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Microsoft Teams calling: Calling Plans vs Operator Connect vs Direct Routing

By ClearSourcePublished Last checked

How Microsoft Teams Phone connects to the phone network in Switzerland, Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile included.

In short:

  • Calling Plans: small/medium organisations wanting the simplest Microsoft-billed setup
  • Operator Connect: organisations wanting a local carrier (e.g. Swisscom, Sunrise) without running their own session border controllers (SBCs)
  • Direct Routing: organisations that already run a phone system (PBX) or session border controller, have analogue devices, or must keep a carrier not offered through Operator Connect
  • Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile: mobile-first users on Swisscom

ClearSource’s reading of Microsoft’s documentation — not a recommendation for your situation.

Teams Phone Standard (base licence for all models) CHF 8.10, Microsoft Calling Plans CHF 17.80 per user and month — Microsoft Calling Plans costs CHF 9.70 more. Microsoft list prices for Switzerland, annual commitment, excl. VAT, as of 4 October 2026; IT partners often quote lower.

The upgrade path

CHF list price per user and month, annual commitment, excl. VAT

  1. Teams Phone Standard (base licence for all models)
    CHF 8.10

    Needs: Separate Microsoft Teams licence required

    Includes
    • Included in Microsoft 365 E5 / Office 365 E5 (with-Teams versions)
  2. Calling Plans
    CHF 17.80
    Includes
    • Microsoft acts as the PSTN operator; 99.999% SLA; needs a Calling Plan licence
    • CH bundles: Microsoft Teams Phone + pay-as-you-go calling plan (Zone 2) CHF 10.50; + domestic (1,200 min) CHF 17.80; + domestic & international (1,200 dom or 600 intl min) CHF 27.50
    • Switzerland: PAYG, 120-min domestic, 1,200-min domestic and International plans available; toll & toll-free numbers and Communications Credits supported

No difference is shown between an option that needs a base licence and one that does not: their prices are not comparable.

The options

  • Add-on

    Microsoft Calling Plans

    CHF 17.80

    user/month

    Microsoft list price for Switzerland, excl. VAT, as of 4 October 2026 [1]

    Includes

    • Microsoft acts as the PSTN operator; 99.999% SLA; needs a Calling Plan licence [2]
    • CH bundles: Microsoft Teams Phone + pay-as-you-go calling plan (Zone 2) CHF 10.50; + domestic (1,200 min) CHF 17.80; + domestic & international (1,200 dom or 600 intl min) CHF 27.50 [3]
    • Switzerland: PAYG, 120-min domestic, 1,200-min domestic and International plans available; toll & toll-free numbers and Communications Credits supported [4]

    Limits

    • Premium-rate numbers not supported in Switzerland [4]
  • Add-on

    Operator Connect

    No separate list price — see what it requires

    Includes

    • Certified third-party operator provides PSTN; contract directly with the operator; enabled in Microsoft Teams admin center [2]
    • 32 operators list Operator Connect calling for Switzerland, incl. Swisscom and Sunrise (CH only), Peoplefone, equada, BT, Colt, Orange Business, Vodafone Business [5]

    Requires

    • Microsoft Teams Phone Standard licence (CHF 8.10) + Microsoft Teams licence [3]
  • Add-on

    Direct Routing

    No separate list price — see what it requires

    Includes

    • Any PSTN operator via a certified Session Border Controller managed by you, an integrator or a DRaaS provider [2]

    Requires

    • Microsoft Teams Phone Standard licence [2]
  • Add-on

    Teams Phone Mobile

    No separate list price — see what it requires

    Includes

    • Mobile operator SIM number is the Microsoft Teams number [2]

    Limits

    • User numbers only; not for Audio Conferencing or voice-app (resource account) numbers [2]
    • In Switzerland only Swisscom (CH, LI) is listed for Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile [5]

    Requires

    • Microsoft Teams Phone Standard licence [2]
    Operator_Connect_Mobile
  • Add-on

    Teams Phone Standard (base licence for all models)

    CHF 8.10

    user/month

    Microsoft list price for Switzerland, excl. VAT, as of 4 October 2026 [6]

    Lowest list price

    Includes

    • Included in Microsoft 365 E5 / Office 365 E5 (with-Teams versions) [7]

    Requires

    • Separate Microsoft Teams licence required [3]
    MCOEV

Key differences

  1. All four PSTN models need Microsoft Teams Phone; they can be combined within one tenant [2]
  2. Calling Plan = Microsoft as carrier; Operator Connect = carrier-managed, cloud-connected; Direct Routing = your own session border controller (SBC) to any carrier; Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile = mobile SIM identity [2]

Sources

  1. 1Compare Microsoft Teams business options (de-ch) (24 September 2026)
  2. 2PSTN connectivity options (Microsoft Learn) (6 August 2026)
  3. 3Microsoft Teams Phone (de-ch) (24 September 2026)
  4. 4Teams Phone availability in Switzerland (Microsoft Learn) (24 December 2024)
  5. 5Microsoft Teams Operator Directory (JSON feed) (24 September 2026)
  6. 6Microsoft 365 Business plans with Teams (de-ch) (24 September 2026)
  7. 7Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans & pricing (de-ch) (24 September 2026)

Microsoft’s own pages, read on or before 24 September 2026.

Want offers for these licences?

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What next?

Model it for your organisationEnter your headcount and see the cost at Microsoft’s Swiss list prices, with a check for gaps and overlaps.Open the licence modeller →Find a Swiss IT partner162 Swiss IT partners that sell Microsoft licences. Filter by canton, language and product.IT partners for Microsoft Teams Phone →

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