How To Enable PSTN Conferencing In Microsoft Teams: A Complete Guide
Microsoft Teams has become the go-to platform for remote collaboration, but did you know you can extend your meetings beyond just computer and mobile app users? PSTN conferencing in Microsoft Teams allows participants to join meetings via phone, making it incredibly convenient for those who may not have reliable internet access or prefer to dial in. If you have PSTN conferencing enabled in Teams, they are also included in your meeting capabilities, providing flexibility for all participants.
Understanding Audio Conferencing in Microsoft Teams
Audio conferencing in Microsoft Teams allows users to join meetings via phone, expanding access beyond just computer or mobile app users. This feature is particularly valuable for organizations with remote workers, clients in different locations, or team members who may be traveling. The ability to join meetings by phone ensures that no one misses important discussions due to technical limitations.
When you enable PSTN conferencing, you're essentially creating a bridge between traditional telephony and modern cloud-based collaboration. Participants can dial a local number and enter a conference ID to join your Teams meeting, making it feel as natural as joining any standard conference call while still benefiting from Teams' powerful meeting features.
Enabling PSTN Conferencing: Step-by-Step Process
Let's explore how to enable this feature for your organization. The process involves several key steps that ensure your users have the right permissions and licenses to utilize audio conferencing capabilities.
Prerequisites and Licensing
Before you can enable PSTN conferencing, you need to ensure that your organization has the correct licenses. Once you have the correct license, the Teams audio conferencing features become available in your admin center. Typically, this requires an Audio Conferencing add-on license or a Microsoft 365 E5 license that includes this capability.
To check your current licensing status, navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center and review your subscription details. If you don't have the necessary licenses, you'll need to purchase them through your Microsoft representative or partner.
Configuration Steps
Follow these steps to enable this feature for your organization:
- Sign in to the Microsoft Teams admin center with admin credentials
- Navigate to Meetings > Conference Bridges
- Review your default conferencing settings, including dial-in numbers and PIN settings
- Configure meeting policies to allow PSTN conferencing for your users
- Assign the appropriate licenses to users who need audio conferencing capabilities
The configuration process is straightforward, but it's important to test the settings before rolling them out to your entire organization. Consider running a pilot program with a small group of users to identify any potential issues.
Adding Phone Participants During Meetings
Now you can add participants from the audio options, or in an existing meeting, even after it has started. This flexibility is one of the key advantages of Teams audio conferencing.
Inviting Participants by Phone
To call another person to join by phone during a meeting, follow these simple steps:
- Select People in your meeting controls
- Click on Invite someone or Dial a number
- Enter the phone number you wish to add
- The person will need to say their name when prompted by the system
- They'll be connected to the meeting automatically
This process works seamlessly whether you're scheduling a new meeting or adding participants to an ongoing session. The dial-in participant will hear the same audio as other participants and can participate fully in the conversation.
Managing Phone Participants
Managing phone participants is similar to managing regular meeting attendees. You can mute them, remove them from the meeting, or promote them to presenters if needed. The meeting organizer maintains full control over all participants, regardless of how they joined.
Scheduling Meetings with PSTN Options
In the meeting details window, add the required information (title, attendees, date/time) as you normally would. The key difference is that you'll now see dial-in options automatically included in the meeting invitation.
When you schedule a Teams meeting with audio conferencing enabled, the invitation includes:
- Local dial-in numbers for various regions
- The conference ID specific to that meeting
- International dial-in options if enabled
- A link to view available numbers in different countries
This information ensures that all participants, whether joining via computer or phone, have everything they need to connect to the meeting successfully.
Advanced Features and Calculations
While PSTN conferencing focuses on connectivity, Microsoft Teams offers various other features that enhance meeting productivity. For organizations that need to handle complex calculations during meetings, there are several tools available.
Built-in Calculator Features
Teams includes basic calculator functionality that can be useful during meetings. You can perform quick calculations without leaving the application, which is particularly helpful for financial discussions or technical meetings where numbers need to be crunched on the fly.
External Calculator Tools
For more advanced mathematical needs, you might want to utilize external calculator tools. Free online scientific notation calculator options are available that can handle complex calculations. These tools can solve advanced problems in physics, mathematics, and engineering, making them valuable resources for technical teams.
Mathematical and Scientific Tools
When dealing with technical content during Teams meetings, you might need more sophisticated calculation capabilities. Several online tools can supplement your meeting needs:
Scientific Calculators
A beautiful, free online scientific calculator with advanced features for evaluating percentages, fractions, exponential functions, logarithms, trigonometry, statistics, and more can be incredibly useful during technical discussions. These calculators provide the precision and functionality needed for complex calculations.
Specialized Calculators
Depending on your industry, you might need specialized calculators. For example:
- Bmi calculator for health and wellness discussions
- Convertidor de tamaño de anillo for jewelry or manufacturing contexts
- Various other industry-specific calculation tools
Comprehensive Math Tools
La calculadora matemática en línea es fácil de usar con historial, funciones básicas, aritmética, potencia, raíz, trigonométrica, porcentaje, factorial, geometría y logaritmo. These comprehensive tools ensure that whatever mathematical challenge arises during your meeting, you have the resources to address it quickly and accurately.
Practical Applications and Use Cases
PSTN conferencing in Teams has numerous practical applications across different industries and scenarios:
Remote Work Environments
For organizations with remote workers or distributed teams, PSTN conferencing ensures that everyone can participate regardless of their internet connectivity. This is particularly important in areas with unreliable internet service or for team members who travel frequently.
Client Meetings and External Collaboration
When meeting with clients or external partners, PSTN conferencing provides a professional and reliable way for them to join without requiring them to download software or troubleshoot technical issues. Simply provide them with the dial-in number and conference ID.
Emergency Situations and Business Continuity
During power outages, internet disruptions, or other emergency situations, PSTN conferencing ensures that critical business communications can continue. This makes it an essential component of any business continuity plan.
Best Practices for PSTN Conferencing
To get the most out of your PSTN conferencing capabilities, consider these best practices:
Clear Communication
Always include clear instructions in your meeting invitations about how to join via phone. Specify whether participants should use computer audio, phone audio, or have the option to choose.
Test Your Setup
Before important meetings, test your PSTN conferencing setup to ensure that dial-in numbers are working correctly and that participants can join without issues.
Monitor Usage and Costs
Keep track of your PSTN conferencing usage and associated costs, especially if you have limited minutes included in your licensing agreement. Monitor which regions are using the service most heavily to optimize your configuration.
Conclusion
Enabling PSTN conferencing in Microsoft Teams is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance your organization's meeting capabilities. By allowing participants to join via phone, you ensure that no one is excluded due to technical limitations or personal preferences. The combination of Teams' powerful collaboration features with the reliability of traditional telephony creates a versatile meeting solution that works for everyone.
Whether you're conducting internal team meetings, client presentations, or large-scale webinars, PSTN conferencing provides the flexibility and reliability that modern businesses need. By following the steps outlined in this guide and implementing the best practices we've discussed, you can create a seamless meeting experience that accommodates all participants, regardless of how they choose to connect.
Remember that while PSTN conferencing is a powerful feature, it's just one part of Microsoft Teams' comprehensive collaboration platform. When combined with other features like screen sharing, recording, and integration with other Microsoft 365 tools, it becomes an even more valuable asset for your organization's communication strategy.
