Here’s a scenario you’ve probably already lived through: a customer calls and says they want their employees to make and receive phone calls directly inside Microsoft Teams. Not “someday.” Not “after a six-month migration project.” They want it now.
For many providers, that’s the moment where enthusiasm turns into panic. The customer has already made up their mind that Teams is their central hub for work. If you can’t deliver calling in that environment quickly, someone else will.
This is exactly the gap Microsoft set out to fill when it built Operator Connect. Unfortunately, the way it was designed, only the largest global carriers have the resources to get certified. For MSPs, regional carriers, and telecom providers that don’t have entire engineering teams on call, the full Operator Connect route feels out of reach.
That is why TeamMate built Operator Connect Express (OCX).
What Is Operator Connect Express?
The Microsoft Teams Operator Connect program was designed to streamline how carriers and providers enable PSTN connectivity inside Teams.
However,the requirements of certification can be a showstopper.
Operator Connect Express is the solution that gives providers a Microsoft-approved way to light up Teams voice without needing to complete the full certification journey. With Operator Connect Express, you can:
- Onboard customers to Teams voice in hours instead of weeks.
- Automate number provisioning through an intuitive portal.
- Deliver PSTN connectivity directly inside Teams, without third-party workarounds.
The difference comes down to scale. Operator Connect is designed for large telecom operators with direct engineering resources integrated with Microsoft.
Operator Connect Express, on the other hand, makes those same benefits accessible to MSPs and regional voice providers who want to get to market quickly.
Why Operator Connect Express is So Beneficial for Service Providers and MSPs
For years, bringing voice services into Microsoft Teams meant juggling Direct Routing, Session Border Controllers (SBCs), and a pile of IT tickets.
It worked, but it was complex and time intensive. TeamMate’s Operator Connect Express solves all these problems and then some. Here’s how:
1. It Speeds Up Your Time to Market
When a customer asks about Teams calling, they are not looking for a six-week project plan. They want it live, yesterday. Operator Connect Express makes that possible. Instead of giving them a technical roadmap, you can show them a working dial pad inside Teams while you are still closing the deal. That’s the kind of turnaround that wins contracts and keeps deals from slipping to larger providers.
2. It Lowers the Barrier to Offering Microsoft Calling to Clients
Full Microsoft Operator Connect certification was built for global carriers with deep pockets and large engineering teams. The testing is intense, the resource requirements are huge, and the process drags on long enough to scare most smaller providers away.
Operator Connect Express changes the rules. You do not need global reach or technical support from an army of engineers to join the Microsoft Teams ecosystem. With the tools you already have, you can step into a market that once felt off-limits and finally compete on the same stage as the big names.
3. It Opens Up New Revenue Streams (Without the Typical Complexity)
Think about how many companies already rely on Teams every single day (hint: it’s in the hundreds of millions). Most of them still run their phone system separately, which means twice the bills, twice the support calls, and twice the frustration.
OCX lets you package Teams calling as the natural next step. For your customers, it is one less platform to manage. For you, it is steady recurring revenue that will leverage existing phone systems without investing in an entirely new service. Everyone walks away happy.
4. It Simplifies Client Onboarding
Customers want to make and receive calls, not watch their IT team spend weeks untangling configurations. With Operator Connect Express, you can assign phone numbers right within the Microsoft Teams admin center.
By the next morning, users open the same Teams app they already live in and see a dial pad ready to go. No new software, no steep learning curve, no long rollout. That kind of quick win makes you the provider who delivers on promises and makes life easier, the provider Teams users want to keep around.
How It Stacks Up Against Other Microsoft Teams Calling Options
When it comes to bringing voice into Teams, providers typically have to choose between flexibility, speed, and customer experience. The catch? Until now, none of the options has delivered all three.
| Feature | Direct Routing | Operator Connect | Operator Connect Express |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | Weeks to months, lots of configuration | Months to a year (with certification) | Days to weeks |
| Microsoft Certification Required | No | Yes | No |
| Customer Experience | Works, but it’s not seamless | Fully native within Microsoft Teams | Fully native as well |
| Technical Effort | High; SBC management required | High upfront, lighter once certified | Low; streamlined by partners |
| Best Fit For | Providers with deep voice engineering resources | Large global carriers | MSPs, CSPs, and regional providers |
| Go-to-Market Potential | Slower, niche play | Broad but limited to top carriers | Fast, accessible, scalable |
Direct Routing still makes sense for providers who want to tinker under the hood, and full Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams is great if you’re a Tier 1 carrier with certification in your back pocket.
Operator Connect Express combines the best of both worlds by offering the fastest and most realistic option. With TeamMate, you can:
- Skip certification headaches.
- Deploy Microsoft Teams calling faster than you thought possible.
- Add new recurring revenue to your portfolio.
It’s a rare chance to combine speed, simplicity, and profitability in one move. Let’s prove it with a quick example.
Want a deeper dive into Operator Connect Express? Check out this blog on the subject.
The Operator Connect Express Difference: A Real-World Example
Picture a regional MSP with a healthy base of mid-market customers. One of those clients decides they want to consolidate everything into Teams: email, chat, meetings, and phone calls, the works.
- Without Operator Connect Express: The MSP either spends months wrestling with Direct Routing or politely admits defeat and hands the deal to a larger certified operator.
- With Operator Connect Express: The MSP provisions numbers that same week, shows Teams calling live in action, and locks in a new monthly revenue stream.
Perhaps think of a telecom provider who has relied on selling traditional PBX systems for years:
They’ve been seeing client after client move towards cloud-first unified communication platforms, and they want to stop the churn. By layering in Operator Connect Express into offerings, they can deliver Teams calling without rebuilding their entire telephony infrastructure (or waiting for Microsoft’s approval).
These aren’t hypotheticals, either. Providers already using Operator Connect Express to win business that would have otherwise been out of reach.
Unlock Your Next Competitive Advantage Today with TeamMate
There’s no need to sit out of the Teams voice market or wait for a certification path built for someone else. With TeamMate’s Operator Connect Express, MSPs, CSPs, and regional providers like you can finally compete on the same playing field as the big carriers, without the overhead.
The best part? You don’t have to take our word for it. You can try this calling experience for yourself.
Start your free trial with TeamMate and see just how fast Operator Connect Express can simplify onboarding, open new revenue streams, and make the Teams voice network part of your portfolio.
