How long does an Operator Connect deployment take?

Operator Connect deployment can be completed in as little as one business day once the Microsoft licensing and carrier agreement are in place. The actual configuration inside the Teams Admin Center takes roughly five minutes per the carrier-guided setup process, though number porting from a previous carrier may add time depending on the losing carrier's release schedule.

The fastest deployments happen when the organization already has Microsoft 365 with Teams Phone licensed and needs new numbers rather than porting existing ones. In that scenario, the carrier completes verification, numbers appear in the Teams Admin Center, and an administrator assigns them to users through a drop-down menu. Number porting (transferring existing numbers from a previous carrier) adds variable time because the losing carrier must authorize the release, which can take days to weeks depending on the provider. Atlantech Online handles carrier onboarding, number migration, and ongoing voice support as part of a guided, operator-led process rather than a self-service-only experience. There are no setup fees and no porting fees with Atlantech's Operator Connect service, and new customers receive the first month free.

What Microsoft 365 licenses are required before deploying Operator Connect?

A Microsoft 365 subscription that includes both Microsoft Teams and Teams Phone is required before deploying Operator Connect. Teams Phone is the specific license component that enables PSTN calling capabilities within Teams, and it must be active in the tenant before any Operator Connect carrier can provision numbers.

Microsoft 365 E5 includes Teams Phone in the base license, so E5 customers can proceed directly to carrier setup. Microsoft 365 E3 does not include Teams Phone, which means E3 customers must purchase the Teams Phone add-on separately before activating Operator Connect. Microsoft 365 Business Voice also includes Teams Phone. A standalone Teams Phone license is available as an add-on for other Microsoft 365 plans that do not include it by default. Beyond licensing, the organization needs a domain name verified by both Microsoft and the Operator Connect carrier, and a Teams Admin account with Global Admin or Teams Service Admin permissions to complete the configuration in the Teams Admin Center.

How does number porting work with Operator Connect?

Number porting transfers existing phone numbers from a previous carrier to the Operator Connect provider with no service interruption. The certified carrier submits a port request to the losing carrier, validates the numbers, and provisions them in the Microsoft Operator Connect platform so they appear in the Teams Admin Center for assignment.

The porting timeline depends primarily on the losing carrier's release process. Simple ports (a few numbers from a cooperative carrier) can complete in days. Large or complex ports (hundreds of numbers, multiple rate centers, or carriers that delay releases) can take weeks. During the transition, the Operator Connect carrier coordinates the cutover to minimize downtime, ideally achieving zero interruption for end users. Atlantech Online handles the entire porting process as part of its operator-led onboarding and charges no porting fees. Once the numbers are active in the Operator Connect platform, they appear in the Teams Admin Center where administrators assign them to users, configure call routing, and manage emergency addresses through the same interface they use for all other Teams administration.

How is Operator Connect managed after go-live?

Operator Connect is managed through the Microsoft Teams Admin Center after go-live. Administrators assign and reassign phone numbers, configure call queues and auto attendants, set calling policies, manage emergency addresses, and add or remove users, all from the same console used for other Microsoft 365 administration tasks.

This unified management model eliminates the need for a separate telephony portal, SBC configuration interface, or carrier-specific dashboard for day-to-day operations. Adding a new user is a checkbox operation in the Teams Admin Center rather than a change order or carrier ticket that takes days. Atlantech Online's deployments include the free atlantech|Call Manager tool, which adds wizard-driven phone setup, role-based access controls, and real-time call visibility on top of the native Teams Admin Center. Call Manager is designed for non-technical administrators who need to manage telephony tasks without navigating the full complexity of the Teams Admin Center. For issues that go beyond self-service administration (network problems, porting new numbers, or troubleshooting call quality), the carrier's support team handles the resolution.

What internal IT time does Operator Connect require to manage?

Operator Connect requires minimal ongoing IT time because the carrier manages the voice infrastructure, SBCs, and PSTN network, while day-to-day telephony tasks happen inside the Teams Admin Center that IT already uses. Most routine operations (assigning numbers, updating call queues, changing user policies) take minutes per task, not hours.

The biggest time savings compared to Direct Routing is the elimination of SBC management. With Direct Routing, IT teams must maintain SBC firmware, TLS certificates, monitor SBC health, and troubleshoot voice gateway issues. Operator Connect removes all of that. Compared to legacy hosted PBX systems, the savings come from eliminating separate telephony portals, change-order processes, and multi-vendor coordination. The only recurring IT tasks are user lifecycle management (adding or removing users, reassigning numbers when employees change roles) and periodic call policy reviews. Emergency address updates for Dynamic E911 compliance also require attention when office locations change or new sites open, because the Location Information Service (LIS) must map network identifiers to civic addresses. These are infrequent tasks rather than daily operations.

How does Operator Connect handle emergency calling and 911 compliance?

Operator Connect supports Dynamic E911 and Nomadic E911 to comply with Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act. The carrier validates civic addresses in real time, routes 911 calls to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on the caller's actual location, and fires on-site notifications when a 911 call is placed.

Kari's Law (effective February 2020) requires direct 911 dialing without a prefix like "9" and requires on-site notification when a 911 call is made. RAY BAUM's Act Section 506 (effective January 2021 for fixed devices, January 2022 for non-fixed devices) requires that a "dispatchable location" (civic address plus granular detail like floor, suite, or room number) be transmitted with every 911 call. Operator Connect addresses both through the Location Information Service (LIS), which maps network identifiers like subnets, switch ports, and Wi-Fi BSSIDs to civic addresses. IT populates the LIS once, and Teams updates the dispatchable location dynamically as users move between network locations. Off-premises users (working from home, traveling, or at remote sites) are prompted to confirm their current address, which is then validated and used for PSAP routing. Atlantech Online includes guided E911 validation and test PSAP access as part of its Operator Connect onboarding process.