Announcing Operator Connect Mobile, delivering mobile-first experiences for Microsoft Teams Phone

With nearly 80 million active users, Microsoft Teams Phone has been at the core of digital transformations across the globe – providing the flexibility, reliability, and functionality organizations rely on to stay connected and productive.

Today, we announce the next phase in Teams Phone innovation, Operator Connect Mobile, a seamless way to integrate your users’ mobile identities with Microsoft Teams collaboration and productivity. Operator Connect mobile is a first-of-its-kind fixed-mobile convergence that’s intuitive, device agnostic, and enterprise compliant.

Operator Connect Mobile builds on the foundations of Operator Connect to provide enterprise-grade connectivity, resiliency, network quality, and a joint support model. We have been working closely with innovative operator partners including BT, Rogers, Swisscom, Telia and Verizon to bring this capability to customers in their respective service areas starting, later this year. We are working with additional operators to expand availability into additional markets.

Operator Connect Mobile empowers a mobile-first workforce

For many organizations, a key to resilience and competitiveness is providing the flexibility to work from anywhere. Operator Connect Mobile equips your users with:

• Calling that works: Provide reliable communication solutions with failover options allowing a mobile call to be prioritized on the cellular voice network or internet connection for better call continuity and quality of service. Users can seamlessly move between devices and Teams endpoints without dropping calls or losing context.
• The power of Teams: Operator Connect Mobile enables users to seamlessly “uplift” calls to Teams on any device (laptop, tablet, desk phone or mobile phone), creating valuable opportunities to collaborate — adding video, sharing content, recording and transcription, inviting new participants, and more.
• True mobile integration: Give users access to combined call history, unified voice mail and presence fidelity, across Teams and native mobile devices.

In addition to keeping your mobile workforce connected, your organization can benefit from:

• Single-number simplicity and the flexibility to work from anywhere: Now, your users can have one business-provided number for mobile, desk, and Microsoft Teams, so they can work flexibly and securely from any location, device, or network. With Operator Connect Mobile, users can make and receive calls on their native dialer as well as the Teams app.
• Security, privacy and compliance capabilities of Teams: With Operator Connect Mobile, your organization can extend enterprise-grade business policies such as recording and retention to voice calls on native mobile devices. Calls from users’ devices can also be configured to appear as though they’re coming from the organization to avoid exposing users’ mobile numbers externally.
• Opportunities to streamline support and eliminate redundant services: Operator Connect Mobile enables organizations to consolidate redundant fixed-line and mobile services, as well as reduce the number of devices and hardware to purchase, manage, and support.

Deep integration between 5G networks and Azure Cloud Services

Operator Connect Mobile leverages Azure for Operators to establish deep connectivity between the operator’s mobile network and the Microsoft O365 cloud. Azure for Operators has now launched Mobile Control Point which combines the quality and reliability of mobile networks with the secure collaboration and productivity of Microsoft Teams.

Additionally, Azure for Operators has enhanced its Perimeta Session Border Controller and Managed Service for Teams Calling to support Operator Connect Mobile, accelerating time-to-market for mobile operator partners.

Building for the future of mobility

Today’s announcement marks an important milestone for true fixed-mobile convergence. Operator Connect Mobile enables new opportunities for flexibility, efficiency, security, and compliance, which is particularly relevant in the new hybrid workplace. And as we continue to expand the functionality, the lines between voice calls and meetings, mobile and wi-fi networks, mobile and desktop devices, and office and field settings will continue to blur. This is the promise of organizational mobility, and it’s made possible with Operator Connect Mobile.

Operator Connect Mobile preview will begin in Q3 of 2022, with general availability beginning in the second half of 2022.