8×8, Inc., a leading integrated cloud contact center and unified communications platform provider, announced 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams, a purpose-built solution offering native Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) calling in Microsoft Teams through the Operator Connect program. The new solution adds an Operator Connect option powered by 8×8’s leading Global ReachTM network to provide reliable calling, streamlined deployment, and simplified management to increase admin efficiency for Microsoft Teams Phone customers.
“There is a huge market opportunity for partners to extend the value of the Microsoft Teams platform through telephony enablement and CX services, such as contact center,” said Patrick Watson, Head of Research at Cavell Group. “The launch of Operator Connect provides customers with greater flexibility and opportunities to augment their investment in the platform.”
Keys benefits of 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams include:
- Reliability, Security, and Support – Direct peering through Microsoft Azure meets program architecture, security, and network requirements for reliability together with a streamlined support model and shared Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with Microsoft for Operator Connect services.
- A Complete Portfolio – Flexible calling plans, and a Teams-certified contact center with free on net calling to meet each organization’s specific telephony and customer engagement requirements.
- Familiar Teams Phone Experience – The ability to make and receive calls through the Teams app minimizing training requirements and accelerating onboarding.
- Increased Admin Efficiency – Admins can intuitively provision numbers and manage users from the Microsoft Teams admin center to improve deployment time.
8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams will launch with flexible calling plans, and will support local presence in 20 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
“As a technology provider, it’s important to know what our customers need from their software solutions, especially as organizations consolidate their tech stack to allow them to fully customize and streamline their workflows for business success,” said Hunter Middleton, Chief Product Officer at 8×8, Inc. “We have introduced 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams to provide customers with 8×8’s reliable network by adding PSTN calling directly in Microsoft Teams, to improve productivity and efficiency for organizations.”
“We continue to work with partners to offer Microsoft Teams Phone customers flexibility to enable PSTN services and customer engagement capabilities in Teams,” said Taimoor Husain, Modern Workplace, GTM Strategy Lead for Operators at Microsoft. “8×8 is now the first Operator Connect partner to offer a contact center solution certified to integrate with Teams and we are pleased to work with them to offer customers choice in PSTN connectivity options.”
8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams is available now in an invitation-only preview via 8×8’s Early Access Program. Existing 8×8 customers who would like to register their interest in the Early Access Program can sign up by emailing customer.labs@8×8.com.
Read the article by Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst at Metrigy, about Selecting the Right Teams Phone Service. For more information about 8×8 Operator Connect, visit 8×8 for Microsoft Teams.
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