In short
Teams Phone setup has five parts: a Teams Phone licence for each user, a connection to the phone network, phone numbers, emergency addresses, and auto attendants and call queues. Microsoft sets these out as its own provisioning steps. Forever Systems can plan and set up Teams Phone for a UK organisation, including the port of existing numbers.
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What a Teams Phone set-up involves
Microsoft's road map for setting up Teams Phone (opens in a new tab) lists the tasks in order. It assumes Teams itself is already in use.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Licences | A Teams Phone licence is assigned to each user, and each user is voice enabled |
| 2. Calling option | The connection to the phone network is chosen: a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile or Direct Routing |
| 3. Numbers | Numbers are obtained or ported, then assigned to users and to services such as auto attendants and call queues |
| 4. Emergency calling | Emergency locations are defined and assigned, so a 999 call presents an address |
| 5. Auto attendants | Menus route callers to the right department, person or queue |
| 6. Call queues | Greetings, hold music and routing to the next available agent are set |
| 7. Other features | Cloud voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding and delegation are set by policy |
| 8. Managing the deployment | Call quality is monitored once people are using it |
Microsoft notes that some steps differ with the calling option, especially numbers and emergency calling.
Not sure which licence applies to you? Ask us
Tell us about your organisation and we will point you to the right licence.
Teams Phone requirements
Before anyone can make or take an outside call in Teams, these need to be in place:
- A plan that includes Teams for each user
- A Teams Phone licence for each user, as covered on Microsoft Teams Phone Standard
- A connection to the phone network. Microsoft states that a PSTN solution is separate from the Teams Phone licence
- Phone numbers, new or ported, as covered on Teams phone numbers
- A resource account for each auto attendant and call queue, with a Teams Phone Resource Account licence
- An emergency location for each site or user
Teams Phone runs in the Teams desktop and mobile apps, so no equipment is needed on site for the phone system itself.
How we set up Teams Phone
We can plan the move with you and do the set-up work in your Microsoft 365 tenant.
- Licence checkthe plan each user holds, and the Teams Phone licences to add
- Calling optionusually our Teams calling service, with your numbers kept
- Number planwhich numbers move, which are new, and who gets which
- Call flowsauto attendants, call queues, opening hours and voicemail
- Emergency addressesa location for each site
- Testinginbound and outbound calls and each menu, tested with you
- Switchnumbers ported and users moved, in one go or in stages
Contact us to talk through a move to Teams Phone.
Prefer a hand with this?
We can help you plan it and set it up, alongside your own team.
Provisioning users and numbers
Provisioning is the part repeated for every user: assign the Teams Phone licence, voice enable the user, assign a number and apply the calling policies. Microsoft provides two tools for it, the Teams admin centre and Teams PowerShell, and licences can be assigned to one user or in bulk.
Organisations moving many people at once can also use Shared Calling as a first step. Microsoft describes it as a way to move large groups of users to Teams Phone without assigning each a number: they share the number of an auto attendant's resource account for inbound and outbound calls.
What to have ready
- A list of users, with the Microsoft 365 or Teams plan each one holds
- Your current numbers, and the provider and account they sit with
- How calls should flow: opening hours, menus, the teams that answer together, and what happens out of hours
- The address of each site, for emergency locations
- Anything else on your phone lines today, such as door entry, alarms or card machines
Sources (checked 11 November 2026): Microsoft Learn, "Set up Teams Phone in your organization", "What is Teams Phone", "Plan for Shared Calling" and "Reference - Voice applications prerequisites and licensing".
Moving to Teams Phone
How Forever Systems helps with Teams Phone
Forever Systems can quote and set up Microsoft Teams Phone for your organisation and connect it to the phone network.
- Licence and calling check: we look at the Microsoft 365 plan you hold and recommend the Teams Phone licences and calling option that fit
- Numbers kept: we plan and manage the porting of your existing numbers
- Call flows set up: auto attendants, call queues and opening hours built and tested with you
- Works with what you use: the Teams apps on desktop and mobile
- Licensing in one place: licences can be billed monthly, with terms confirmed at quote
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. Pricing depends on users, licences and calling, so ask us for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What do you need to set up Teams Phone?
Each user needs a plan that includes Teams, a Teams Phone licence and a phone number, and the organisation needs a connection to the phone network. Auto attendants and call queues each need a resource account, and each site needs an emergency location.
What is Teams Phone provisioning?
Provisioning is the per-user work of a Teams Phone set-up: assigning the Teams Phone licence, voice enabling the user, assigning a phone number and applying calling policies. It is done in the Teams admin centre or with Teams PowerShell.
Can we move to Teams Phone in stages?
Yes. Microsoft supports more than one calling option in a tenant and says Teams Phone can coexist with another phone system, so teams or sites can move at different times. Shared Calling can also move a large group before each user has a number.
Do we need equipment on site for Teams Phone?
Not for the phone system. Teams Phone is a cloud service used in the Teams apps on computers and mobiles. With a hosted Direct Routing service, the Session Border Controller is also run in the cloud.
Still have a question about Teams Phone set-up?
Ask us and a member of our team will get back to you.