Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up Airtel Operator Connect in Teams Admin Center

As remote work becomes the new normal, businesses are increasingly relying on Microsoft Teams video call capabilities to stay connected. But what if one could seamlessly integrate the Teams environment with the traditional phone network? That’s where Operator Connect comes in.

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Operator Connect allows enterprises to connect their Microsoft Teams instance directly with Airtel’s public switched telephone network (PSTN), enabling external calling right from the Teams interface. No more juggling between different systems or investing in complex hardware. This article explains the process of setting up Operator Connect with Airtel. By following the guide, organisations can achieve a unified communication solution that is reliable, scalable, and easy to manage.

Prerequisites: Essentials Organisations Must Have Before Configuring Operator Connect

Before diving into the setup process, businesses must ensure they have the following in place:

1. Microsoft Teams Tenant: Organisations must have an active Microsoft 365 tenant with Teams enabled.

2. Licensing: Each user who needs PSTN calling will require a Teams Phone license (also known as Teams Phone Standard or Teams Phone with Calling Plan).

   • Note: Per Department of Telecommunications (DoT) regulations in India, one must acquire Teams Phone licenses from the licensed operator (Airtel) and not directly from Microsoft.

3. Contract with Airtel: Establish a commercial relationship with Airtel, either through a new contract or as an extension of the existing enterprise telephony agreement.

4. Emergency Locations: Configure emergency locations (addresses) to ensure compliance with local E911 regulations and for proper emergency call routing.

5. User Readiness: Inform and train relevant IT staff and end-users about the upcoming changes to their calling experience.

Step 1: Initiating Operator Connect in Teams Admin Center

1. Log in to Teams Admin Center:

   • Navigate to Microsoft Teams Admin Center and log in with the Teams administrator credentials.

2. Access Operator Connect:

   • In the left navigation pane, go to Voice > Operators.

   • Click on the All operators tab.

3. Select Airtel as Operator:

   • Filter operators by region: Choose “India” from the country drop-down menu.

   • Find and select “Airtel” from the list of certified operators.

4. Provide Operator Settings:

   • Under Operator settings, select “India” as the enabled country.

   • Review Airtel’s terms and pricing.

   • Enter contact details (full name, work email address, company size, and optional phone number). This information will be shared with Airtel for onboarding and provisioning.

5. Data Transfer Consent:

   • Accept the data transfer notice confirming that the contact and tenant details will be shared with Airtel for provisioning.

6. Add Airtel as Operator:

   • Click Add as my operator. This action saves Airtel as the selected partner for PSTN integration in the tenant.

Step 2: Number Acquisition and Porting

1. Request Number Blocks:

   • Through the Teams Admin Center or directly via Airtel’s enterprise portal, request new phone numbers or port existing numbers to Airtel’s Operator Connect platform.

2. Number Porting (if migrating from another provider):

   • Coordinate with Airtel to initiate the porting process.

   • Provide necessary documentation (Letter of Authorisation, proof of ownership, etc.) as per regulatory and Airtel requirements.

3. Number Assignment by Airtel:

   • Airtel will upload the provisioned numbers to the Teams tenant.

Step 3: Assigning Numbers to Users

1. Assign Numbers in Teams Admin Center:

   • Go to Voice > Phone numbers in Teams Admin Center.

   • Select numbers assigned by Airtel, and allocate them to users or resource accounts (for IVR, auto-attendants, etc.).

2. PowerShell Assignment (Optional):

   • For bulk assignments, use the Teams PowerShell module with commands such as Set-CsPhoneNumberAssignment.

Step 4: Configuring Emergency Locations

• Set up emergency addresses and locations under Voice > Emergency policies in the Teams Admin Center.

• Assign these to users as per regulatory requirements in India.

Step 5: Testing and Go-Live

• Test PSTN calling capabilities for assigned users (inbound and outbound calls).

• Validate emergency calling functionality.

• Train end-users and IT support teams.

• Monitor call quality and address any issues with Airtel or Microsoft Support.

Comprehensive Checklist for Operator Connect Setup

To ensure a smooth deployment, here’s a handy checklist covering all the key steps:

Advanced Configuration and Management

Advanced settings let businesses customise, monitor, and manage Teams calling for better control and compliance.

Policy and Compliance Management

• Use Teams Admin Center to configure voice routing policies, number assignment policies, and call quality monitoring.

• Assign policies for call recording, compliance, and retention as required by Indian regulation and company policy.

Analytics and Reporting

• Teams Admin Center offers dashboards for call analytics, usage, and quality reporting.

• Use these insights to optimise user experience and troubleshoot issues.

Integration with SIP Devices

• Operator Connect supports certified SIP devices (desk phones, conference phones) for Teams, which can be auto-provisioned via the Teams Admin Center.

How Operator Connect Enhances Microsoft Teams Video Calls

While Microsoft Teams video call is a powerful collaboration tool on its own, integrating

it with Operator Connect takes it to the next level:

1. PSTN Dial-In for Meetings: Operator Connect allows PSTN dial-in for Teams meetings, letting participants join via regular phone numbers for greater accessibility.

2. Seamless External Calling: Users can make and receive external PSTN calls directly from the Teams interface, without toggling between different apps. This unified experience boosts productivity and simplifies communication.

3. Enhanced Call Management: Operator Connect: It enables advanced call control features like call forwarding, call queues, auto-attendants, and more—all manageable from the Teams Admin Center.

4. Reliable Call Quality: By leveraging Airtel’s enterprise-grade network and direct peering with Microsoft, Operator Connect ensures high-quality, reliable calling even in low-bandwidth scenarios.

Final Words: Unifying Communication With Operator Connect

Operator Connect is a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline their communication stack. By connecting Microsoft Teams directly with Airtel’s PSTN network, enterprises can enable seamless external calling, enhance Microsoft Teams video call capabilities, and simplify management—all while reducing costs and complexity.

As organisations embark on their Operator Connect journey, Airtel provides support at every step. With Airtel IQ Operator Connect, they receive a fully managed, cloud-based solution that is quick to deploy, easy to scale, and backed by enterprise-grade SLAs.