Using Microsoft Teams as a PABX

[loosemarbles]

Is anyone using Microsoft Business Voice in lieu of a traditional or cloud based PABX?

We use 8x8, but use Teams for everything else - certainly having one system is easier (we are only looking at 20 or so users). Any feedback appreciated.

[buggalugs]

We use it. It works, some aspects of the iOS app I use are a pain in the ass though. Transferring calls is a pain and you can't see if they're available before transferring. Often more than one of us tries to pick up a group call and nobody gets it. But you assume the other person has. Contacts are a pain, often it comes up with their number rather than contact name despite me having them as a contact already. Example: Yesterday someone rang and I just got their mobile # displayed, to I went back to the call log after and went to add it as a contact for next time, it put their mobile # as first name and second name with the number field blank. So I faffed with that and saved the contact only to realise then I already had a contact for them with that number in it. If they call me normally or via whatsapp the contacts work correctly this is a Teams thing.

[CarCrazyDad]

Teams should be used as additional means of comms IMO , it is not meant or designed as a "stand alone PBX" for serious business needs

At my company we had Teams direct routing , we used teams for meetings and internal things and sometimes direct dial outbound calls but for inbound stuff we generally stuck with a traditional system which was able to handle things like IVRs and menus and voicemails in a more professional and easy manner.

[sjg]

CarCrazyDad said:

Teams should be used as additional means of comms IMO , it is not meant or designed as a "stand alone PBX" for serious business needs

been hearing that about Microsoft comms since about 2008. And yet so many serious businesses have moved to it.

OP - main thing to choose is whether you do it all through Microsoft (they give you some numbers, not in a block, plus some minutes that are pooled between everyone), or if you do direct routing via a telco (they can do things like a continuous block of numbers, maybe better calling rates, but maybe more overhead costs). Assign numbers to people, off you go. If you're likely to need support then the telcos usually do packages that include it as part of their Teams direct routing offering.

[CarCrazyDad]

Of course it's popular but I don't think it is good enough to be a main PBX replacement, just my opinion, for every person there is an opinion about it

My experience, 35 year in Telecoms and networks from tech to manager, now retired luckily

We did move to Teams, our business had a plan to move everyone onto it as our only calling Platform (We had a MiVoice Business system for our support desk and sales teams etc) but it didn't seem to fit the use requirement :


8x8 and other cloud PBX systems seem great, never done anything with 8x8 myself but lots of experience with ACO, RingCentral and various Mitel and Cisco products

Edit : We did use Teams for internal IM, internal meetings / calls and file sharing. I found it a bit of a pain to be honest, it wasn't snappy at all, often lagged or crashed , I just don't personally get the hype, reason a lot of people use it is that it's bundled as part of O365 which 80% of larger businesses use these days so why wouldn't you use a free application

Edited by CarCrazyDad on Wednesday 9th June 17:10

[loosemarbles]

Thanks all.

Cost isn't the driver here - we probably only have 20 users, but the driver is functionality and efficiency. The removal of one app, with concentration into one app which we already use makes a lot of sense.

We are not a call centre, so usage isn't that high.

I guess reliability is pretty important for us, ease of use etc.

[geeks]

You can integrate 8x8 into Teams its something we have just done, maybe look at that?

[stewies_minion]

I use their older SfB client but it all ends up in the same place.

https://uk.wavenetuk.com/teamslink

See if what they do might suit. If the Teams version is as easy is SfB then you'd be golden.

[jimmyjimjim]

loosemarbles said:

Thanks all.

Cost isn't the driver here - we probably only have 20 users, but the driver is functionality and efficiency. The removal of one app, with concentration into one app which we already use makes a lot of sense.

We are not a call centre, so usage isn't that high.

I guess reliability is pretty important for us, ease of use etc.

My company adds telephone numbers in Teams. We went from supplying Avaya telephone systems to Teams. It's taken me several months to transition, but I'm now comfortable enough with it to say that if you're not a call center, you'll be fine. if you are, this really is not the product for you.

[loosemarbles]

geeks said:

You can integrate 8x8 into Teams its something we have just done, maybe look at that?

How have you faired? 8x8 have offered the same at no extra cost, just a small integration charge. There probably isn't much in it between the two in terms of costs, but 8x8 is simple to administer - not so sure Teams is quite there yet.

[geeks]

loosemarbles said:

geeks said:

You can integrate 8x8 into Teams its something we have just done, maybe look at that?

How have you faired? 8x8 have offered the same at no extra cost, just a small integration charge. There probably isn't much in it between the two in terms of costs, but 8x8 is simple to administer - not so sure Teams is quite there yet.

So far so good to be honest, there were a few teething issues day one but nothing massive!

[loosemarbles]

geeks said:

So far so good to be honest, there were a few teething issues day one but nothing massive!

I think we have noticed using 8x8 App's is that we can't soft transfer calls, only blind transfer. Does that change when using Teams?

[geeks]

loosemarbles said:

geeks said:

So far so good to be honest, there were a few teething issues day one but nothing massive!

I think we have noticed using 8x8 App's is that we can't soft transfer calls, only blind transfer. Does that change when using Teams?

Yes I am almost certain we can.

[ArsE82]

loosemarbles said:

geeks said:

So far so good to be honest, there were a few teething issues day one but nothing massive!

I think we have noticed using 8x8 App's is that we can't soft transfer calls, only blind transfer. Does that change when using Teams?

You can certainly soft-transfer with 8x8 Work. I do it frequently. However, I do think they've moved things around a bit recently!

[Richyvrlimited]

CarCrazyDad said:

Teams should be used as additional means of comms IMO , it is not meant or designed as a "stand alone PBX" for serious business needs

At my company we had Teams direct routing , we used teams for meetings and internal things and sometimes direct dial outbound calls but for inbound stuff we generally stuck with a traditional system which was able to handle things like IVRs and menus and voicemails in a more professional and easy manner.

IVR / CSQ's are coming to TEAMS. I just implemented a CUBE for direct routing to/from our on prem phone system. It works really well in my opinion. the added functionally will be nice when it comes.