In short: Direct Routing vs Operator Connect is a question of control. Calling Plans make Microsoft your carrier. Operator Connect uses a certified operator enabled in the Teams admin centre, with no SBC to run. Teams Phone Mobile uses a mobile SIM number. Direct Routing connects any carrier through a certified SBC. You can mix them in one tenant.
The four ways to connect Teams to the phone network
Every user who makes or takes outside calls in Teams needs a Teams Phone licence plus one of these PSTN (public switched telephone network) options. Microsoft's own comparison describes them like this:
- Teams Calling Plans: Microsoft is your operator. Calls, numbers and support come from Microsoft, and Microsoft quotes a 99.999% reliability SLA.
- Operator Connect: a certified operator has already integrated with Microsoft. You sign a contract with the operator, enable it in the Teams admin centre and assign its numbers. Calls, numbers, support and SLA come from the operator.
- Teams Phone Mobile: a participating mobile operator lets the number on a user's SIM also be their Teams number, so one business number works in Teams and on the mobile.
- Teams Direct Routing: any carrier or SIP trunk connects through a Microsoft-certified Session Border Controller (SBC), run by you, an integrator or a Direct Routing as a Service (DRaaS) provider.
Side-by-side comparison
| Calling Plans | Operator Connect | Teams Phone Mobile | Direct Routing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who manages it | Microsoft | Shared between the operator and Teams | The mobile operator | You, an integrator or a DRaaS provider, through an SBC |
| Your carrier | Microsoft | A certified operator | A participating mobile operator | Any carrier or SIP trunk provider |
| User numbers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto attendant, call queue and conferencing numbers | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| SBC to run | No | No | No | Yes, unless a DRaaS provider runs it |
| Support and SLA | Microsoft | The operator | The mobile operator | Your carrier and you, or your provider |
| Third-party PBX and analogue devices | Not directly: Microsoft points to Direct Routing | Not directly: Microsoft points to Direct Routing | No | Yes, through the SBC |
| Where it works | Countries where Microsoft sells Calling Plans | Where your operator offers it | Where your mobile operator offers it | Any country your carrier serves |
| Set-up effort | Lowest | Low | Low, through the operator | Highest, unless delivered as a service |
The table follows Microsoft's published PSTN comparison, with the practical points we check on every project. Pricing for every option is 'ask us for a quote'.
Numbers, support and resilience
Numbers. With Calling Plans you get or port numbers in the Teams admin centre. With Operator Connect and Teams Phone Mobile the operator supplies or ports them. With Direct Routing your carrier keeps them, which is why it suits organisations that want to keep an existing provider. Our number porting guide covers the process.
Support. Each model puts the support line in a different place. With Calling Plans it is Microsoft; with Operator Connect and Teams Phone Mobile it is the operator; with Direct Routing it is your carrier and whoever runs the SBC. Microsoft notes that it supports Direct Routing only with certified SBCs.
Auto attendants and call queues. Each one answers through a resource account, which needs a Teams Phone Resource Account licence (Microsoft no longer charges for these). Outbound calls are where the options differ. Since 1 November 2025, if an auto attendant or call queue on a Calling Plan number transfers callers to an outside number, offers callback or lets agents call out on its behalf, its resource account needs a funded pay-as-you-go Calling Plan or Communications Credits; a standard Calling Plan licence no longer covers it. With Operator Connect, availability of those outbound scenarios depends on the operator, so check with yours. With Direct Routing, Microsoft says nothing changed: the resource account needs an online voice routing policy. Check Microsoft's latest guidance before you design call flows.
Mixing options in one tenant
You do not have to pick only one. Microsoft says a tenant can use as many PSTN options as it needs, and can add them over time. A typical mixed design looks like this:
| User group | Option that often fits |
|---|---|
| Office and knowledge workers | Operator Connect or Calling Plans |
| Mobile-first staff | Teams Phone Mobile, where your mobile operator offers it |
| Reception, contact centre and analogue devices | Direct Routing |
| Small satellite offices | Calling Plans |
| Staff who rarely make outside calls | Shared Calling, where users share an auto attendant's number |
Direct Routing is also how Teams connects to an existing PBX during a phased move, so some users can stay on the old system while others move to Teams.
Which option fits you?
- Choose Calling Plans if you want the simplest set-up, one supplier for licences and calls, and your users are in countries where Microsoft sells them.
- Choose Operator Connect if you want an operator's numbers, support and SLA, and to manage users in the Teams admin centre, without running an SBC. Use Microsoft's Operator Connect directory to see which operators serve your countries.
- Choose Teams Phone Mobile if staff mainly work from a mobile and you want one number on the SIM and in Teams. It does not cover auto attendant or conferencing numbers, so pair it with another option.
- Choose Direct Routing if you want to keep your carrier or numbers, connect a PBX, analogue devices or a specific contact centre or recording product, or need routing the other options cannot do.
Direct Routing does not have to mean hardware. Our own Forever Teams service delivers Direct Routing for you, and Call2Teams (from Dstny) provides Direct Routing from the cloud, including Call2Teams for PBX to keep an existing phone system.
How we help
We review your Microsoft 365 licences, numbers, sites, devices and call flows, then recommend the PSTN option, or the mix of options, that fits. We handle number porting, auto attendants and call queues, emergency addresses and testing, and support you afterwards.
Read the hub page on Microsoft Teams Phone for the wider picture, or contact us for a recommendation and quote.
Why choose your cloud phone system with Forever Systems
We are vendor-neutral. Forever Group supplies and supports several cloud phone platforms, so we recommend the one that fits how your organisation works rather than the one we happen to sell.
- Side-by-side comparison of hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Forever UC, Forever Teams and Webex Calling for your users
- Contact centre and call recording options matched to your call volumes and CRM
- Number porting, handsets and set-up handled for you, including the move off analogue and ISDN lines
- Connectivity checked so call quality is right from day one
- UK support for moves, adds, changes and faults
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our BT Business Partner site cloudvoice.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. We do not sell consumer phone services.
Want a vendor-neutral cloud phone system comparison and quote?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Direct Routing and Operator Connect?
Operator Connect uses an operator that has already integrated with Microsoft, so you enable it in the Teams admin centre and there is no SBC to run. Direct Routing connects any carrier, PBX or device through a certified SBC that you, an integrator or a DRaaS provider manages. Direct Routing is more flexible; Operator Connect is simpler.
Is Operator Connect better than Direct Routing?
Neither is better in every case. Operator Connect suits organisations that want an operator's service with little to manage. Direct Routing suits those that need to keep a carrier, connect a PBX or analogue devices, or route calls in specific ways.
Can I use Calling Plans and Direct Routing together?
Yes. Microsoft says you can use several PSTN options in the same tenant. A common pattern is Calling Plans or Operator Connect for most users, with Direct Routing for a PBX, analogue devices or a contact centre.
Does Teams Phone Mobile support auto attendants?
No. Microsoft states that Teams Phone Mobile supports user phone numbers only, not numbers for auto attendants, call queues or Audio Conferencing. Organisations use another PSTN option for those.
Do Teams auto attendants need a Calling Plan to make outbound calls?
Not a standard one. Since 1 November 2025, Microsoft requires a funded pay-as-you-go Calling Plan or Communications Credits on the resource account when an auto attendant or call queue using a Calling Plan number transfers calls externally, offers callback or places calls on agents' behalf. Operator Connect customers should check with their operator, and Direct Routing numbers need an online voice routing policy instead.
Do I need my own SBC for Direct Routing?
Not necessarily. Microsoft says the SBC can be run by you, an integrator or a Direct Routing as a Service provider. With a service such as Forever Teams or Call2Teams, there is no SBC on your site.