Microsoft Business Voice – Turn Microsoft Teams into a Full Enterprise-Class Phone System

Turn Microsoft Teams into a Full Enterprise-Class Phone System with Microsoft Business Voice.

Did you know that Microsoft teams can become a full enterprise-class phone system under Microsoft Business Voice?

 

Companies that did not have a cloud-based phone system were at a big disadvantage when they had to close their buildings during the COVID-19 lockdown. Communications are one of the most vital areas of any business operations and keeping everyone connected when they can’t be in the same place requires cloud-based systems, like VoIP.

 

This is why one of the most popular platforms used to keep people connected during the pandemic is Microsoft Teams.

 

The platform saw an increase of 12 million users in just a single week and during the pandemic, the use of video conferencing has doubled. 

 

A benefit of using Teams is that it keeps all business communications in a single place, ensuring that information can be properly secured. It also keeps important details and communication trails from being lost because they were saved on an employee-owned device instead of a company platform.

 

But until recently, Teams only included connection with other Teams users, not as a business phone system… but that’s now changed.

 

Companies now have the opportunity to truly handle all communications from a single platform, including calls to and from landline phones through their business lines.

Introducing… Microsoft Business Voice

On April 12020, Microsoft announced that its new VoIP phone service, Microsoft Business Voice was available in over 70 countries.

 

What this service does is turn Microsoft Teams into a full-featured, enterprise-class VoIP phone system.

 

By adding VoIP into Teams, you not only can reduce the number of different cloud services that your company uses (if you’re already using another VoIP service), you also get full integration with the Microsoft 365 platform. 

 

This means better productivity, more fluid workflows, and more. Here are the advantages of adding Microsoft Business Voice to your Teams interface.

Cost Savings

For businesses that are still using landlines, switching to VoIP can save them significantly. Costs just for hardware setup can mean a savings of more than AUD $1,300 over traditional PBX systems.

 

Other savings include lower costs for international and local calling and monthly service fees. You also do not have to pay for regular servicing and maintenance of equipment when using VoIP.

Answer Your Phones Anywhere

If your office has to close due to a pandemic or any other kind of disaster, you don’t have to worry about missing calls. Using Microsoft Business Voice in Teams allows you to answer your phone lines from anywhere.

 

This is also extremely helpful when you have employees that work remotely part of the time. They don’t have to forward their line or give out two different numbers to people.

 

Calls can be placed or answered from a computer, mobile phone, or a special VoIP handset. This gives you an important system as part of your business continuity planning.

Keep Your Numbers

One thing that businesses worry about when transitioning to VoIP is that they’ll have to change a phone number that they’ve had for years. That’s not the case.

 

With Microsoft Business Voice you can port over your current numbers to the new system and easily add new phone numbers whenever you need to.

Enterprise-Class Features for the Cloud

You’ll get all the features you expect from a phone system, plus some that are only able to be done by a cloud-based platform (like automatic voicemail transcription).

 

Here are just a few of the features you’ll have added to calling in your Teams interface:

  • Call escalation
  • Auto attendants
  • Custom contact groups
  • Call transfer and handling
  • Call queues
  • Custom ringtones
  • Location-based routing
  • Direct routing
  • Three-way calling
  • Speed dial
  • Shared line appearance
  • Voicemail to email
  • Out of office support
  • Simultaneous ring
  • Real-time captioning in meetings

Uptime Guarantee

Most landline-based phones aren’t going to give you the type of uptime guarantee that Microsoft offers for their Business Voice service. 

 

You get a 99.9% uptime guarantee, which is provided from built-in redundancy and load balancing. This mitigation of downtime is another feature of using a cloud-based phone that isn’t available when it comes to traditional analog phone lines.

All the Capabilities of a Traditional System

Are you worried about receiving calls from those that don’t have an internet connection? That’s how the VoIP addon differs from Teams without VoIP.

 

Microsoft Business Voice can enable calls with all types of phones, that includes mobile phones and landlines that aren’t connected to the internet.

 

You have the ability to call domestically and internationally. Audio conferencing is also part of the platform and people don’t need to have a Teams account to join you for a conference call.

Bring Your Own Calling Plan

If you have a specific calling plan with a 3rd party that you’d like to continue using, such as a call center, you can bring this over to be compatible with Microsoft Business Voice in Teams.

Is It Time for You to Upgrade to VoIP?

The pandemic has made many Brisbane businesses rethink their communication systems. Is it time for an upgrade to VoIP for business continuity? Connected Platforms can help!

 

Contact our small business IT support Brisbane team today for a free VoIP consultation. Call 1300 866 096 or book a coffee meeting online.

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How to create secure passwords

How to create secure passwords

Weak passwords are one of the biggest security risks to your business.
Why?
Because cyber criminals are getting smarter than ever before. If they manage to crack just one password, they could gain access to your sensitive business data, financial information, or even gain control of your entire system.
Cyber criminals use automated tools to guess passwords, allowing them to try out millions of combinations in seconds. So, if you’re using something like “Password123” or “CompanyName2025”, you’re practically handing them the keys to your business.
A compromised password can lead to big issues, such as:
• Data breaches
• Financial losses
• Identity theft
• Reputation damage
But how do you create strong passwords without driving yourself (and your team) mad?
Think of your password like a secret recipe, where only you should know the ingredients. It should:
• Be at least 14 characters long (the longer, the better)
• Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
• Contain a few numbers and symbols (like @, $, %, or &)
• Not contain any common words or easily guessable information (like birthdays, names, or the word “password”)
Instead of using a single word, you could try a passphrase – a short, random sentence that only you would understand. For example, instead of “Sailing2025”, try something like “Coffee&CloudsAreGreat9!”. This is much harder to crack, yet still easy to remember.
You should also steer clear of these common mistakes:
• Using personal info (your name, birthday, business name, etc.)
• Reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts
• Using simple sequences (“123456” or “abcdef”)
• Storing passwords in an easily accessible place (like a sticky note on your desk)
If remembering unique passwords for every account sounds impossible, there is another option: Password managers. These generate strong passwords, store them securely and autofill them for you.
With a password manager, you only need to remember one strong master password for the manager app itself. The rest are encrypted and stored safely, reducing the risk of data breaches.
Even the strongest password isn’t foolproof, which is why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also important. MFA requires a second form of verification, like a one-time code sent to your phone or generated from an authentication app.
If you have employees accessing your business systems, it’s a good idea to have a password policy in place to explain your rules and why they’re important. This should include:
• Unique passwords for each system and account
• Regular security training on password best practices
• Business-wide use of MFA for critical systems
• Scanning for compromised passwords regularly
By making password security a priority, you can reduce the chances of a cyber attack creating a nightmare for your business.
And if you need help making your business more secure, get in touch.

Beware these common ‘malvertising’ attacks

Beware these common ‘malvertising’ attacks

Ever clicked an online ad and wondered afterwards if it was a scam?… most of us have – and cyber criminals want us to keep doing it. Here’s what to look out for to stop your business’s data (and profits) falling into the wrong hands…

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