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Business Phone Systems on Microsoft Teams Phone or RingCentral

We plan, set up and support your business phone system, move your existing numbers across, build the call flows, and look after it afterwards. We use Microsoft Teams Phone or RingCentral, whichever fits how your business works.

Book a Free IT AssessmentSee Microsoft 365 management

How to set up a business phone system on Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams already handles chat and meetings. Teams Phone, also called Teams calling or Teams voice, adds a real phone number and the ability to make and receive calls to anyone on the regular phone network. The steps are the same for most businesses.

1

License the users

Each person who needs a phone line gets a Teams Phone licence, commonly sold as Teams Phone Standard, on top of their Microsoft 365 licence.

2

Connect Teams to the phone network

Teams needs a way to reach regular phone numbers. That is done with a calling plan from Microsoft, or by connecting a carrier of your choice through Operator Connect or Direct Routing.

3

Get your numbers across

Existing numbers are ported to the new service, or new numbers are assigned to users, queues and the main line.

4

Build the call flows

Auto attendants, call queues, business hours, voicemail and who rings when, set up to match how your customers call.

5

Add devices, test and train

Desk phones, headsets and meeting room devices are set up, calls are tested end to end, and staff are shown how to use the system before cutover.

Pricing depends on the plan, the calling option and the number of users, and it is confirmed in the free assessment. Teams Phone sits on top of Microsoft 365, so it works best when the tenant behind it is set up properly. That is part of our Microsoft 365 management.

Teams Phone or RingCentral: which fits?

Both are mature cloud phone systems and both can work well. The better fit depends on how your team works, not on which brand is bigger.

Microsoft Teams Phone

Tends to suit businesses that already live in Microsoft 365 and Teams. Calling sits in the app staff already use all day, and it uses the same accounts, sign-in and security settings as the rest of Microsoft 365. Fewer separate tools to manage.

RingCentral

Tends to suit teams that want a dedicated phone system, contact-centre style features, or that are not all on Microsoft 365. It runs as its own cloud phone system and can also integrate with Microsoft 365.

Many businesses are clear about which they want after a short conversation. If you are not sure, we look at your call volume, how many people answer phones, whether you run a front desk or a call group, and how much of your day is already in Teams, and give you a straight recommendation. Numbers can be ported to either platform, so starting with one does not trap your phone number.

What ClayGen does

ClayGen has set up business phone systems on Teams Phone and on RingCentral for multiple clients. One team handles the whole job, from the first call about your phone bill to the greeting your customers hear.

Needs assessment

Who answers calls, how many lines and locations, which numbers customers know, what has to keep working, and what your current phone bill and contract look like.

Platform choice

We recommend Microsoft Teams Phone or RingCentral based on how your team works, explain why, and set up whichever you choose.

Number porting

We handle the request to move your existing numbers to the new platform and plan the cutover so calls keep arriving.

Call flows

Auto attendant menus, call queues, hunt groups, business hours, holiday greetings and after-hours routing, built around how your customers actually call.

Voicemail

Individual and shared voicemail boxes, and how messages reach people, whether by email, in the app or on a desk phone.

Devices and headsets

Desk phones, headsets, speakerphones and conference room devices where you need them, and softphone apps on computers and mobiles where you do not.

User training

Short, practical training on transferring a call, checking voicemail, parking a call and working from the mobile app, so the switch is not a surprise on day one.

Ongoing support and changes

New hires, departures, number changes, new queues and seasonal greetings, plus troubleshooting when a call sounds wrong.

Moving from a traditional phone line

Moving off a traditional phone line or an older on-premises phone system is mostly planning. The risky part is the day the numbers switch, so we plan around it.

  • Inventory first. Every line, number, fax line, alarm line and credit card machine that uses your phone service, so nothing quietly stops working.
  • Check your contract. Many phone contracts have end dates and notice periods. We look at them before porting, so you do not cancel too early or pay for a line twice.
  • Keep the old service running until the numbers move. Do not cancel it first. Cancelling before the port completes can lose the number.
  • Check the network. Voice calls are sensitive to a weak internet connection or Wi-Fi. We check that yours is up to it and fix what is not.
  • Test, then switch. New call flows are tested while the old service is still live, then the numbers move on the planned date and we confirm that calls are arriving.

If the internet goes down

A cloud phone system relies on your internet connection, so it is worth deciding before the outage what should happen. Calls can be forwarded to mobile phones, the mobile app can use cellular data, and a second internet connection can take over automatically. How much of that you need depends on how critical your phones are.

We set up the options that fit and tell you plainly what will still work. For the connection side, see our cloud solutions and managed IT services.

Serving Guelph and all of Ontario

We are based in Guelph and look after businesses in Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Hamilton, the GTA, London, Barrie, Niagara and the rest of Ontario. Most phone system work is done remotely. When devices need installing, such as desk phones or a meeting room, we can usually be on-site within 1 to 2 hours, depending on location.

Business Phone Systems FAQ

Can I keep my existing business phone number?
In most cases, yes. In Canada, phone numbers can generally be ported to either Microsoft Teams Phone or RingCentral. ClayGen handles the porting request, checks which numbers and lines are involved, and plans the cutover so your number keeps working. Some numbers, such as certain special-service lines, can be more complicated, which is why we check them during the free assessment.
How long does number porting take?
It depends on your current provider, how many numbers are being moved, whether the numbers are on one account or several, and whether the paperwork matches what the provider has on file. ClayGen gathers the account details up front and sets a realistic date once the request is submitted, rather than promising a number of days before we know what is involved.
Do we need desk phones?
Not necessarily. Both Microsoft Teams Phone and RingCentral work through apps on computers and mobile phones, so some staff can run on a headset and the app alone. Reception, warehouse, clinic and shop-floor locations often still want a desk phone or a cordless handset, and meeting rooms may want a dedicated device. ClayGen recommends devices by role and helps you order and set them up.
Should we choose Teams Phone or RingCentral?
It depends on how your team works. Teams Phone tends to suit businesses that already live in Microsoft 365 and Teams, because calling sits in the app people already use. RingCentral tends to suit teams that want a dedicated phone system, contact-centre style features, or that are not all on Microsoft 365. Both are credible, and ClayGen sets up either, so the choice is made on your needs rather than ours.
What happens to our phones if the internet goes down?
A cloud phone system needs an internet connection, so an outage affects calls unless there is a plan for it. Common safeguards are call forwarding to mobile numbers, using the mobile app over cellular data, and a second internet connection that takes over automatically. ClayGen looks at how critical your phones are during the assessment and sets up the backup options that fit, so you know in advance what will still work.
Can ClayGen support a Teams Phone or RingCentral setup we already have?
Yes. If your phone system is already running on Microsoft Teams Phone or RingCentral, ClayGen can take over the day-to-day changes and fixes: users, call queues, auto attendants, greetings, devices and call quality problems. Book a free assessment and we will look at how it is set up today and what could be cleaner.
Does ClayGen provide the phone service itself?
No. ClayGen is not a phone carrier. We plan, set up and support your business phone system on Microsoft Teams Phone or RingCentral. The licences and the calling service are provided by the platform you choose, and we explain what you are buying and why.
How much does a business phone system cost?
It depends on the platform, the plan, the number of users, whether you need devices and which calling options you choose. We do not quote a figure before we know that. The free assessment ends with a clear picture of the platform costs and what ClayGen would do, so you can compare it with what you pay today.

Talk through your phone setup

Tell us what you have today and what you want. We will recommend Teams Phone or RingCentral, explain why, and lay out what the move involves.

Book a Free IT Assessment

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