Dial-Out from Audio Conferencing in Microsoft Teams: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

Dial-out from Audio Conferencing in Microsoft Teams allows meeting organizers to call out to participants and add them to the meeting. This feature is particularly useful for including participants who may not have received the meeting invitation or who are having trouble joining the meeting. In this blog, we’ll cover the licensing requirements, setup guide, and how to use the dial-out feature effectively.

Licensing Requirements

Each organizer with an Audio Conferencing license gets 60 minutes per month for dial-out calls to non-premium numbers in Zone A countries and regions. No additional calling plan is required for these calls as long as they stay within the 60-minute limit. These minutes are pooled at the tenant level, meaning all users with an Audio Conferencing license share the total pool of minutes.

For example, if your organization has 100 users with Audio Conferencing licenses, you would have a total of 6,000 minutes (100 users x 60 minutes) per month to use for dial-out calls to Zone A countries.

Communication Credits are required if the pooled minutes are exhausted.

Dial-out calls to countries and regions not included in the Zone A list, as well as international calls, will also require Communication Credits.

Participants DO NOT need a Phone System or Phone Standard license to get the keypad and dial out from a meeting. The dial-out feature in Audio Conferencing only requires the meeting organizer to have an Audio Conferencing license. Participants can use the dial-out feature without needing any additional licenses.

Using Dial-Out from Audio Conferencing

1. Schedule a meeting in Microsoft Teams as you normally would. Ensure that the meeting invitation includes dial-in information for participants.

2. During the meeting, go to the Participants pane.

3. Click on Invite someone or dial a number.

4. Enter the phone number of the participant you want to add to the meeting and click Call.

5. The participant will receive a call and can join the meeting by answering it.

6. As a meeting organizer, you can manage participants, mute/unmute attendees, and control other aspects of the meeting from the Teams app or the Teams admin center.

Controlling Outbound Calling Restriction Policies for Audio Conferencing

1. In the left navigation, select Users, and then select the display name of the user from the list of available users.

2. Next go to Audio Conferencing, select Edit.

3. Under Dial-out from meetings, select the dial-out restriction option you want.

4. Select Save.

Conclusion

Dial-out from Audio Conferencing in Microsoft Teams is a valuable feature that enhances the flexibility and accessibility of your meetings. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily set up and use the dial-out feature, ensuring that all participants can join meetings regardless of their location or device. Make sure to review the licensing requirements to ensure compliance and take full advantage of this feature.