Imagine if organizations could conduct high-quality VoIP calls from their legacy SIP phones without sacrificing functionality. This is precisely what Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway enables – launched in December 2021. The service allows users to connect their Teams account with a traditional phone line. This allows users to use their phone handset to dial into a meeting or make calls using their Teams account. The gateway also supports call routing so that users can manage their incoming and outgoing calls just like a regular phone line.
Understanding Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway
Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway can be an essential tool for businesses that use legacy desk phones and handhelds but are looking to upgrade Teams while preserving their investments. It provides organizations with a way to connect their on-premise endpoint environment to Microsoft Teams on the cloud.
Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway is an optional service that allows users to connect to Office 365 with a desk phone or handheld calling device. Businesses can use any supported SIP device with Microsoft Teams. SIP devices from Poly, Yealink, and AudioCodes are all compatible, as are Cisco IP phones with multi-platform SIP firmware, Skype for Business IP phones with standard SIP firmware, and SIP phones from Cisco.
How Does Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway Work?
The Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway allows users to connect their traditional phone system with Microsoft Teams. This can be done in a few different ways, depending on individual needs.
For example, users can use the SIP gateway to connect an analog phone to Teams, or they can use it to connect a digital PBX system to Teams. The SIP gateway also allows users to route calls from Teams to the traditional phone system and vice versa. When using the SIP gateway, users must configure their network and firewall settings to allow traffic to flow between the two systems.
Further, SIP gateway offers the following fundamental Teams calling functionalities:
● Calls both inbound and outgoing
● Call forwarding
● Dial-in and dial-out meetings
● "Do not disturb" settings on devices
● Message waiting indicator on voicemail
How to Configure the SIP Gateway
Configuring a SIP gateway for your business can seem daunting, but it can be a relatively straightforward process if admins follow the proper instructions. These are essential steps to take to get a SIP gateway for Teams implementations.
● Log in to the Teams administration console.
● Select Teams devices on the left and check if the SIP devices tab is displayed. If it is, your organization's SIP Gateway service is enabled.
● If you do not see this tab, Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway is turned off. If that is indeed the case, there are two ways to enable SIP Gateway for the users in your organization: through the Teams admin portal or a PowerShell function.
Follow these steps to enable SIP Gateway in the Teams admin center:
● Navigate to the Teams admin center.
● Select Calling policies from the Voice menu on the left.
● Select the appropriate calling policy allocated to users on the right, or, if necessary, establish a new calling policy and administer it to the required users.
