How to Make and Receive Landline Calls in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has become the central hub for communication in thousands of organisations, allowing people to chat, video conference, and collaborate all in one place. But when it comes to landline or mobile calls, many users still rely on separate phone systems.

This creates frustration for customers, users, and IT teams, resulting in missed calls, duplicate tools, and unnecessary costs.

The good news is that Microsoft Teams can do both, internal collaboration and external calling, with the right telephony setup.

How Microsoft Connects Teams to Landlines and Mobiles

By default, Teams handles only internal VoIP calls. To reach or receive calls from external phone numbers (landlines or mobiles), it must connect to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Microsoft supports three ways to do this:

1. Calling Plan: buy phone numbers and call minutes directly from Microsoft.
2. Operator Connect: use a certified telecom carrier integrated with Teams.
3. Direct Routing: connect your own telephony provider through a secure Session Border Controller (SBC).

Each option requires a Teams Phone license to activate PSTN capabilities.

Simplifying Telephony with Voclarion CallTo365

Voclarion CallTo365 uses Microsoft’s Direct Routing architecture to bring enterprise-grade telephony directly into Teams, without forcing you to pay per-user Microsoft Calling Plan fees.

Here’s how it works:

• Voclarion connects our PBX or SIP trunk to Teams using certified SBCs.
• Your team can make and receive landline calls directly from the Teams interface (desktop, mobile, or browser).
• Existing business numbers can be ported to Voclarion to avoid service disruption.
• You keep full control of call routing, extensions, and telephony policies.

This approach follows Microsoft’s official Direct Routing model, ensuring the same compliance, reliability, and secure voice integration, with added control and cost savings.

Enterprise Features Beyond Microsoft Calling Plans

While Microsoft’s native Calling Plan covers basic PSTN connectivity, Voclarion CallTo365 extends Teams with the functionality of a professional PBX:

• Custom call flows (IVR, time-based routing, holiday schedules)
• Call queues and hunt groups for sales or support teams
• Advanced reporting and analytics
• CRM and helpdesk integration for automatic call logging
• Support for contact centres and healthcare environments
• Local Dutch support and hosting, aligned with GDPR and EU standards

These features turn Teams from a simple communication tool into a complete UC & telephony hub.

How CallTo365 Reduces Costs and Boosts Flexibility

Benefit	Voclarion CallTo365	Microsoft Calling Plan
Cost model	Pay per line, channel, user and month. (You don’t need a 10€ Teams Phone license)	Pay per user/month
Flexibility	Custom routing, integrations	Standardized setup
Support	Local, Dutch/English experts	Global ticketing
Scalability	Add/remove lines freely	Fixed per license
Hardware	Compatible with Teams headsets, desk phones, and video bars	Limited vendor options

Practical Advice for IT and Operations Teams

If your organisation is already using Microsoft 365, adding full telephony through Voclarion is straightforward. Here’s how to proceed:

1. Evaluate and migrate your current PBX: if you already use SIP lines, with Callto365 to connect them to Teams.
2. Select key users or departments to pilot the system.
3. Port existing numbers to Voclarion to maintain business continuity.
4. Configure call flows for support, sales, or reception teams.
5. Train your staff to handle calls directly within Teams.

Most companies can migrate gradually, minimising downtime while keeping current workflows intact.

The Future of Telephony: From PBX to Unified Communications

Companies are moving from fragmented tools toward unified communications, where chat, video, and calling work in one space. This reduces app overload and keeps collaboration simple.

By merging your telephony into Microsoft Teams with Voclarion’s CallTo365, you cut costs and complexity while linking communication to the systems your teams already use.

With integrations to over 150 CRM, helpdesk, and collaboration tools, agents see customer details, tickets, or account data the moment a call arrives. That context turns every interaction into a faster, more personal experience.

Through Direct Routing, CallTo365 also enables AI-driven insights and real-time analytics, helping teams track performance and optimise service.

As Microsoft Teams evolves, CallTo365 keeps your telephony aligned, secure, efficient, and free from vendor lock-in.If you want to know how to turn your Microsoft Teams into a complete business phone system, talk to our specialists.