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Hybrid working - Operator Connect vs Direct Routing
Operator Connect and Direct Routing offer distinct paths to enhancing communication within Microsoft Teams. Your choice should align with your financial goals and growth plans, fostering collaboration and innovation.
Hybrid working with Operator Connect
Operator Connect is significant because it's a structured way of introducing the concept of globalised hybrid working. It makes it easier for organisations to incorporate PSTN calling into Microsoft Teams through the preferred telephony service provider.
This is advantageous for organisations or businesses with simple communication requirements, as external calls can be made quickly without making numerous settings. Telecom operators manage Operator Connect, which places less load on the resources of any company organisation and guarantees service quality.
Advantages of Hybrid work
| Advantages of Hybrid Work | Description |
| Ease of Use | Simplified integration enables both remote and on-site employees to stay connected effortlessly. |
| Reliability | Managed by the telecom operator, ensuring consistent performance and minimising downtime. |
| Scalability | Ideal for smaller to medium-sized businesses with less complex communication needs. |
Hybrid working with Direct Routing
Direct Routing gives more choice and customisation, which, in many cases, can be pivotal for organisations relying on a mixture of workplace models. SIP trunking, through which an integrated PSTN calling can be reached with a selected SIP trunk provider, can be adjusted to specific requirements most suitably.
Direct Routing tailors more complex configurations, such as interfacing with other applications and systems, making the product a better fit for enterprise-level companies.
Advantages of Hybrid work with Direct Routing
| Advantages of Hybrid Work with Direct Routing | Description |
| Customization | Tailor communication solutions to specific business processes and needs. |
| Flexibility | Supports complex setups, making it adaptable to various hybrid working models. |
| Advanced Features | Enables integration with call centres, mobile teams, and other advanced functionalities. |
Difference between Direct Routing and Operator Connect
| Aspect | Direct Routing | Operator Connect |
| Carrier Selection | Bring your own carrier (vendor other than Microsoft) | Choose from approved carriers verified by Microsoft |
| Managed Environment | On-premises or cloud-managed SBC | Cloud-only |
| SBC Approval | Microsoft must approve session border controllers | Microsoft must verify operators |
| Number Management | Numbers managed on third-party software | Numbers managed in Teams Admin Center |
| Interface | Different interface per SBC | Same interface if you have multiple carriers |
| Availability | Available wherever your SBC is | Not available in all countries |
| Legacy PBX Support | Supports legacy PBX functionality via SBC | Legacy PBX functionality not supported |
| PBX Integrations | Supports all PBX integrations | Supports Microsoft 365-approved integrations |
| Hybrid Deployments | Supports hybrid deployments | No support for hybrid deployments |
| Voice Routing | Configurable voice routing | Standard voice routing only |
| Control and Features | Enhanced control over connections, DIDs, and call routing | Simplified provisioning with valuable APIs |
| Advanced Features | Integration of complex calling features like call recording and speech-to-text technology (e.g., fax) | Integration with third-party services (e.g., call centres) |
Deployment strategies and implementation tips
Now let us walk through Operator connect vs Direct Routing deployment strategies and implementation tips for unparalleled success:
Operator Connect implementation
- Best Operator Connect Providers Selection: Sign up with one of the top operator connect providers that Microsoft has partnered with from its list that depends on the communication needs and would want.
- Admin Dashboard Integration: However, to better understand how to use Teams and integrate it into your chosen provider, it authorises you to authorise the “Operators” tab in the Teams admin central.
- User Allocation: User phone numbers should be assigned within the Teams environment, as this ensures easy communication deployment and management.
- Scalability and Simplicity: Operator Connect's most superficial level is well-aligned with small companies or those without complex communication requirements.
Direct Routing implementation
- SIP Trunk Provider Selection: Choosing a suitable SIP trunk provider involves determining the provider with the most flexibility and functionality and, ideally, the cheapest provider.
- Backend Configuration: Ensure that your selected SIP trunk provider's backend effectively interconnects with Microsoft Teams to facilitate outside-in calling.
- Customisation: This should be planned for the required customisation, integrating the contact centre or accommodating a mobile workforce.
Points of alignment
- Cost Effectiveness: Evaluate each option's feasibility and number-crunching aspect in terms of your organisation's usage patterns and demand.
- Scalability: Consider the specifics of future evolution and communication changes to determine whether the selected solution can accommodate all possible modifications and additions in the foreseeable future.
- Reliable Service: Make external calling easy and reliable to ensure you are user-centred.
- Training and Assistance: Provide funding to purchase easily accessible training materials and training support instruments to ensure that your team is well-equipped for the change.
- Scalability and Future-Readiness: Operator Connect and Direct Routing support scale characteristics, but in different ways and with varying degrees of flexibility. Make sure that the chosen solution will help you achieve your future perspectives.
User experience and productivity impact
- Operator Connect: Mountain of Calls of centralised call flow, which simplifies user adoption & creates performance improvements due to ease of adoption.
- Direct Routing: We may need more training for configurations that go beyond or extend beyond the basic ones; however, they improve teamwork productivity and efficiency.
Realising cost savings and ROI
- Operator Connect: Provides the maximum cost advantages and can be recommended to companies interested in purchasing commercial off-the-shelf software. It is not a luxurious option but a practical one with all the basic features.
- Direct Routing: The main drawback of订 is that its basic subscription plans may seem more expensive. Still, adaptable pricing models may yield more net benefits and costs of ownership over the long term for larger implementers with diverse essential needs.
You must ensure the best choice for your organisation when evaluating different aspects such as HR impact, costs, scalability, user-friendliness, and platform compatibility with the new forms of work. Operator Connect pricing falls roughly through $10 per monthly seat for smaller organisations. Components include Office 365 Business Basic ($6), Phone System Add-On ($8), and PSTN Operator Connect Add-On ($6.50).
Tata Communications is among the Top operator connect providers providing Operator connect vs Direct Routing solutions for your business. You can start a free trial of either Operator Connect or Direct Routing or consult with the best operator connect providers to choose the right option for your business.
