Teams and PBX: Not Like PB&J c “There are [roughly] 40 million people in the United States across the top four vendors alone that are on unified communications, and we still have a long way to go,” said John Paullin, Senior Analyst of UCaaS and CCaaS at AVANT.C c c “You can't talk about unified communications without [talking about] Teams, but there's an entire ecosystem that goes along with that. Should I be putting my PSTN voice or my PBX in Teams? Or should I not? These are conversations that we have every day with customers because it's top of mind.”D c c “Every Teams user is likely using Teams chat and/or video but is it right for your phone system is a very different question that we help customers navigate every day,” Paullin notes.C c c Microsoft Teams isn’t going to be the answer to every enterprise's need for voice services. Trusted Advisors can add PSTN voice services to a UCaaS platform from many sources in the AVANT portfolio.C c c What does it mean to put a PBX in Teams? What is the cost? What is the architecture? Enterprises are asking these questions, and Trusted Advisors can help guide enterprises to the right answers for their needs.C c c “‘What are the features and functions that I get differently than if I went with a UCaaS vendor like Zoom, RingCentral, 8x8, and Dialpad?’ There is a difference between what they provide and what Teams provides and most people don't know that unless they speak with someone who understands this world, or they sign up for the wrong architecture and they find out the deficiencies later,” Paullin cautions. Challenges with Teams ¥ The dynamics of using PBX systems with Teams changed in 2020 with Microsoft Direct Routing, which allows connecting PSTN carrier, cloud-based PBX with features, functions, and support from multiple vendors. Direct Routing allowed companies to connect their Microsoft Teams phone system to the PSTN through third-party providers, opening a backdoor for companies that focus on cloud-based voice. These providers offer a variety of different architectures and features for customers.C ¥ C ¥ With over 100 Direct Routing vendors, finding the right one for a domestic or global company requires an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Trusted Advisors can help guide enterprise buyers through the process of selection for those who want to combine Teams and UCaaS together. Copyright © 2025 AVANT Communications, Inc. 10