Forum Discussion
Teams phone calling features: Direct Routing vs Operator Connect
Hello everyone, As far as I know Teams phone Direct Routing provide more features than Operator connect. Does anyone have detailed feature list that Direct routing has while Operator connect...
Short version: Operator Connect wins on simplicity; Direct Routing wins when you need control the OC catalog does not give you.
Practical deltas I keep seeing in the field:
- Number geography — with Direct Routing you can often place non-matching usage-location numbers (carrier + SBC dependent). Calling Plans / many OC offers still expect usage location to match the number country.
- SBC ownership — DR means you (or your host) run the SBC, dial plans, voice routes, and media path. OC means the operator owns that plane; you mostly assign numbers and policies in Teams Admin Center.
- Advanced PSTN patterns — hybrid PBX, complex call flows, LMO/Media Bypass, multi-SBC regions, and custom SIP normalization are DR territory. OC is stronger when you want a managed trunk and less SIP work.
- Ops model — DR tickets are “your SBC + Microsoft SIP interface.” OC tickets split between Microsoft and the operator’s portal.
Feature lists move, so I always check the current OC operator capabilities page plus Microsoft’s DR planning docs for the specific country before promising parity.
I keep a practitioner compare (DR vs OC decision points, not marketing) here: https://skypeexchange4u.com/teams-direct-routing-vs-operator-connect-complete-guide/
If you share country + whether you already own an SBC, the choice usually collapses quickly.