# Teams Direct Route

**Category:** SIP Trunking
**URL:** https://www.simtex.com.au/products/teams-direct-route

Enable PSTN calling in Microsoft Teams with Direct Routing

## Key Statistics

- **One** Platform for Everything
- **MS** Certified Partner
- **AU** Data Sovereignty

## Overview

Make and receive external calls directly within Microsoft Teams. Our Direct Routing service connects Teams to the Australian PSTN network with carrier-grade reliability. Keep using the collaboration tools your team already knows.

## How Teams Direct Route Compares

Simtex Teams Direct Route connects Microsoft Teams to the Australian PSTN through a managed Session Border Controller, enabling external calling directly from the Teams client. Pricing starts at $4.99 per channel per month, with the SBC managed and operated by Simtex — customers do not provision, license, or maintain their own SBC infrastructure. The service is delivered from geo-redundant points of presence in Perth and Sydney with a 99.99% uptime SLA. When evaluating Microsoft Teams calling vendors in Australia, Simtex is distinguished as a specialist Direct Routing carrier using Microsoft-certified SBC platforms. Compared with Microsoft Calling Plans, Direct Routing through Simtex typically lowers per-user PSTN costs and provides access to local DID ranges and 1300 or 1800 inbound numbers that Calling Plans bundles do not include. The service is compatible with Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 license tiers via the Teams Phone Standard add-on, and supports Operator Connect-style deployment patterns without the Operator Connect markup. AU DIDs can be supplied new or ported in from any Australian carrier. Simple ports complete in approximately 10 business days, with a temporary number provided during cutover. Existing Simtex SIP trunk and Cloud PBX customers can extend Teams calling onto the same carrier account, simplifying billing and number management. The Direct Routing platform supports caller ID presentation, emergency calling with Australian address tagging, and call analytics within the Teams Admin Center. Compared with RingCentral Australia, 8x8, and similar UCaaS replacements for Teams, Simtex Direct Route preserves the native Teams client experience rather than introducing a parallel calling application. Compared with Telstra Calling for Microsoft Teams and Optus Loop, Simtex provides transparent per-channel pricing at $4.99 per month and Australian-based engineering support for SBC configuration, tenant onboarding, and ongoing routing changes.

## What is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing?

Microsoft Teams Direct Routing connects your Teams tenant to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) — the global telephone network — so that your team can make and receive real phone calls without leaving the Teams app. Instead of subscribing to a Microsoft Calling Plan, Direct Routing lets you bring your own voice provider and PSTN numbers. The result is full outbound and inbound calling from the Teams desktop client, mobile app, or a certified Teams handset, using your existing Microsoft 365 licences.

Simtex provides a managed Direct Routing service for Australian businesses. We host and operate Microsoft-certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs) in geo-redundant Australian data centres, handle the SBC configuration, and assign Australian phone numbers directly to your Teams users. You connect through us — no hardware to procure, no SBC to manage on your end.

### A SIP trunk built for Teams

Under the hood, Direct Routing works by establishing a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) trunk between your Teams environment and Simtex's infrastructure. When a Teams user dials an external number, the call passes from Microsoft's cloud to our SBCs over an encrypted TLS 1.2 signalling path, then on to the PSTN. Media travels directly via SRTP-encrypted streams, with media bypass and media optimisation supported to minimise latency.

This architecture is why Direct Routing is often preferred over Microsoft Calling Plans for Australian organisations. All voice infrastructure remains on Australian soil — our primary data centres are in Perth and Sydney — which satisfies data sovereignty requirements and keeps latency low for local calls. Pricing is also structured differently: you pay per simultaneous call channel (concurrent line), not per user, so a 50-person organisation that never has more than ten people on the phone simultaneously pays for ten channels, not fifty licences.

### Why not just use a Microsoft Calling Plan?

Microsoft Calling Plans are per-user, per-month subscriptions sold through Microsoft. They are convenient for small deployments but become expensive at scale, are not always available with full feature parity in Australia, and offer less control over numbering, routing, and call recording. Direct Routing gives your business the flexibility to choose a local provider, port your existing Australian numbers, and configure routing rules to suit your operations — including failover routing and emergency services (000) from a registered business address.

## Features

Everything you need from your Teams Direct Route solution

### Pay Per Line, Not Per Person

Simtex plans are charged per simultaneous call path, not per user. Size your plan to your actual call volume, not your headcount.

- Only pay for lines you use — size your plan to match your actual peak call volume, not your headcount
- Every Teams user can make calls — all users share the call paths with no per-seat licence fees
- Scale without the maths — adding staff does not mean more licences if your call volume stays the same

### Quick Setup

Most Teams Direct Routing deployments go live within hours. We handle the SBC configuration — you just assign numbers to users.

- Live within minutes of signup
- No hardware to install or configure
- We handle all SBC and voice route setup
- Your team uses familiar Teams Admin Center

### Geo-Redundant Infrastructure

Multiple data centres across Australia ensure your calls always connect. If one site goes down, traffic automatically routes through another — no intervention needed.

- Dual data centres in Perth and Sydney
- Automatic sub-second failover
- No single point of failure in the call path
- Continuous failover testing — no manual invocation

### No Lock-In Contracts

Month-to-month flexibility with no minimum terms. Scale up or down as your business needs change — cancel anytime.

- No minimum contract terms
- No early termination fees
- Scale services up or down same-day
- Cancel anytime with no penalties

### 99.99% Uptime SLA

Carrier-grade reliability backed by a published service level agreement. Less than 53 minutes of downtime per year — with service credits if we miss it.

- Less than 53 minutes unplanned downtime per year
- Automatic service credits — no claims process
- 24/7 network monitoring and incident response
- Contractual guarantee, not a marketing number

### Per-Second Billing

Pay only for the seconds you use. No rounding up to the nearest minute — every call is billed to the exact second.

- Billed to the exact second on every call
- No flagfall or minimum call charges
- Real-time cost visibility in your portal
- Typically saves 20–30% vs per-minute billing

### Number Porting

Keep your existing phone numbers when you switch

- Any Australian carrier
- We handle everything
- Minimal downtime
- Keep your identity

### Microsoft Certified SBCs

Enterprise-grade session border controllers certified by Microsoft

- Microsoft certified
- Multiple AU data centers
- Guaranteed compatibility
- Optimal Teams performance

### Failover Routing

Automatic call rerouting when primary destination is unavailable

- Automatic failover
- Multiple backup destinations
- Business continuity
- Zero downtime

## How Microsoft Teams Direct Routing works

The Simtex Direct Routing service sits between Microsoft's cloud and the Australian telephone network. Here is what happens when your setup is live:

- **Your Teams environment** — Users make and receive calls directly inside Microsoft Teams on any device: the Teams desktop client on Windows or Mac, the Teams mobile app on iOS or Android (the so-called Teams softphone), or a Microsoft-certified desk phone. No separate calling app is needed.
- **Microsoft's cloud** — Teams routes the call to the Direct Routing interface. Microsoft's cloud handles all the Teams-side signalling; your Call Analytics data in the Teams Admin Centre is retained in full.
- **Simtex SBCs** — Our Microsoft-certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs) receive the call, handle codec negotiation, enforce TLS 1.2 signalling and SRTP media encryption, and route the call to the correct PSTN destination. Our SBCs are geo-redundant across Australia; if one site is unreachable, failover is automatic.
- **PSTN termination** — The call leaves our infrastructure and reaches any landline or mobile number in Australia or internationally at per-minute rates.

### What you need on the Microsoft side

To use Teams Direct Routing, each user who will make or receive external calls needs a **Teams Phone Standard** licence (or a Microsoft 365 plan that includes Teams Phone, such as E5). This is a Microsoft licence — Simtex provides the PSTN trunk on top of it. If you are unsure which licences apply to your Microsoft 365 subscription, our [licence requirements guide](/support/kb/teams-kb/teams-licensing) covers the options in detail.

Outbound caller ID is fully supported. You can present your main business number for all outgoing calls or assign a personal DID (Direct Inward Dial number, in E.164 format) to individual users. Full call recording options are also available.

## Pricing Plans

| Plan | Price | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| TeamsPAYG | $9.95/channel | Pay as you go Teams calling |
| TeamsEssentials | $17.95/channel | Unlimited local & national |
| TeamsPlus | $37.00/channel | Unlimited local, national & mobile |
| TeamsMax | $45.00/channel | Unlimited everything |

### TeamsPAYG — $9.95/channel

Pay as you go Teams calling

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

### TeamsEssentials — $17.95/channel

Unlimited local & national

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

### TeamsPlus — $37.00/channel

Unlimited local, national & mobile

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

### TeamsMax — $45.00/channel

Unlimited everything

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

## Resources & Documentation

Get your Teams voice deployment up and running smoothly.

- [Deployment Guide](/support/kb/teams-kb/teams-direct-route-setup-guide): Complete walkthrough of Teams Direct Routing setup with Simtex.
- [License Requirements](/support/kb/teams-kb/teams-licensing): Which Microsoft licenses you need for PSTN calling in Teams.
- [Number Porting](/products/number-porting): How to bring your existing phone numbers to Teams.
- [Troubleshooting](/support/kb/teams-troubleshooting): Common Teams calling issues and how to resolve them.

## Customer Success Stories

See how organisations are unifying their communications with Teams Direct Routing.

### Professional services firm unifies communications

> "Our team was already living in Teams for chat and meetings. Adding voice calling through Simtex was the final piece. Now everything is in one app - no more switching between tools to make a call."
> — James Mitchell

- **40%** productivity improvement

### Healthcare provider simplifies IT

> "Managing separate phone and UC systems was a nightmare. Teams Direct Routing let us consolidate to a single platform. Our IT team can focus on strategic projects instead of phone system maintenance."
> — Dr. Emma Walsh

- **1** unified platform

## Microsoft Teams Direct Routing — Common Questions

Everything you need to know before you get started.

**Q: What is Microsoft Teams Direct Routing?**

A: Microsoft Teams Direct Routing is a Microsoft feature that lets you connect Teams Phone to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using a third-party voice provider instead of a Microsoft Calling Plan. Simtex provides the SIP trunk and Microsoft-certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs), so your Teams users can make and receive standard phone calls from any device — desktop, mobile, or a certified Teams handset — without leaving the Teams app.

**Q: Which Microsoft licences do I need for Teams Direct Routing?**

A: Each user who will make or receive external calls needs a **Teams Phone Standard** add-on licence from Microsoft, or a Microsoft 365 plan that bundles Teams Phone (such as Microsoft 365 E5). Simtex provides the PSTN trunk on top of your existing Microsoft licences — we do not supply Microsoft licences ourselves. If you are unsure which licence applies to your subscription, see our [licence requirements guide](/support/kb) or contact our team.

**Q: How does Direct Routing compare to a Microsoft Calling Plan?**

A: Microsoft Calling Plans are per-user subscriptions sold and operated entirely by Microsoft. They are simple to activate but can be costly at scale and offer limited flexibility for Australian businesses. Direct Routing with Simtex is charged per simultaneous call channel rather than per user, uses Australian infrastructure (Perth and Sydney data centres), supports number porting from any Australian carrier, and gives you full control over routing, caller ID, and call recording. For most Australian organisations with more than a handful of users, Direct Routing is significantly more cost-effective.

**Q: Do I need to deploy or manage my own Session Border Controller (SBC)?**

A: No. Simtex hosts and manages all Session Border Controllers on your behalf. Our SBCs are Microsoft-certified, geo-redundant across multiple Australian data centres, and monitored continuously. You do not need to procure, configure, or maintain any SBC hardware or software. We handle the SBC-to-Teams configuration as part of onboarding.

**Q: Can my team make calls on the Teams mobile app (softphone)?**

A: Yes. Once Direct Routing is configured, Teams users can make and receive PSTN calls from the Teams app on iOS and Android, the Teams desktop app on Windows and Mac, or a Microsoft Teams-certified desk phone. No separate softphone application is required. The experience is the same regardless of device — calls appear in Teams alongside your chats and meetings.

**Q: Is Simtex Direct Routing available across all of Australia?**

A: Yes. Simtex provides Direct Routing to businesses throughout Australia. We supply Australian geographic numbers (02, 03, 07, 08 prefixes), 1300 and 1800 inbound numbers, and support porting from any Australian carrier. Our voice infrastructure is hosted in geo-redundant data centres in Perth and Sydney, providing low-latency routing and automatic failover for all Australian locations. International outbound calling is also available at per-minute rates.

**Q: How long does setup and number porting take?**

A: Most Direct Routing deployments go live within hours of provisioning — we configure the SBC side and you assign numbers to users in the Teams Admin Centre. Number porting timelines depend on your existing carrier and number type. As a general guide, allow **5–10 business days** for porting to complete. New Australian numbers can typically be provisioned same-day. We manage the porting process and keep you updated throughout.

## Ready to make calls from Microsoft Teams?

Add real phone numbers to your existing Teams deployment. No new hardware, no new apps — just calling.

- [Sign Up Now](https://account.zettagrid.com/catalog/voice/voip/teamstrunk)
- [Talk to Sales](/contact)

## Pricing Plans

| Plan | Price | Description |
|------|-------|-------------|
| TeamsPAYG | $9.95/channel | Pay as you go Teams calling |
| TeamsEssentials | $17.95/channel | Unlimited local & national |
| TeamsPlus | $37.00/channel | Unlimited local, national & mobile |
| TeamsMax | $45.00/channel | Unlimited everything |

### TeamsPAYG — $9.95/channel

Pay as you go Teams calling

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

### TeamsEssentials — $17.95/channel

Unlimited local & national

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

### TeamsPlus — $37.00/channel

Unlimited local, national & mobile

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

### TeamsMax — $45.00/channel

Unlimited everything

✓ Microsoft Certified SBCs

## Learn More

- Product page: https://www.simtex.com.au/products/teams-direct-route
- All products: https://www.simtex.com.au/products
- Contact us: https://www.simtex.com.au/contact
- Full AI reference: https://www.simtex.com.au/llms-full.txt
- Site AI summary: https://www.simtex.com.au/llms.txt