Category: Integrations

Boosting customer engagement, providing responsive support, and optimizing sales cycles are important for businesses across industries. A breakdown in communication channels can cause conflict, affecting client experiences and agent productivity. Think of sales representatives switching multiple platforms, losing vital context as they swap between CRM and phone systems.

For organizations using Zoho CRM, integrating a softphone system is no longer optional—it’s essential.

A Zoho softphone integration brings calling, logging, and analytics directly into your CRM, helping teams boost productivity, close more deals, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Whether you manage global sales or customer support, this integration bridges the gap between customer data and real-time communication.

Let us show you how you can turn your Zoho CRM into a communication powerhouse with our Zoho softphone integration.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What a Zoho Softphone Integration is
• Why it’s critical for sales and support teams
• Top features to look for in your Zoho phone integration
• Using the United World Telecom Zoho Softphone Integration

What is a Zoho Softphone Integration?

A Zoho softphone integration connects your CRM with a cloud-based phone system, allowing teams to make and receive calls straight from the Zoho interface.

By integrating voice functionality into your CRM, you allow support and sales teams to operate more productively without switching platforms.

With the United World Telecom Zoho Softphone Integration, businesses gain more than just calling. You can:

• Receive inbound calls from global phone numbers directly in Zoho.
• Make outbound calls worldwide using local caller IDs using click-to-dial.
• Automatically log and sync all inbound and outbound calls.
• Access voicemails, transcripts, and recordings—all from one place.
• Make call transfers and in-network calls for improved collaboration.
• Use advanced analytics and AI Call Insights to better understand call traffic.
• Operate seamlessly across devices, perfect for hybrid or remote teams.

Agents can access full caller history, enabling smarter conversations and faster resolutions. Whether managing sales pipelines or resolving support queries, this integration allows your business to handle calls professionally, stay organized, and improve customer experience—without ever leaving Zoho.

Why a Softphone Integration is Critical for Zoho CRM Users

Your sales team is trying to take notes manually, search through call logs, and switch between tabs while engaged in high-value conversations. As a result, efficiency suffers, crucial points miss, and client data fragments. That’s where softphone integration with Zoho CRM shines.

Here’s why this integration goes beyond convenience and establishes itself as an essential pillar for maximizing your Zoho CRM performance:

Centralized Communication: Manage every customer conversation, call, voicemail, and call log in a single, organized hub within Zoho CRM. Eliminate the hassle of switching between platforms and ensure every conversation is tracked, documented, and accessible exactly where your teams need it.

Better Team Training & Collaboration: Managers can monitor calls, review transcripts, and analyze recordings to coach teams and improve overall performance.

Intelligent Customer Engagement: Equip your team with call data, transcriptions, and conversation history, allowing them to personalize interactions, respond with context, and close deals faster.

Improved Operational Efficiency: Automate call logging, recordings, and transcripts to reduce manual work. Agents can focus on conversations, not administrative tasks.

7 Must-Know Features of a Zoho Softphone Integration

Zoho telephony is a versatile integration that efficiently manages and tracks all calls. With our Zoho integration, you can improve your business operations and wave goodbye to manual call data entry. This integration offers a suite of features:

1. Softphone or Dialer for Centralized Calling

With our softphone, you can make and handle calls straight from the Zoho CRM interface. This built-in dialer feature reduces switching between different platforms, allowing each agent to work efficiently.

2. Click-to-Call for Instant Engagement

With one click, initiate calls straight from Zoho CRM, reducing call handling time and minimizing dialing errors. This feature enables sales teams to reach leads promptly and support teams to address customer issues efficiently.

3. Auto Data Sync & Integrated Contacts for Smarter Call Management

Automatically log call data within Zoho CRM, including recordings and transcripts, ensuring customer interaction documentation. This helps record-keeping and reduces administrative burdens with manual data entry, thereby enhancing response times.

Synchronize Zoho CRM contacts with your United World Telecom softphone, granting agents immediate access to caller information. Add new contacts directly into Zoho from the softphone and vice versa, while managing existing contacts.

4. Call Recording for Quality Assurance & Compliance

Record inbound and outbound calls to improve service quality, train new agents, and meet regulatory requirements. Securely stored recordings can be referenced anytime for transparency and compliance. Representatives and support agents can gain valuable learning resources by analyzing customer engagements.

5. Transcription & Translation for Easy Call Review

With AI-powered transcription, voice calls are automatically converted into searchable text and stored in your Zoho logs. This feature allows sales managers to analyze call content and customer sentiment, spotting objections and fine-tuning their pitch. At the same time, support teams can swiftly review transcripts to resolve issues without replaying entire recordings.

6. Local Caller ID for Higher Answer Rates

Display a local or recognizable number when placing outbound calls from Zoho CRM. With our extensive global number coverage, your teams can use local caller IDs in 160+ countries, increasing pickup rates and building customer trust.

Sales and support agents can instantly switch caller IDs based on region or campaign—ensuring every call feels local and professional, no matter where it originates.

7. Voicemail Access & Management

Access voicemail and read transcribed messages within Zoho CRM. Agents can respond faster, ensuring no lead or inquiry is ever missed.

The Game-Changing Impact of UWT’s Zoho Softphone for Businesses

A Zoho softphone integration is a game-changer for teams looking to unify communication, improve call tracking, and deliver excellent customer experiences. United World Telecom enhances this with enterprise-grade telephony infrastructure and advanced global capabilities.

Global Calling with Local Presence
Entering international markets necessitates a business phone system plan that works locally. Businesses can use local phone numbers and local caller IDs for different target markets and regions. Make outbound calls that look and feel local, improving pickup rates and brand perception.

Intelligent Call Routing
Route calls automatically based on department, business hours, location, or agent availability. Send these calls to your Zoho softphone integration, softphone apps, desk phones, etc. This ensures customers always reach the right person at the right time.

Advanced Telephony Management
Gain complete control over your global voice system through our intuitive control panel. Manage phone numbers, routing rules, recordings, and analytics from one central dashboard. Gain full visibility and control over your business communication.

Advanced Call Analytics
Gain deep insights into your customer interactions with advanced and AI-powered call analytics. Capture and analyze your call traffic, gaining valuable insights that enhance decision-making and customer service strategies.

Fast & Easy Deployment
Get started in minutes. Activate the Zoho integration directly through the UWT Control Panel—no coding or technical expertise required. Install from the Zoho Marketplace and start calling immediately.

Multi-Platform Compatibility
The UWT softphone works across desktops, browsers, and mobile devices—ideal for hybrid or remote teams that need flexibility without compromising performance.

Go Live with Zoho—Start Today with UWT

The first step toward operational excellence is integrating your phone system with Zoho to improve business communication.

With United World Telecom, setup is fast and simple:

1. Secure a business phone number and enable outbound calling.
2. Activate the UWT Zoho integration in your Control Panel.
3. Add features like Call Recording, or AI Call Insights for deeper insights.

With this integration, your sales and support teams can work smarter—boosting efficiency, strengthening relationships, and closing deals faster.

Ready to transform your Zoho CRM experience? Contact United World Telecom today to schedule a complete demo or learn more about our integration services!

Your company’s sales representative dials an international lead, but the connection drops, and the response gets delayed. Meanwhile, one of your competitors implements cloud-based communication technology to close a deal. So, your competition might come out ahead when building a strong customer base.

Global sales teams are under pressure to deliver seamless buying experiences, respond instantly, and make data-driven decisions that lead to conversions. But without the right tools, inefficiencies creep in: disorganized call logs, delayed follow-ups, and missed opportunities.

This is where a reliable Salesforce telephony integration comes in. By connecting your phone system directly to Salesforce, your sales reps gain the ability to work faster, smarter, and more strategically.

The United World Telecom Salesforce integration goes beyond data and workflows—it brings true global voice communication directly into Salesforce. With our platform, your teams can make and receive calls worldwide, track conversations, and stay connected without leaving the CRM. This ensures every customer interaction is seamless, timely, and never missed.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• Why Sales Teams Need Salesforce Telephony Integration
• How Our Salesforce Phone Integration Improves Sales Efficiency
• How the Sales Team Can Close Deals Faster
• Why Choose United World Telecom

Why Sales Teams Need a Reliable Salesforce Telephony Integration

Salesforce is the world’s leading CRM, yet it wasn’t built for voice on its own. Without a telephony integration, agents waste time switching between apps, dialing manually, and updating call notes after the fact. These gaps slow down workflows and create missed chances to build relationships.

Accuracy, quickness, and smooth communication are essential for a successful sales team. Missed opportunities and delayed responses mean lost revenue.

A Salesforce phone integration is a robust solution (also referred to as Salesforce CTI) that allows sales teams to make and receive calls from within Salesforce, among other telephony features like click-to-call, call recording, call logging, and so on.

This integration gives sales managers detailed call performance data, which they may use to improve outreach strategies and increase conversions. Telephony integrations equip businesses with the tools to simplify sales workflows and improve customer interactions. Eventually, this helps them close more deals—faster.

How the United World Telecom Salesforce Phone Integration Enhances Sales Efficiency

A Salesforce phone integration transforms your CRM into a complete communication hub. By embedding global voice capabilities directly inside Salesforce, your teams can make and receive calls through a softphone app. This integration simplifies workflows, boosts productivity, and ensures every interaction is captured where it matters most.

With our Salesforce telephony integration, sales teams gain access to advanced features such as:

• Click-to-Call: Simplify your outbound calling efforts with a single click from within the Salesforce interface.
• Softphone: Get business-grade calling into Salesforce with no extra setup. Make and receive calls, choose your outbound caller ID, access voicemails, view call history, and transfer calls–keeping your teams connected and productive without leaving Salesforce.
• Call Logging: Add call notes and track conversations for better record-keeping.
• Call Pops (Screen Pop-Ups): Instantly access caller information and use it to prepare incoming calls.
• Transcription & Translation: Review call transcripts in the CRM to evaluate conversations and gain insights into customer sentiments and needs.
• Call Recordings: Access recordings within Salesforce for quality assurance and training.
• Data Synchronization: Automatically link all call details between Salesforce & United World Telecom platforms, ensuring data accuracy.

Beyond Salesforce, United World Telecom provides additional features accessible via its control panel:

• Local Caller IDs: Improve answer rates for outbound calls with familiar, location-based caller IDs.
• Call Routing: Optimize call distribution based on predefined rules to improve efficiency.
• Advanced IVR: Create intelligent call flows and routing based on business needs.
• AI Call Insights: Gain insights with sentiment analysis, call summaries, and searchable transcripts for better sales intelligence.
• Global Coverage: Access virtual numbers in over 160 countries for international reach.

With global voice coverage, inbound and outbound calling, advanced call management, and AI-powered insights, you can improve customer interactions and drive more sales efficiently.

Using the Salesforce Phone Integration to Close Sales Deals

The United World Telecom Salesforce phone integration transforms sales efforts for both local and global teams. It equips them with the tools needed to close deals quickly. Let’s focus on how managers and sales representatives might use this effective integration:

For Sales Managers

Sales managers need clear visibility into their team’s performance to drive consistent results. With our Salesforce phone integration, they can:

1. Monitor and Improve Team Performance

Sales managers can use call recordings and detailed analytics to strengthen team performance, pinpoint development areas, and offer targeted coaching.

2. Identify Winning Sales Strategies

Analyze successful call patterns and strategies to refine outreach approaches, helping the team create business strategies for consistent success.

3. Track Regional Trends

Managers can analyze call data by country, team, agent, or even keyword to compare performance across regions. For example, they can see how the APAC team stacks up against LATAM, or identify which new markets are responding most positively to recent outreach campaigns—ensuring strategies align with regional demand.

4. Ensure Compliance and Quality Assurance

Maintain accurate records of every sales interaction to ensure transparency and compliance. This will ensure that industry standards are followed and promote an accountable culture.

For Sales Agents

Sales agents are on the front lines of every customer interaction. They can manage calls and track customer interactions directly in Salesforce, helping them stay focused on high-value opportunities, such as:

1. Prioritize Leads Effectively

Sales agents can combine CRM call data with features like AI Call Insights and detailed interaction history to identify high-intent prospects. This ensures they spend less time chasing unqualified leads and more time engaging with those most likely to convert.

2. Personalize Sales Conversations

With detailed call history at their fingertips, agents can move beyond generic pitches and create truly personalized sales conversations. They can reference previous interactions, acknowledge customer preferences, and revisit past questions or objections. This context allows agents to focus on what matters most to the customer, build stronger rapport, and even anticipate needs by offering the best solutions.

3. Optimize Follow-Ups With AI Call Insights

With AI-powered call summaries and sentiment analysis, sales teams can capture the nuances of each interaction and use them to design follow-up strategies that truly resonate. Instead of sending generic reminders, agents can reference past discussions, address unresolved concerns, and improve pitches based on the customer’s sentiment.

4. Improve Response Time

By making calls directly from the Salesforce CRM with the click-to-call feature, agents save valuable time and can respond to inquiries as they come in. This simplifies workflows (no more manual dialing and call logging!) and boosts productivity. Faster responses build trust, demonstrate reliability, and give sales teams a competitive edge in closing deals.

Why Sales Teams Choose United World Telecom for Salesforce Telephony

When it comes to closing deals faster and managing global customer conversations, sales teams need more than just a phone system—they need a solution built for scale. The United World Telecom Salesforce phone integration empowers sales professionals with effortless inbound and outbound sales call management, practical insights, and worldwide coverage, making it the preferred choice for organizations that want every interaction to drive revenue.

Here’s why sales professionals prefer this integration:

Get the United World Telecom Salesforce Phone Integration Today

Transform your sales workflow in minutes. Setting up the United World Telecom Salesforce Phone integration is quick and easy. Simply get a business phone number and our Outbound Calling service. Then, activate the Salesforce phone integration from your control panel and install the app directly from the Salesforce AppExchange.

Connecting your phone system with Salesforce transforms your customer experience into one that is more seamless, responsive, and efficient. With a provider like United World Telecom, you also gain access to local numbers, powerful outbound tools, and in-depth analytics to elevate your strategy. The result? Better sales efficiency, stronger customer engagement, and faster deal closures.

So, are you ready to transform your sales process? Contact us today for a demo!

As remote and hybrid work models become the new norm, organizations are increasingly turning to Microsoft Teams to simplify messaging, meetings, file sharing, and now voice communications. Teams is now more than a collaboration tool; it has evolved into a modern UCaaS platform.

While Teams excels at internal collaboration, the growing demand for a seamless external calling solution has highlighted the need to integrate enterprise-grade telephony features.

This change reflects a larger trend—businesses are demanding more from their UCaaS solutions, particularly the capability to make and receive calls beyond their internal network.

But to enable Teams for external calling and global voice communication, businesses and IT professionals must choose the right telephony integration.

That choice often comes down to Direct Routing vs Operator Connect—two robust solutions, each offering its own set of features and advantages to meet different business necessities.

But what exactly do these options offer? How do they differ? And which is best for your business?

In this blog, we’ll cover:

• Understanding Microsoft Telephony
• Direct Routing
• Operator Connect
• Direct Routing vs Operator Connect
• Which One is Right for You?

Understanding Microsoft Teams Telephony

Businesses can now utilize Teams as their primary business telephony option, as it offers calling plans. Calling Plans is Microsoft’s built-in voice service that enables users to make and receive phone calls directly within Teams.

With a Calling Plan, users can:

• Place and receive calls to and from mobile phones and landlines with ease. Host audio conference calls with up to 250 participants.
• Access key features like call forwarding, voicemail, and caller ID. Configure and manage audio conferencing, auto attendants, and call routing.

However, a key challenge arises: Microsoft Calling Plans have limited geographic coverage and flexibility, making them less suitable for businesses with a global reach. Fortunately, Teams has two solutions that businesses can use to move beyond internal collaboration and limited domestic calling:

• Direct Routing enables you to integrate your phone service provider with Teams by connecting it through a Session Border Controller (SBC). This means you can bring your own preferred carrier to Teams instead of relying on Microsoft’s Calling Plans, giving you more choice and flexibility.
• Operator Connect offers a simpler and more managed experience. Microsoft-approved telecom operators offer direct integration within the Teams Admin Center, reducing setup complexity while maintaining call quality. No SBC required for this integration.

Compared to Calling Plans, Direct Routing and Operator Connect can help businesses minimize costs and maximize global access.

Both options extend Teams into a global phone system, but they differ in flexibility, carrier control, and feature depth. Let’s look at them more closely.

What is Direct Routing for Teams?

How it works:

Here’s the basic workflow of Microsoft Teams Direct Routing:

• Microsoft Teams connects to a telephony provider’s SBC – calls will be routed through this SBC.
• The SBC acts as a secure bridge between Teams and your provider via SIP trunking.
• This setup enables external voice traffic to flow seamlessly between Teams and the PSTN, allowing users to manage global calls directly from Teams.
• You manage user setup and number assignment directly in Teams.

Why it matters:

Direct Routing follows a Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) model, giving you the freedom to:

• Choose the best telecom provider for your needs and budget.
• Extend your voice services to over 160+ countries, when you pick a global provider like United World Telecom.
• Seamlessly integrate with existing PBX systems or hybrid infrastructure.
• Customize call routing, compliance, and security features.
• Increase cost efficiency by using competitive carriers and existing infrastructure.
• Enjoy total flexibility and control over voice infrastructure and call routing.

United World Telecom enables Direct Routing with a Microsoft-certified SBC and international number coverage across 160+ countries for seamless connectivity. Our expertise ensures a smooth, secure, and globally connected voice solution for your enterprise.

What is Operator Connect for Teams?

These certified operators have established direct, high-availability connections to Microsoft’s global network and the Teams Phone System. This direct peering ensures reliable call quality and simplified management.

How it works:

• Your selected operator maintains all infrastructure levels and connects directly to Microsoft’s cloud.
• They manage the PSTN, SIP trunks, and SBC before establishing a connection with Microsoft to enable Teams’ calling features.
• You manage user setup and number assignment directly in Teams.

Why it matters:

• Choose from Microsoft-approved phone service providers right inside the portal.
• Manage phone numbers and connections directly in the Teams Admin Center.
• Set up everything fast, without needing PowerShell or command lines.
• Add new users and numbers with just a few clicks.
• Fully cloud-based, ready in hours, and infrastructure is handled by the operator.

While Operator Connect simplifies deployment, it has a few key limitations:

• You’re restricted to choosing from Microsoft-certified Operator Connect partners. Unlike Direct Routing, it doesn’t support the flexibility to bring your own carrier. If your preferred provider isn’t listed, you’ll need to switch or opt for Direct Routing.
• Operator Connect is entirely cloud-based and doesn’t integrate with on-premises PBX systems or hybrid telephony environments. It’s best suited for organizations that have fully adopted Microsoft Teams Phone as their sole communication solution.

Key Differences: Direct Routing vs Operator Connect

Here’s how Direct Routing and Operator Connect stack up across key factors like flexibility, global reach, feature depth, and setup complexity.

Use this side-by-side comparison to quickly identify which solution aligns best with your business needs:

Which One is Right for Your Business?

The choice between Direct Routing versus Operator Connect for integrating voice capabilities with Microsoft Teams often comes down to your organization’s specific needs regarding control, existing infrastructure, cost, and desired features.

Opt for Direct Routing if You:

• Prefer To Reduce Costs By Using Your Existing Telecom Provider
  With Direct Routing, you can negotiate better deals with your current carrier, benefit from pricing, and avoid per-user licensing fees, resulting in significant long-term savings.
• Need International Number Coverage or Support for Hybrid/On-Premise Systems
  Direct Routing allows you to connect Microsoft Teams to a variety of international numbers— local, toll-free, mobile, and non-geographic, across 160+ countries.
• Want To Retain Legacy PBX Features
  Direct Routing supports integration with existing infrastructure, helping you upgrade without losing essential features.
• Require Advanced Features
  Use advanced features, including AI-driven call analytics, custom call routing rules based on business hours or location, call recording, and detailed reporting, to optimize performance and ensure compliance.

Select Operator Connect if you:

• Are Okay with Using Only Microsoft-Approved Carriers
  Operator Connect requires you to choose from Microsoft-approved carriers. While convenient, this may reduce your flexibility in pricing and coverage, especially in less commonly served regions.
• Want A Fast, Plug-and-Play Setup With Minimal Configuration
  Operator Connect is ideal for businesses that need to get up and running quickly. It integrates directly with Teams from the Admin Center and doesn’t require complex setup or infrastructure changes.
• Don’t Need Custom Call Routing Or Complex Integrations
  For clear voice requirements, where custom call flows, legacy system integration, or advanced routing aren’t needed, Operator Connect is a simple, effective solution.

Microsoft Teams Integration with United World Telecom

United World Telecom offers robust Microsoft Teams integration options, providing two distinct solutions: Direct Routing for comprehensive, enterprise-grade voice, and our Teams Softphone Widget Integration for simplified outbound calling.

• Microsoft Teams Direct Routing
  Our Teams Direct Routing Integration is an enterprise-grade setup that enables users to make and receive global calls directly within Teams while retaining complete control over their voice infrastructure. Key Benefits:

• • More robust integration, leading to seamless call management within the Teams environment
  • Microsoft-certified SBC for secure, encrypted voice traffic
  • 24/7 technical support for setup and maintenance
  • Global number coverage in 160+ countries
  • Lower telecom costs by using your preferred carrier
  • Full feature suite: IVR, call analytics, CRM integration

• Microsoft Teams Softphone Widget Integration
  Ideal for businesses seeking an easy-to-deploy solution, our Teams Softphone Widget enables simplified external calling from directly within the Teams interface. This is a softphone-style widget inside Teams which enables click-to-call, call activity and logs, and optional call recording and transcription. Key Benefits:

• • Quick setup – start making calls in just a few minutes
  • Call worldwide – use local phone numbers to connect better
  • Manage all calls in one place – no need to switch tools
  • See call history – track all inbound and outbound calls
  • Use innovative features – enjoy call routing, voicemail, and more

Combine the power of Teams collaboration with the flexibility of United World Telecom’s global voice infrastructure. Seamlessly enable international calling, advanced routing, and local caller IDs—all from within Microsoft Teams.

With us, you get reliable voice capabilities, unmatched global coverage, and hands-on support from a trusted telecom partner.

How Businesses Use Microsoft Teams Integration

Teams improves cross-border collaboration, expands reach, and boosts efficiency from international sales to customer service:

• Global Customer Support
  Deliver personalized, region-specific support using call routing and international toll-free numbers or local numbers. Whether you have support agents in one location or across the globe, you can ensure every customer reaches the right person quickly.
• International Sales Teams
  Sales teams can reach out to global leads using local phone numbers, which helps build trust and improves response rates. With this integration, reps can make calls directly from Microsoft Teams while presenting a local caller ID.
• Hard-to-Reach Regions
  Maintain reliable and high-quality voice connections even in countries with limited telecom infrastructure. Microsoft-certified technology ensures smooth communication in emerging markets without the need for on-site infrastructure.
• Connecting Distributed Teams
  Support your remote and hybrid workforce with centralized, cloud-based calling through Microsoft Teams. The integration simplifies internal communication, reduces the need for multiple tools, and enables seamless collaboration across time zones and office locations.

Building a Global Voice Strategy with Teams

As businesses continue to expand across borders and adapt to hybrid work models, building a global voice strategy is no longer optional; it’s essential.

Microsoft Teams has already become a strong hub for internal collaboration, but to truly unify business communication, you need a voice solution that scales with your operations.

Whether you’re managing international sales teams, supporting global customers, or connecting remote teams, integrating voice with Microsoft Teams can simplify operations. Choosing the right solution—Direct Routing vs Operator Connect—depends on your organization’s goals, infrastructure, and level of control required.

Direct Routing, particularly when implemented with a provider like United World Telecom, enables businesses to utilize their preferred carriers, optimize costs, and deploy advanced features such as custom call routing and AI-driven analytics across more than 160 countries.

So, are you ready to upgrade your communications?

Check out our Direct Routing solution and browse through our Country Coverage to see where we’re available.

Let us help you take Microsoft Teams beyond chat and video—into the future of global voice.

As Microsoft Teams evolves into a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) hub, modern businesses are increasingly adopting it not just for internal collaboration but also for external calling.

As a UCaaS tool, Teams supports video, chat, audio, and phone calls for internal business collaboration. For external calling, Microsoft offers Calling Plans—a built-in solution that allows Teams users to make and receive calls via PSTN. However, Microsoft Calling Plans have limited global coverage, fewer features, and reduced flexibility for external calling. This can limit global businesses from reliably communicating with their international customers.

This is where Microsoft Teams Direct Routing comes in. Direct Routing brings advanced telephony to Teams by letting businesses bring their preferred carrier to Teams. This enables teams to make and receive external calls directly from their Teams platform, providing businesses with a reliable and flexible path to global communication, voice control, and substantial cost savings.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What is Direct Routing for Teams
• How Direct Routing Works
• Direct Routing vs Microsoft Calling Plans
• Benefits of Direct Routing for Teams
• Practical Use Cases
• Adding Global Coverage to Microsoft Teams

What is Direct Routing for Teams?

Instead of relying solely on Microsoft Calling Plans, businesses can bring their own carrier (BYOC) using a certified Session Border Controller (SBC). With Direct Routing, you can expand communication across your existing phone systems, including Microsoft Teams, analog devices, and third-party PBXs.

To fully understand how Direct Routing works, it helps to break down the core technical components involved. These elements work together to enable external PSTN calling within Teams:

1. Microsoft Teams Phone: This is the core voice component in Microsoft 365, enabling call control and PBX capabilities within Teams. It lets users make, receive, and transfer calls directly from the Teams interface.

2. Session Border Controller (SBC): An SBC for Teams is a device or software that securely connects Microsoft Teams to your chosen telephony provider. It acts as a translator and gatekeeper, ensuring that call traffic is routed correctly and protected against threats like DoS attacks or codec mismatches. The SBC is a required element for Direct Routing. Without it, Teams cannot connect to an external voice network.

3. Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC): This allows you to use a third-party voice carrier—like United World Telecom—instead of Microsoft’s Calling Plans. This approach provides more flexibility, better global coverage, and typically lower costs. Direct Routing is Microsoft’s way of enabling BYOC.

4. SIP Trunk: A SIP trunk is a virtual phone line that transmits voice over IP (VoIP) networks. It connects your SBC to the public telephone network (PSTN) via your voice provider. The SIP trunk is how your business makes and receives calls outside of Teams, using your chosen provider’s global infrastructure.

5. Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) & Trusted Certificate: Each SBC must have an FQDN and a TLS certificate issued by a Microsoft-trusted Certificate Authority. This ensures encrypted, authenticated communication with Microsoft 365.

6. Transport Layer Security (TLS) Encryption: A security protocol that encrypts data to ensure safe and private communication over a network.

How Direct Routing Works?

Direct Routing enables Microsoft Teams to handle both inbound and outbound calls over the PSTN using a third-party carrier. Here’s how each call direction works, and how the underlying components—Teams Phone, SBC, and SIP trunking—operate together:

• Outbound Calls (Teams client → PSTN endpoint):
  • A user places a call from their Microsoft Teams client.
  • Microsoft Phone System receives and processes the call and applies your preset voice routing policies.
  • The call is securely routed over TLS-encrypted SIP to the SBC using the registered FQDN.
  • The SBC may apply outbound rules (e.g., number formatting), then pass the call to your selected carrier via a SIP trunk.
  • The call is completed through the PSTN to the destination number.
• Inbound Calls (PSTN endpoint → Teams client):
  • A call arrives from the PSTN to one of your organization’s business numbers.
  • The call is delivered through your telecom provider’s SIP trunk to your SBC.
  • The SBC applies inbound translation rules (e.g., adding a “+” or country code) and forwards the request securely to Microsoft Phone System.
  • Based on the number and routing configuration, Microsoft Teams delivers the call to the correct user or application, as set up.

By controlling how calls are routed in and out of MS Teams, this voice architecture gives businesses full flexibility to:

• Choose their preferred global carrier (BYOC)
• Apply customized routing rules (e.g., time of day, region)
• Optimize call quality and cost
• Maintain secure, compliant communication.

Why Use Direct Routing Instead of Microsoft Calling Plans?

So, if Microsoft Teams has its own Calling Plans, what is the purpose of Direct Routing?

One of the primary ways to connect Microsoft Teams to the PSTN is through Microsoft’s built-in, cloud-based Calling Plans. In this setup, Microsoft acts as your PSTN carrier, handling all internal and external voice traffic. With this setup, costs depend on Domestic or International Calling Plans, which can escalate based on call volume and global reach.

Unfortunately, these plans are only available in select countries and may not offer the global reach that international organizations require. For companies with global ambitions, this lack of unified coverage can be a significant roadblock to seamless communication.

To scale globally in a cost-effective manner, Direct Routing becomes a strategic move. By using Direct Routing with a provider like United World Telecom, businesses:

• Scale their voice infrastructure quickly and efficiently across regions without being restricted by Microsoft’s limited Calling Plan availability.
• Quickly obtain and activate international phone numbers from more than 160 countries. Check out our country coverage.
• Get 24/7 responsive support and customization options for your customer calls, advantages you won’t find with Microsoft’s native plans.

Benefits of Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams

The majority of digital transformation projects aim to standardize and integrate IT software, particularly in areas such as CRM and ERP, yet telephony is often neglected. In reality, many businesses still rely on mismatched PBX systems across global offices.

Switching to Microsoft Teams Direct Routing helps unify communications in the following ways:

• Global Coverage
Direct Routing connects your Microsoft Teams environment to a vast worldwide voice network, enabling your organization to secure various types of numbers–local, toll-free, non-geographic, and mobile numbers.
• Unified Communication Platform
By integrating Direct Routing, you unify voice, video, chat, and collaboration in Teams, simplifying communication and reducing dependency on numerous tools.
• Smooth External Communication
With Direct Routing and global coverage, users can make and receive international calls seamlessly within Teams, connecting reliably with clients, partners, and vendors outside the platform.
• Security with Microsoft-Certified SBCs
A pre-configured, Microsoft-Certified SBC ensures encrypted SIP communication via TLS and trusted certificates. This gives your business a robust, carrier-redundant network for reliable global voice services.
• Improved Productivity and Workflow
MS Teams users can manage calls, view history, and access advanced features in one platform, helping remote and hybrid teams stay organized, respond faster, and collaborate seamlessly without toggling between tools.
• Cost-Efficiency
Direct Routing offers greater control over telecom spending. You also gain flexibility to choose your preferred carrier and optimize rates in less expensive ones.
• Enhanced Local Presence with Outbound Caller ID
Direct Routing solutions allow you to manage outbound caller ID, which helps improve answer rates in key markets, thereby establishing a more substantial local presence for your businesses.
• Advanced Call Features
When you bring your own carrier to Teams, your telephony provider can offer more than basic calling services. You can access features like IVR, call recording, AI Call Insights, advanced call routing, and detailed analytics, enhancing overall call management.

How to Use Direct Routing for Global Business Communication

When Microsoft Teams and Direct Routing integrate, the platform becomes a fully functioning business phone system. This configuration enhances global reach, handles complex telephony requirements, and opens enhanced voice capabilities. Below are a few use cases on how businesses can take advantage of this telephony integration:

Adding Global Coverage to Your Microsoft Teams Environment

Enhance your Microsoft Teams setup with global voice capabilities by integrating with United World Telecom.

With Teams Direct Routing from United World Telecom, we assist you in growing your Teams environment by enabling PSTN connectivity and global coverage across more than 160 countries. Our platform ensures seamless integration and reliable calls, regardless of whether you need local, toll-free, or mobile numbers.

As a global telephony provider for Teams, we help companies use a single, cloud-first platform to unify voice across geographical boundaries. With our user-friendly telephony control panel, you can manage numbers, features, routing rules, and user settings all in one place. Our SBCs, certified by Microsoft, guarantee enterprise-level security.

We don’t just provide the tech—we support you every step of the way. From setup and SIP trunk provisioning to configuration and testing, our team offers hands-on guidance and 24/7 support. With our certified SBC and global voice platform, you can connect your Microsoft Teams users across international borders.

Start building a more flexible and secure Teams Direct Routing voice solution today. Want to learn more about our solution and how to get started? Talk to our experts now — call us or chat with us!

Sales representatives who handle a huge volume of leads daily face the constant challenge of juggling multiple applications and retrieving crucial customer details before every call. This fragmented process wastes valuable time and diminishes the quality of customer interactions.

Businesses today operate in a pivotal environment where customer expectations are higher than ever across all channels. Businesses that prioritize seamless communication are more likely to retain customers and foster long-lasting relationships.

Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) addresses this challenge by connecting computer networks or applications and phone systems, essentially adding telephony functionality to them. In other words, you can make and receive calls from your computer or laptop.

Expand this a little more, and you will have CTIs that connect your phone service to your core business applications, like Salesforce CRM. Salesforce CTI bridges the gap between your CRM and phone system, giving your teams unparalleled communication capabilities.

In this article, we’ll cover:

• How Salesforce CTI Works
• Key Features
• Core Benefits
• How to Implement

What is Salesforce CTI? How it Works

Salesforce, a commonly adopted sales CRM system, promotes customer communication management. To enhance this functionality, Salesforce CTI integrates telephony capabilities directly within the platform.

A telephony integration for Salesforce lets your sales and support teams manage business calls directly from their Salesforce environment, using a softphone app. They don’t need to use a desk phone or log into another software. Instead, they can answer customer calls, dial numbers, and maintain records—all without leaving Salesforce.

• The core functionality is the synchronization of data in real time between Salesforce and your phone system.
• When a call comes in, the CTI recognizes the caller and enters the relevant Salesforce call record if required.
• With screen pop, agents instantly see who’s calling and relevant account information.
• They can then make outbound calls quickly through the click-to-dial feature, reducing manual dialing errors and improving sales agent productivity.
• Agents can also log calls, guaranteeing thorough and precise documentation of each interaction.

This way, a Salesforce CTI combines CRM and telephony to give businesses faster, smarter customer communication — all from a single platform.

With providers like United World Telecom, teams can integrate their voice systems directly into Salesforce and access advanced features like Local 2-Way Voice, intelligent call routing, and AI Call Insights.

Key Features of Salesforce Telephony Integration

Integrating your phone system with Salesforce improves business interactions by making it easier to manage customer communication from within your CRM platform. Important business calling features include:

• Click-to-Call: Simplify outbound calling efforts by allowing agents to initiate calls with a single click from within Salesforce.
• Call Logging: Log call details, customer information, and interaction summaries, making it easier to track performance and keep accurate records.
• Call Pops (Screen Pop-Ups): Incoming calls trigger automatic screen pops, giving agents immediate access to caller data.
• Call Recordings: Listen to call recordings stored with contact records for quality assurance, training, and compliance.
• Softphone or Dialer: Make and receive calls directly within Salesforce using a softphone integration, eliminating the need to switch between applications.
• Transcription & Translation: View call transcripts in the CRM to analyze conversations and gain insights into customer sentiments and needs.
• Call Routing: Optimize call distribution based on preset rules to speed up response times by ensuring calls are sent to the correct agents or departments.

Benefits of Salesforce CTI for Sales and Support Teams

Integrating your phone system with Salesforce offers measurable improvements across customer-facing teams. Here’s what businesses gain:

• Bring Voice and CRM Together

Agents don’t need to switch between tabs or tools. Everything—from dialing to reviewing customer data—is in one place. This lets agents focus on providing excellent customer experiences.

Click-to-dial and screen pops reduce handling time, allowing teams to focus more on conversations and less on busywork.

• Simplified Workflows

Features like click-to-dial and automated call logging reduce the time spent on manual tasks. Agents can place calls with a single click and let the system log key call data, such as time, duration, and outcomes, automatically into the appropriate records.

• Deliver More Personalized Interactions

Calls feel more personal when agents have full visibility into each customer’s history and needs. By connecting Salesforce with telephony, agents can view all client interactions and records in one place. This leads to faster resolutions and more meaningful interactions.

• Less Missed Opportunities

Customizable and advanced call routing ensures customers are connected to the most appropriate agent based on location, department, skill set, or previous interactions. This reduces wait times and improves the customer experience without adding complexity.

• Improved Team Efficiency

Managers can access custom reports, AI-driven analytics, and granular call data. With insights into call volume, handling time, and sentiment, you can identify opportunities, address issues quickly, and make informed decisions.

• Boost Agent Productivity

By eliminating repetitive tasks and surfacing relevant data automatically, CTI helps agents spend less time navigating systems and more time engaging customers. This leads to shorter call times, higher satisfaction, and increased efficiency across the board.

• Scale with Confidence

Whether you use cloud-based, on-premise, or SIP-based systems, modern CTI solutions — like United World Telecom’s Salesforce phone integration — support a wide range of telephony infrastructures, giving you the flexibility to adapt and scale.

Related: Close Sales Deals with Salesforce and United World Telecom

How to Implement Salesforce CTI

By simplifying communication within your CRM, Salesforce CTI improves customer interactions. Check out the following essential steps to ensure an effortless implementation:

1. Evaluate Business Communication Needs
Start by identifying what you want to establish and improve. Analyze current call volume, agent operations, and customer contact trends to see where gaps occur. This will help you determine what type of integration solution you need to maximize ROI.

2. Select a Compatible Telephony Provider
Choose a phone system that can integrate with Salesforce and offer features like click-to-dial, data sync, and more. A cloud phone solution like the United World Telecom Salesforce Integration offers seamless connectivity, call logging, and advanced analytics.

3. Set Up and Integrate
Configure Salesforce integration with your telephone provider. Access the softphone app or extension from the Salesforce AppExchange. The United World Telecom integration, for example, installs in just a few steps. Set up click-to-dial, call routing, and logging rules based on your Salesforce setup.

4. Test and Resolve
Test the integration across multiple teams and locations to ensure proper functionality. This involves testing call logs, screen pops, inbound and outbound calls, and other essential functions.

5. Staff Training
Ensure staff members understand how to use the integrated system. Provide practical guidance in call handling, reporting, and using Salesforce integration features. Proper training increases adoption and enhances customer interactions.

Integrate United World Telecom with Salesforce

Whether you’re a fast-growing sales team or an international support operation, we make it easy to bring voice into Salesforce — and scale it globally.

Why choose the United World Telecom Salesforce phone integration?

We offer:

• Seamless Salesforce softphone integration – set up in just a few steps!
• Enterprise-grade voice quality and uptime for inbound and outbound calling
• Local numbers and international toll-free numbers from 160+ countries
• Outbound Caller ID management
• AI-powered tools: Call Transcription, Sentiment Analysis, Custom Reports
• 24/7 expert support

Want to see our Salesforce phone integration in action? Book a demo today!

Bring Global Voice to Your Salesforce CRM

Salesforce CTI helps you unify customer conversations, streamline agent workflows, and make data-driven decisions — all from inside the CRM your team already uses.

By integrating your phone system with Salesforce, you create a more connected, responsive, and effective customer experience. And with a provider like United World Telecom, you also get access to international numbers, outbound features, and advanced analytics to support your strategy at every level.

Add your telephony to United World Telecom; contact us now at (561) 908-6171 or chat with us!