How to Integrate Your Phone System with Microsoft Teams

Hybrid and remote work have transformed how organizations communicate. For many organizations, Microsoft Teams has become the central hub for collaboration, combining chat, meetings, file sharing, and project coordination. But many businesses are missing a key piece — a fully integrated phone system.

Integrating your business phones with Microsoft Teams creates a complete communication platform. Employees can make and receive external calls, transfer calls between departments, and access advanced features like call queues and voicemails — all from within Teams. The result: fewer tools to manage, improved collaboration, and a seamless experience for both your team and your customers.

At Yeo & Yeo Technology, we help organizations simplify this integration using YeoVoice powered by Elevate. Here’s how it works — and why it might be the right fit for your business.

Why integrate your phones with Teams?

Connecting your phone system to Microsoft Teams gives your organization several key advantages:

• One platform for all communication – No more juggling multiple apps for calling, messaging, and video meetings.
• Simplified management – IT administrators can oversee users, extensions, and permissions all from the Microsoft 365 environment.
• Improved flexibility for hybrid teams – Whether working in the office or remotely, employees stay connected with a consistent communication experience.
• Better customer service – Call queues, forwarding, and routing features help ensure clients always reach the right person.
• Cost control – Moving to a cloud-based phone system can reduce maintenance costs compared to traditional PBX hardware.

Integration options: Bringing voice to Microsoft Teams

There are three main ways to add calling capabilities to Microsoft Teams. The right option depends on your organization’s size, budget, and existing infrastructure.

1. Microsoft Calling Plans

These are Microsoft’s built-in phone plans that enable Teams users to make and receive calls over the public switched telephone network (PSTN). They’re easy to set up and ideal for smaller organizations that want an all-in-one solution managed directly by Microsoft.

However, they can be costly for larger teams, offer limited flexibility, and are only available in select regions — making them less ideal for organizations with complex communication needs.

2. Direct Routing

Direct Routing connects Teams to your existing telecom provider using a session border controller (SBC). This option offers greater customization, lower long-term costs, and allows you to retain your current phone numbers. It’s a good fit for organizations with existing PBX systems or those that want more control over features and routing.

3. Operator Connect

Operator Connect is a newer, cloud-to-cloud method that lets certified telecom providers — like Yeo & Yeo — connect Teams directly to the PSTN. It combines the simplicity of Calling Plans with the flexibility of Direct Routing. You can keep your current provider and manage everything through the Teams admin center, with no need for on-premises equipment.

How Yeo & Yeo Technology simplifies integration

Through our partnership with Intermedia, we deliver a fully managed Teams integration designed for businesses that want reliable calling without the complexity. Our solution provides:

• Enterprise-grade call quality with 99.999% uptime
• Easy setup and number porting so you can keep your existing lines
• Call queues, routing, and voicemail management inside Teams
• Built-in SMS capabilities for business texting
• Security and compliance features that meet HIPAA, GDPR, and FINRA standards
• 24/7 U.S.-based support from a trusted technology partner

Our team manages the entire deployment — from initial configuration to user training — so your staff can stay focused on what matters most: serving your customers.

Build a connected workplace with Yeo & Yeo Technology

Integrating your phone system with Microsoft Teams is more than a technology upgrade — it’s a step toward a more connected, efficient, and collaborative workplace. Whether you’re supporting remote employees, simplifying IT management, or improving the customer experience, a unified communication platform can make all the difference.

Yeo & Yeo Technology helps organizations across Michigan and beyond modernize communication with secure, scalable solutions powered by Microsoft and Elevate.

To explore the right integration approach for your organization, contact us.

Information used in this article was provided by our partners at Intermedia.