THE BRAINTREE APPROACH
Operator Connect or Direct Routing.
The dial tone is part of the project. Braintree assesses the network, numbers and existing telephony before recommending a path, then scopes the design, transition and ongoing responsibilities together.
01
Operator Connect
Consider an operator-integrated route when you want PSTN calling in Teams without managing a session border controller. Confirm operator coverage, supported numbers, calling requirements and porting dependencies. Braintree coordinates the design and the operator relationship within the agreed engagement.
02
Direct Routing
Consider Direct Routing when the business needs PBX coexistence, custom routing or a specific number arrangement. This route uses a SIP trunk and session border controller, with additional infrastructure and management responsibilities to scope. It can support a phased transition from the existing estate.
03
Prove the calling experience
Test the network and call-handling design with the people using it. Agree queues, auto attendants, endpoints and call-quality monitoring before wider rollout, with ownership clear across the operator, Microsoft and Braintree.
SERVICE SCOPE
What’s in scope.
01
Teams Phone design
Map inbound and outbound calling, auto attendants, call queues and voicemail to the organisation’s working pattern. Identify the users, departments and shared numbers involved, including requirements for desktop, mobile and meeting-room endpoints.
02
Operator Connect
Evaluate Operator Connect for PSTN connectivity through a supported operator. Review number availability, service coverage, porting requirements and the operating responsibilities before selecting the provider and deployment approach.
03
Direct Routing
Consider Direct Routing where the estate needs PBX coexistence, specific routing or number-range requirements. The scope includes the SIP trunk, session border controller and the additional configuration and management involved in that call path.
04
Network and number readiness
Assess the network conditions and existing number estate before scheduling a transition. Record fixed-line and direct-dial ranges, carrier dependencies, emergency-calling requirements and the validation needed to establish that callers reach the intended destination.
05
Administration and device readiness
Connect the calling design with Teams administration, call-quality information and supported handsets, headsets or room devices. Define who manages numbers, policies and incidents, and how users will be prepared for the new calling workflow.
A voice review should explain the route and the transition.
Begin with the current telephony estate and the calls the business must support. Compare the viable options using both operational requirements and the full commercial scope.
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Number ranges, users, call flows and current carrier arrangements.
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Network readiness and endpoint requirements.
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Operator Connect or Direct Routing recommendation with dependencies.
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Porting, coexistence, testing and rollback considerations.
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Licence, carrier, infrastructure and support assumptions for TCO comparison.
01
Follow the call through the business
Voice requirements are clearest when an incoming or outgoing call is traced from the public number to the person, team or system that handles it. Include reception, branch offices, shared lines, queues and calls outside working hours. A mobile employee and a reception desk may need different endpoints and operating procedures even when both use Teams.
Microsoft documents several PSTN connectivity routes, including Operator Connect and Direct Routing. The published Braintree service focuses on choosing the appropriate telephony design and transition. Licensing, carrier arrangements and call handling must be considered together; an application installed on a laptop is not a complete business-phone deployment.
02
Prepare the number estate and operational exceptions
Bring number ranges, carrier details, contracts, current routing, user groups and any PBX dependencies. Identify analogue or specialist devices, existing contact-centre functions, recording requirements and the calls that cannot be interrupted. Network readiness should reflect the locations and access paths users actually rely on.
Agree the carrier responsibilities, number-porting plan, coexistence requirements and acceptance tests for inbound and outbound calls. The customer must confirm business call flows, authorise the number changes and nominate users to validate the experience. The operational handover should identify support boundaries between Teams configuration, connectivity, endpoints and the carrier. Availability of a route or feature in another market is not evidence that it fits the local number estate.
03
Telephony choices to compare
Decision
Evidence to examine
What to agree
Connectivity route
Carrier availability, current PBX, routing control and support requirements.
The suitable PSTN option and all infrastructure or provider dependencies.
Call handling
Reception, queues, shared numbers, working hours and escalation.
The configuration and user experience that must pass acceptance.
Transition
Porting eligibility, coexistence, business calendar and critical numbers.
The sequence, contact responsibilities and fallback arrangements.
BEFORE YOU DECIDE
Practical questions.
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Is a Teams collaboration licence the whole calling solution?
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Can an existing PBX remain during transition?
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Can we keep existing numbers?
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Does Operator Connect remove every telephony dependency?
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When does Direct Routing warrant consideration?
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Can reception and shared calling requirements be included?
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How is call quality accepted?
BUILD YOUR BUSINESS CASE
Make voice part of the workplace decision.
The problem to solve.
Call routing, carriers, handsets and support can remain disconnected from the collaboration tools employees already use.
What success should look like.
Choose a voice model around numbers, call flows, location needs and resilience, with clear ownership across Microsoft and the carrier.
Bring these into the discussion.
A useful starting point for your team and the people approving the investment.
Useful reading for your proposal.
Evidence, examples and questions to take into the decision.
Insight
13 April 2026
Related expertise
Understand Braintree’s Teams meeting expertise
Review Braintree’s meeting-room capability as part of the wider Teams workplace.
Read the insight
Customer story
7 September 2023
Related customer experience
Efficient Group: collaboration across locations
A Teams and Azure workplace example for the broader collaboration discussion.
Read the customer story
LET’S GROW.
Work through the next step with Braintree.
Bring the numbers, call flows and current carrier arrangement. We can help compare the voice options and migration work.
