Switching from Microsoft Teams Phone to PupPilot
PSTN calling add-on to Microsoft Teams that turns the Teams client into a cloud phone system via Calling Plans, Operator Connect, or Direct Routing, with Copilot AI layering on top.
What is Microsoft Teams Phone?
PSTN calling add-on to Microsoft Teams that turns the Teams client into a cloud phone system via Calling Plans, Operator Connect, or Direct Routing, with Copilot AI layering on top. Best for: Organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365/Teams whose IT wants one vendor for chat, meetings, and telephony.
- Pricing: per user/month (add-on to Microsoft 365; paid yearly)
- Phones: Certified Teams desk phones from third parties (Poly, Yealink, AudioCodes) purchased separately; shared-device licenses for common-area phones
- Veterinary fit: Generic
| Feature | Microsoft Teams Phone |
|---|---|
| Business VoIP Calling Infrastructure | Yes (Calling Plan/Operator Connect/Direct Routing) |
| Number Porting Infrastructure | Yes |
| Desk Phones / Hardware Infrastructure | Yes (certified third-party phones, purchased separately) |
| Fax Infrastructure | No (not natively supported) |
| E911 Management Infrastructure | Yes (dynamic e911) |
| Outage Failover Infrastructure | Yes (99.999% SLA; survivable branch options) |
| Two-Way Business Texting Operations | Partial (GA US/CA; 1:1 only, no MMS, per-segment fees, Calling Plan + TCR registration required) |
| Missed-Call Text-Back Operations | No |
| IVR / Call Routing Operations | Yes (auto attendants) |
| Queues & Hold Operations | Yes (Queues app advanced features require Teams Premium) |
| Voicemail Transcription Operations | Yes |
| Call Recording Operations | Partial (convenience recording; compliance recording via partners) |
| Call Analytics Operations | Yes (Call Quality Dashboard, real-time analytics) |
| Mobile / Desktop Apps Operations | Yes (Teams apps) |
| Multi-Location Administration Operations | Yes |
| Veterinary-Specific Product Veterinary Context | No |
| Veterinary PIMS Integration Veterinary Context | No |
| Patient Chart Context on Calls Veterinary Context | No |
| Clinic Protocol Configuration Veterinary Context | No |
| AI Voice — Inbound Answering AI | Preview (Copilot call delegation, Frontier early-access; M365 Copilot license required) |
| AI Voice — Outbound Calls AI | No |
| AI Appointment Booking AI | Preview (offers Microsoft Bookings appointments during Copilot-delegated calls) |
| AI Call Summaries AI | Yes (Copilot call recaps/notes; requires M365 Copilot / Teams Premium) |
| After-Hours AI Coverage AI | No (rule-based auto attendant; Copilot delegation is per-user preview) |
| Contextual Staff Handoff AI | Preview (urgency triage with live transfer + written summaries) |
Verified August 2026 against Microsoft Teams Phone's public pages. Vendors change pricing and features; tell us if something is out of date.
Where Microsoft Teams Phone Stands Out
Native telephony inside the Microsoft 365 stack with enterprise-grade admin, 99.999% uptime, and Copilot AI (including a previewed AI call-delegation 'receptionist') woven into the client employees already use. Strengths practices cite: Deep Microsoft 365/Teams integration with single admin console and 99.999% uptime SLA; Flexible PSTN options (Calling Plans, pay-as-you-go, Operator Connect, Direct Routing) and dynamic e911; Auto attendants and call queues included; Copilot AI notes, recaps, and voice isolation; Copilot call delegation (AI answering/screening with Bookings scheduling) in preview as of April 2026; Huge certified desk phone/device ecosystem (Poly, Yealink, AudioCodes).
Considerations Before You Buy
License stacking: Teams/M365 base + Teams Phone + Calling Plan, with AI requiring M365 Copilot (and some features Teams Premium) — costly per seat for a clinic; SMS is 1:1 only, US/CA, no MMS, per-segment fees, and requires a Calling Plan plus TCR registration — unsuitable for clinic client texting at scale; No native fax; Copilot call delegation is an early-access preview for individual users, not a 24/7 business receptionist, and has no industry knowledge; Complex setup/administration typically needs IT or a partner; no veterinary PIMS integration or vet workflows. Pricing basis: per user/month (add-on to Microsoft 365; paid yearly); published pricing: Teams Phone Standard $10; with pay-as-you-go calling $13; with Domestic Calling Plan (3,000 min) $17; Domestic + International $34 per user/month paid yearly (separate Teams/M365 license required); SMS $0.0075/segment US; contract model: Annual subscription (paid yearly) via Microsoft 365 agreements; monthly-billing variants cost more.
How PupPilot compares
PupPilot is a full veterinary phone system — unlimited calling and texting, desk phones included — with AI coverage for after-hours and overflow built into the line. The AI answers the calls your team can't get to and transfers the rest to your staff with the caller's name, patient and reason already on screen. It isn't a replacement for your receptionists; it's the part of the phone system that makes sure every call reaches someone.
Teams Phone is IT infrastructure, not a front office — PupPilot deploys clinic-ready phones, real two-way texting, fax, and a GA veterinary AI receptionist connected to the PIMS, without stacking four Microsoft licenses to approximate answering AI that is still in preview.
What switching looks like
Your numbers port to PupPilot in a managed 10-step migration, with your old and new lines running in parallel until cutover. Port first, cancel second. Export your texting history and recordings before you cancel, and bring your hardware inventory to onboarding — standard SIP desk phones can usually be re-provisioned, and desk phones are included with every plan either way. The full checklist is on how switching works; unlimited business texting is registered on your number at cutover.
Microsoft Teams Phone: Common Questions
Is Microsoft Teams Phone veterinary-specific?
Generic. PIMS support: None documented.
How much does Microsoft Teams Phone cost?
Pricing basis: per user/month (add-on to Microsoft 365; paid yearly). Published pricing: Teams Phone Standard $10; with pay-as-you-go calling $13; with Domestic Calling Plan (3,000 min) $17; Domestic + International $34 per user/month paid yearly (separate Teams/M365 license required); SMS $0.0075/segment US. Hardware: Certified Teams desk phones from third parties (Poly, Yealink, AudioCodes) purchased separately; shared-device licenses for common-area phones. Contract: Annual subscription (paid yearly) via Microsoft 365 agreements; monthly-billing variants cost more. Check the vendor's site for current terms.
What is the difference between Microsoft Teams Phone and PupPilot?
Teams Phone is IT infrastructure, not a front office — PupPilot deploys clinic-ready phones, real two-way texting, fax, and a GA veterinary AI receptionist connected to the PIMS, without stacking four Microsoft licenses to approximate answering AI that is still in preview.
Can we keep our phone number when we leave Microsoft Teams Phone?
Yes — port first, cancel second. Under FCC rules a simple port must complete within one business day, and a carrier cannot refuse to port a number over an unpaid balance or termination fee. PupPilot manages the port and runs your old and new lines in parallel until cutover.