Transport case study: Microsoft Teams Phone Direct Routing
How we helped a leading UK transport operator modernise its communications by moving their legacy telephony to Microsoft Teams Phone Direct Routing.
The challenge
With its legacy ISDN system approaching end of life, a major UK transport operator needed a voice solution that could integrate seamlessly with its existing Microsoft environment and scale across more than 100 sites, without disrupting day-to-day operations.
The solution
We implemented Microsoft Teams Phone Direct Routing, bringing voice services into a platform that employees were already using every day. Working closely with the customer throughout the migration, we helped deliver a seamless rollout with minimal disruption.
The result
The customer now has calling integrated directly into Microsoft Teams, making communications easier to manage by bringing voice and collaboration together in a single platform. New call management features and greater network visibility are now helping them work more efficiently and prepare for what’s next.
The challenge
With its legacy ISDN system approaching end of life, a major UK transport operator needed a voice solution that could integrate seamlessly with its existing Microsoft environment and scale across more than 100 sites, without disrupting day-to-day operations.
The solution
We implemented Microsoft Teams Phone Direct Routing, bringing voice services into a platform that employees were already using every day. Working closely with the customer throughout the migration, we helped deliver a seamless rollout with minimal disruption.
The result
The customer now has calling integrated directly into Microsoft Teams, making communications easier to manage by bringing voice and collaboration together in a single platform. New call management features and greater network visibility are now helping them work more efficiently and prepare for what’s next.
Overview
As one of the UK's major transport operators, the customer is under increasing pressure to modernise communications, enhance customer experiences and support more efficient ways of working. With the PSTN switch-off approaching in January 2027, it also needed to move away from legacy infrastructure and ensure its communications were ready for the future.
Microsoft Teams Phone Direct Routing with BT brings calling into Microsoft Teams through a cloud-based voice solution. It can help businesses join up communications, support hybrid working and move away from outdated technology, without the need for additional hardware.
Direct Routing was a natural next step. Already using Microsoft Teams alongside BT connectivity, mobile and SD-WAN solutions, the organisation was ready to modernise its voice communications.
The challenge
Local communities rely on the organisation's transport services every day, making resilient communications essential to keeping operations running smoothly. As its legacy ISDN system approached end of life, the organisation needed to modernise its telephony estate while maintaining continuity across more than 100 sites.
The replacement solution needed to integrate seamlessly with the customer’s existing Microsoft environment and provide the flexibility to roll out new capabilities across depots at a pace that suited the business. With the PSTN switch-off approaching, the time was right to make the move.
Due to already having a long-standing relationship with BT through its SD-WAN, mobile and connectivity solutions, this provided confidence that we could support the next stage of its digital transformation.
The solution
We implemented Microsoft Teams Phone Direct Routing, bringing voice calling into the Microsoft Teams environment the customer was already using for collaboration.
With communications supporting essential day-to-day operations, there’s little room for disruption. We worked closely with the customer throughout the migration, coordinating teams and providing clear updates at every stage. Our project team was on hand to respond quickly to queries and manage dependencies, helping to keep everything controlled, efficient and on schedule.
We also supported the migration of existing numbers and users to help minimise downtime. With calling now integrated into Microsoft Teams, they could bring communications together in one place, without the need for additional hardware.
This was about more than replacing legacy telephony. It was about giving the customer a modern communications platform that supports their operational needs today while providing the flexibility to evolve and grow in the future.
Account Manager
The result
The rollout was seamless, with no reported lost calls and no major service impact. For an organisation that relies on telephony to keep its operations moving, maintaining continuity throughout the transition was critical.
The benefits have continued beyond the migration. Call quality has improved and remained consistently strong, while users now benefit from a more streamlined experience, with calling and collaboration brought together in a single platform. Additional PBX features, including call queues and auto attendants, have also given the organisation greater flexibility in how it manages calls, helping to simplify day-to-day operations.
Enhanced reporting tools have provided greater visibility across the estate, helping the customer identify unrelated network faults at existing sites and improve reliability for both drivers and passengers. The solution can now be rolled out across multiple depots at the customer's own pace, giving them greater control as operations continue to evolve and grow.
