Make and Receive Calls: Microsoft Teams supports voice calls over the internet, allowing users to make and receive calls to and from other Teams users, as well as external phone numbers (mobile or landline).

One Number for All Communication: Teams consolidates communication into one platform, allowing users to make voice calls, participate in video calls, and send messages from the same application.

Teams Calling Plan: Microsoft offers a Calling Plan that allows businesses to get phone numbers directly from Microsoft, enabling Teams to act as the full business phone system. This is particularly useful for businesses looking to replace traditional PBX (Private Branch Exchange) phone systems.

Direct Routing: Direct Routing allows businesses to connect their existing on-premises telephony systems (e.g., PBX) to Microsoft Teams via a certified Session Border Controller (SBC). This means you can still use existing phone numbers and infrastructure while leveraging Teams for modern communication.

Call Forwarding: Teams provides options to forward calls to voicemail, another user, or an external number. You can set up call forwarding rules based on availability or time of day.

Voicemail: Teams includes a voicemail feature with automatic transcription. If a call is missed, the voicemail can be transcribed and sent to the user as a text message in their inbox, making it easy to review messages quickly.

Call Parking: Teams allows users to “park” calls (put them on hold) and then retrieve the call from any other Teams device, making it easy to transfer or continue a conversation seamlessly.

Call Queues: Businesses can set up call queues to manage incoming calls. Calls can be routed to specific teams or departments, and the system can place callers on hold until an available agent answers.

Auto Attendant: Teams offers an auto-attendant feature, which allows businesses to set up automated menus that direct callers to the right department or individual based on options (e.g., “Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support”).

Call Transfer: Users can easily transfer calls to other Teams users or external numbers. Transfers can be done with or without announcing the recipient before transferring the call.

Hold and Resume: You can put calls on hold and resume them, with the option to add custom hold music or messages for the caller.

Calling Plans: Through Microsoft 365, Teams can integrate with Microsoft’s own Calling Plan service, which provides businesses with PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) connectivity. This means businesses can get phone numbers directly from Microsoft and use them within Teams for calling external numbers.

Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC): Teams supports Direct Routing, which allows organizations to bring their own telephony carrier and connect it to Teams via a certified SBC. This enables businesses to use their existing phone numbers and carrier services within the Teams environment.

Phone Number Porting: If you’re migrating from a traditional phone system, Teams allows you to port your existing phone numbers to the platform (if using Microsoft’s Calling Plan or Direct Routing).

Emergency Calling: Teams can support emergency calls (911 in the U.S., or equivalent numbers in other countries), with location-based routing, though this capability requires configuration and may be subject to local regulations.

Calling in Teams: With Teams, your employees don’t need a separate desk phone, as they can use the Teams app (desktop, mobile, or web) as their primary phone device for voice and video calls.

Teams Phones: Microsoft Teams also supports specialized Teams Phones (hardware) from certified vendors (like Yealink, Poly, and AudioCodes), which are optimized for Teams and can provide a traditional phone experience for users who prefer physical devices.

Cloud-Based PBX: When using Teams with Microsoft Calling Plan, you effectively get a cloud-based PBX system. This means you no longer need to maintain an on-premises phone system, simplifying infrastructure management while offering enterprise-level features.

Call Quality Dashboard (CQD): Teams provides analytics and reporting tools for call quality, allowing IT administrators to monitor and optimize voice and video call performance. The Call Quality Dashboard helps track metrics such as call setup time, call duration, jitter, packet loss, and other factors that impact call quality.

Call Analytics: Individual users and admins can view call analytics for the calls made within Teams, including troubleshooting information about call quality (such as packet loss or poor network conditions).

Power BI Integration: Teams data can be integrated into Power BI for custom reporting, allowing businesses to gain deeper insights into their telephony usage patterns, call volumes, and service performance.

Chat and Call Integration: Teams combines voice calling with chat, allowing users to seamlessly move between chat, voice calls, and video meetings. For example, users can start a chat and escalate to a voice call, or receive a call and transition to a video meeting with a single click.

Presence Status: Teams displays presence indicators (available, busy, away) that help users know whether others are available for a call. Presence also integrates with Microsoft Outlook, so users can see if someone is in a meeting or on a call before reaching out.

International Calling: Teams Calling Plans support international calling, allowing users to call global phone numbers from anywhere. The service is available in several countries, though availability may vary depending on your region.

Local Numbers: With Teams Calling Plan, users can have local or toll-free phone numbers in different countries, enhancing communication with clients and customers across the globe.

Teams Mobile App: Teams also works on mobile devices (iOS and Android), allowing users to make and receive calls from their mobile phones while maintaining the same Teams environment. Users can also switch calls between mobile and desktop seamlessly.

Call from Anywhere: If you are using Teams with a calling plan, you can receive or make calls regardless of where you are, whether you’re in the office, at home, or traveling.

End-to-End Encryption: Teams calls are encrypted end-to-end, ensuring the security and privacy of communication.

Compliance Recording: Microsoft Teams supports compliance recording for calls made through the Teams platform, which is essential for industries that require call recording for regulatory or business purposes (e.g., finance, healthcare).

Call Blocking and Spam Protection: Teams has built-in features to block spam and robocalls, enhancing the security of your telephony system.