> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://atlas.anywhere.now/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://atlas.anywhere.now/connect-telephony/direct-routing/direct-routing-prerequisites-and-teams-calling.md).

# Prerequisites and Microsoft Teams calling

Confirm Direct Routing prerequisites, agent readiness, SBC preparation, and Microsoft Teams calling settings before go-live.

Use this page to confirm the Connect model prerequisites that should already be in place before you continue with Direct Routing firewall planning, SBC configuration, and scenario testing.

For the OnePortal SBC configuration workflow and Enhanced Direct Routing (EDR) enablement steps, see [Telephone Connection for Dialogue Cloud Neo (Connect)](/connect-telephony/direct-routing.md).

## Understand the interconnection model

In a Connect model deployment, the customer already uses Microsoft Direct Routing between the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the customer Session Border Controller (SBC), and the Microsoft Teams Phone environment.

Dialogue Cloud adds contact center behavior on top of that telephony path. Calls for contact center numbers are routed from the customer SBC to the Dialogue Cloud SBC instead of directly to Microsoft Teams. After Dialogue Cloud completes the required callflow, it can place a new call to an available agent on that agent's assigned Microsoft Teams phone number.

This model supports call scenarios such as:

* inbound calls to a contact center
* outbound calls on behalf of a contact center
* blind transfer, consult transfer, and comfort transfer
* direct-call interception and outbound interception
* call-control actions such as hold, resume, mute, unmute, add participant, and disconnect

{% hint style="info" %}
Call control can come from either **WebAgent** or the **Microsoft Teams client**. Keep that distinction visible during planning because some transfer, hold, and SIP-routing requirements depend on where the action starts.
{% endhint %}

## Prerequisites

Before you continue, confirm:

* Microsoft Direct Routing already works correctly between the PSTN, the customer SBC, and the Microsoft Teams Phone environment.
* The vendor-specific SBC configuration for Microsoft Direct Routing is already complete, including the routing rules needed for normal Microsoft Teams telephony.
* Phone numbers are assigned to the agents who will handle Connect model voice calls.
* Agents can sign in to the Microsoft Teams client on the device they use for calling.
* You have OnePortal partner or administrator access.

## Confirm agent calling readiness

Before you add the Dialogue Cloud integration, confirm that each agent who will handle Connect model calls has:

* the Microsoft Teams calling entitlement required for your Direct Routing deployment
* an assigned phone number
* a working Microsoft Teams client for voice calling

{% hint style="info" %}
If you need to review general service sizing before go-live, see [Design, planning, and limits](/set-up-dialogue-cloud-neo/design-planning-limits.md). That page covers current concurrent dialogue licence limits and related service-capacity thresholds.
{% endhint %}

## Confirm SBC readiness

Before you connect the customer SBC to Dialogue Cloud, confirm that the SBC is:

* fully operational
* on a recent supported software release
* sized and licensed for the extra traffic created by the contact center service

If the SBC uses a secure VoIP connection to Dialogue Cloud, also confirm that it has:

* a fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
* a public Domain Name System (DNS) record
* a publicly trusted certificate

{% hint style="warning" %}
One contact center call can consume more than one SBC session. Hunt fan-out and transfer scenarios can increase session use further. Review SBC session capacity before go-live, not only after pilot testing starts.
{% endhint %}

## Review Microsoft Teams calling behavior before go-live

Several Microsoft Teams calling features and policies can change how Dialogue Cloud hunt and transfer flows behave. Review the expected behavior before you continue with cutover planning.

### Voicemail and forwarding

Agent voicemail, simultaneous ring, and forwarding can redirect a contact center call away from the intended hunt path. Review how your deployment handles unanswered calls and forwarded calls before go-live.

When the intended behavior is to ignore forwarding on both the agent-hunt leg and the customer-destination leg, use `DisableCallForwarding=All` as the deployment default. Do not apply this setting until the business has confirmed that forwarding and personal voicemail should be suppressed for those call legs.

Use a controlled test to confirm that a contact-center-routed call does not terminate in personal voicemail, a delegate destination, or an external forwarding target when the business expects Dialogue Cloud to continue hunting.

### Music on hold

Treat music on hold as a pilot validation item. Microsoft Teams can inject its own music on hold when an agent places a PSTN call on hold, so confirm that the Microsoft Teams calling policy and SBC behavior do not override the hold experience your service design expects.

### Busy handling

Treat busy handling as a pilot validation item. Microsoft Teams can reject additional hunt calls when an agent is already in a call, conference, or hold state. If your hunt design expects those agents to remain eligible, review the assigned Microsoft Teams calling policy before go-live and confirm the result during pilot testing.

### Caller identity for outbound interception

Outbound interception depends on the agent's own phone number remaining visible in the call signalling. If Microsoft Teams replaces that identity with an anonymous or alternate calling identity, outbound interception can fail.

Validate caller identity behavior for every pilot agent who will use outbound interception before you move the service into production.

## Verification

1. Confirm a normal Microsoft Direct Routing call succeeds between the PSTN and a non-contact-center Microsoft Teams user.
2. Confirm each pilot agent can place and receive voice calls in the Microsoft Teams client with the assigned phone number.
3. Confirm the customer SBC vendor configuration, certificate, and session capacity are ready for the expected contact center load.
4. Test voicemail, forwarding, hold, and busy-handling behavior with a pilot agent and record any policy changes that are required before go-live.
5. Continue to the Direct Routing network, firewall, SBC, and scenario-specific pages only after the baseline prerequisites are stable.

## Related topics

Go to **Telephone Connection for Dialogue Cloud Neo (Connect)** for the OnePortal SBC configuration workflow and EDR enablement steps.

{% content-ref url="/pages/P2EMkmV52Ncf5FcJC6rT" %}
[Connect model: Direct Routing](/connect-telephony/direct-routing.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

Go to **Design, planning, and limits** for current service-capacity and concurrent-dialogue limits.

{% content-ref url="/pages/GMT2qXP8788XeCWVA5V9" %}
[Plan the deployment](/set-up-dialogue-cloud-neo/design-planning-limits.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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