options:

• Microsoft Calling Plans (Microsoft’s built-in calling service)
• Direct Routing with PBX.IM (a flexible solution that connects Teams to the global phone network)

We will take each one, step by step, to see which one better suits your needs.

How to Choose a Direct Routing Provider? 

Already have enough reasons to start using Direct Routing? Now let’s analyze together some of the criteria to should consider when choosing a provider. 

1. Global Coverage

Your provider should offer service not just in your region but anywhere your business operates. PBX.IM supports calling in many countries, so your calls go through wherever your clients or team members are.

2. Easy Integration with Microsoft Teams

You want a provider that makes connecting Teams to the phone network simple. PBX.IM handles all the technical parts, including SBC setup, SIP trunking, and number management, so you can focus on running your business. Just drop a message to our support team here. 

3. Competitive Pricing

Look for clear, predictable pricing that won’t blow your budget. PBX.IM offers customizable plans that grow with your business and save you money compared to Microsoft Calling Plans.

4. Feature-Rich Service

Your provider should give you professional features that make your team’s life easier, like:

• Local caller ID
• Voicemail-to-email
• Call routing and queues
• Real-time call reporting

 PBX.IM includes all these features in one simple platform.

5. Reliable Support

When something goes wrong, you need help fast. PBX.IM offers dedicated support, 24/7, so you always have someone to turn to.

6. Security and Compliance

Choose a provider that meets your industry’s security and compliance needs (like GDPR, HIPAA, ISO). PBX.IM ensures your calls and data stay secure with encryption and audit-ready logs.

How to Implement Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams without Hassle? 

Ready to start using Direct Routing? Here are the steps you should follow:

1. Choose a Trusted Provider

Find a provider like PBX.IM, that offers everything you need: global coverage, simple integration with Teams, secure SBCs, and full support.

2. Plan Your Setup

Work with your provider to determine:

• Which phone numbers you want to keep or add
• How you want calls routed (e.g., by team, by location)
• What features you need (like call queues, voicemail-to-email)

3. Connect Your Teams Environment

Your provider will handle the technical connections between Teams, the SBC, and SIP trunks. With PBX.IM, this part is fully managed. Just contact our support team. 

4. Test and Go Live

Your provider will test the setup to make sure calls are working properly. Once it’s all set, your team can start making and receiving calls right from Teams.

Get started today with PBX.IM

Compliance & Security in Direct Routing

If you are in industries that are highly regulated, like finance, healthcare or legal, you already know that security and compliance are non-negotiable. Here’s how PBX.IM ensures your business security:

Secure Call Handling

PBX.IM uses Session Border Controllers (SBCs) to manage and protect your voice traffic. These SBCs:

• Encrypt call data, so conversations stay private
• Prevent unauthorized access or disruptions
• Keep your calls flowing smoothly, even during busy times

Data Privacy & Compliance

PBX.IM meets major compliance standards, including:

• GDPR for data protection
• ISO20071 certifications for quality and security
• HIPAA (if applicable) for healthcare-related calls

Reliable Uptime and Support

PBX.IM guarantees 99.99% uptime with SLA-backed uptime, so your phone system is always ready when you need it. Plus, our team is available to help with any issues or questions 24/7. 

Ready to Enable Direct Routing in Teams?

Don’t let Microsoft Calling Plans hold your business back. With PBX.IM Direct Routing, you can unlock powerful calling features in Microsoft Teams at a lower cost, with more flexibility, and without the headaches.