If your company uses Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams is likely your go-to communication platform. But how about dialing out? Teams alone isn’t enough for all businesses’ needs, especially for external calling, scaling, or pricing flexibility. Microsoft Teams Direct Routing partners help businesses who want to use Teams as their primary business phone system, by providing premium-quality voice features, compliance, and custom call flows.
However, not all partners are equal! Some specialize in serving large enterprises, while others focus on North American small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that need quick, responsive support. In this guide, we’ll start with Canadian providers and finish with American resellers, so you can easily find the right Microsoft Teams phone system integration partner for your business.
SE Telecom – Canada’s number one Microsoft Teams Direct Routing Partner
SE Telecom is number one because it delivers exactly what mid-market Canadian and U.S. customers need: clear pricing, local support, and flexible options. Where larger companies focus on enterprise contracts, SE Telecom keeps it simple and affordable with cost-effective Microsoft Teams phone system integration.
Why choose SE Telecom:
- No hidden Direct Routing fees.
- Month-to-month ease—no seat minimums or contracts.
- Bilingual North American customer service (English & French).
- Local Canadian hosting that is PIPEDA, PHIPA, and Bill C-27 compliant.
- Interoperable with Teams and other UCaaS systems like Zoom Phone, RingCentral, and 8×8.
SE Telecom’s value speaks for itself: you enjoy the Teams look-and-feel that you already love with additional full phone capabilities without long-term contracts or off-shore support problems.
→ Book a Microsoft Teams Direct Routing demo with SE Telecom
ThinkTel (Canada) — Carrier-Grade Stability
ThinkTel, a TELUS subsidiary, is one of the most established Canadian Microsoft Teams Direct Routing partners. They offer great infrastructure, Microsoft-approved session border controllers (SBCs), and reliable Microsoft Teams phone system integration.
Best for: Major Canadian organizations already invested in TELUS contracts.
Pros:
- Very high carrier credibility.
- Coast-to-coast voice network.
- Direct Routing as part of broader TELUS enterprise services.
Cons:
- Very little SMB flexibility.
- Ambiguous public pricing.
- Heavy dependence on contracts.
While ThinkTel is best suited for major Canadian enterprises, SE Telecom is often a better fit for small and mid-sized businesses.
→ Talk to SE Telecom about a Teams Direct Routing solution
Intratel (Canada) — SMB Friendly Alternative
Intratel is another Canadian vendor who offers Microsoft Teams phone system integration through Direct Routing. They are experts in SMBs who require a Canadian voice partner without global expansion needs.
Best for: Frugal SMBs that want Teams to continue as their sole phone interface.
Pros:
- SMB-centric.
- Canadian-headquartered offerings.
- Attuned to SMB budgets and needs.
Cons:
- Fewer features than SE Telecom or ThinkTel.
- Less enterprise focus.
- Support less comprehensive than bigger competitors.
Intratel is suitable for small groups, but SE Telecom offers more features and better bilingual support.
→ See how SE Telecom compares to Intratel
8×8 (USA) — Enterprise Features, No Price Transparency
8×8 is a global UCaaS provider that plugs into Teams with Direct Routing, Operator Connect, and contact center add-ons. Their approach is all about “supercharging Teams” and adding compliance tools, analytics, and extra enterprise features on top of Microsoft teams phone system integration.
Best suited for: Enterprises that need global voice functionality and contact center as a service (CCaaS) in Teams.
Benefits:
- Complete UCaaS and CCaaS in a single product.
- Teams-certified contact center integrations.
- Strong compliance features.
Advantages:
- No announced Teams Direct Routing pricing.
- Mid-market purchasers may be slowed down by complexity.
- SMBs may have trouble with onboarding.
8×8 offers depth for enterprises but is less appealing to SMBs that require transparency and control because of a lack of clear pricing.
→ Book a consultation with SE Telecom to explore Teams Direct Routing
RingCentral (U.S.) — Integrated Cloud PBX for Teams
RingCentral is a leader in North America, natively deploying its cloud PBX into Teams with Direct Routing. The core selling point is full telephony in Teams without the cost of a Microsoft Teams Phone license, essentially another form of Microsoft Teams phone system integration.
Best for: Mid-market customers already on RingCentral or seeking feature-rich integrations.
Pros:
- Feature-rich (call recording, SMS, routing).
- No extra Microsoft Teams Phone license fees
- Well-established UCaaS provider in North America.
Cons:
- Pricing of Teams integration is not clear to public.
- Additional costs may accumulate as you expand.
- Global-first approach may not necessarily target North America.
RingCentral is high on integrations, but like 8×8, RingCentral lacks SE Telecom’s transparency and pricing simplicity.
→ See why SE Telecom is the better fit for North American SMBs
Nuwave Communications (U.S.) — Cloud-First Innovation
Nuwave is a U.S. Microsoft Gold Partner known for cloud-first innovation. Its iPILOT solution provisions Teams Direct Routing automatically and reduces deployment complexity for Microsoft Teams phone system integration.
Best for: IT departments that want automation and self-service.
Pros:
- Quick deployment via iPILOT.
- Microsoft-certified partner.
- Cloud-based scalability strategy.
Cons:
- More of a fit for IT departments compared to less technical staff.
- Not as well known as 8×8 or RingCentral.
- Less SMB-friendly than SE Telecom.
Nuwave is an adequate U.S. partner for automation, but SE Telecom’s bilingual customer support and transparent pricing make it a better fit for SMBs and mid-market firms, especially Canadian ones.
→ Talk to SE Telecom about Teams Direct Routing options
SE Telecom — Canada’s Top Microsoft Teams Direct Routing Partner
SE Telecom is the optimal option since it provides exactly what mid-market U.S. and Canadian buyers exactly need and want: scalable solutions, local support, and the ability to integrate Microsoft Teams as part of an overall UCaaS strategy. Larger organizations worry about enterprise contracts, but SE Telecom offers a simple and easy-to-implement approach to Microsoft Teams phone system integration through Direct Routing.
Why choose SE Telecom:
- Flexible seat numbers with no minimums or long-term contracts.
- Significantly month-to-month agreements.
- North American bilingual customer support (English & French).
- Local Canadian hosting that is PIPEDA, PHIPA, and Bill C-27 compliant.
- Smooth integration with Teams and other UCaaS platforms like Zoom Phone, RingCentral, and 8×8.
SE Telecom’s value is clear: you keep the Teams experience you and your employees are used to but add full telephone capabilities with Canadian compliance and local support.
→ Book a Microsoft Teams Direct Routing demo with SE Telecom
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