Direct Routing is now general available. With Direct Routing it is possible to route PSTN calls from the customer directly to Microsoft Teams. Customers need only the Microsoft Phone System License for each Microsoft Teams user and can route individual phone numbers form their local PSTN provider or local PBX to this Microsoft Teams user.
In Germany, Teams and Phone System and Calling Plans are already available, customers can use this feature. Calling Plans not longer needed to use Microsoft teams also for PSTN calls.
The customer has two different deployment scenarios for direct routing.
Local deployment on customer side wit Session Boarder Controler
The customer can chose one SBC of the certified Partner Audiocodes or Ribbon and has to assign only Phone System license to the Microsoft Teams user. Management and configuration will be done direct through the customer or qualified technical partner.
With this solution, it is also possible to support local PBX and analog phones.
NO Local deployment on customer side
For the customer it is now possible to choose a hosted provider solution. At the moment the following provider offer Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams. BezeQ International, BT, Cellip, Nuwave Communications, Orange Business Services, Swisscom, TATA, Telekom Deutschland, Telenor, Thinktel, and West.
I think also, more and more companies will offer such service for Direct Routing.
For more information of teams, you can visit the following sites.
The Microsoft Teams quick start guides, Plan Direct Routing, Configure Direct Routing, and Migrating to Direct Routing. You will also find some recorded deeper dive on Direct Routing here.
(many thanks to Paul Cannon for this information about Direct Routing)