MS-700 Manage Meetings and Calling Practice Question
An organization wants to use 'Operator Connect' for their PSTN connectivity. Which TWO of the following are benefits of choosing Operator Connect over Direct Routing?
⚠ Common exam trap
MS-700 often tests the distinction between Operator Connect and Direct Routing by offering 'no SBC management' as a benefit while including a distractor about using any provider; candidates must remember Operator Connect requires Microsoft-approved carriers.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
No requirement to manage an on-premises Session Border Controller (SBC).
Option A is correct because Operator Connect is a Microsoft-managed carrier model in which the operator hosts and manages the certified Session Border Controllers (SBCs) in their own environment, so the organization does not need to deploy or maintain an on-premises SBC as it would with Direct Routing. Option C is correct because Operator Connect integrates the carrier into the Teams Admin Center, allowing administrators to view, assign, and manage phone numbers directly from that portal rather than through PowerShell or carrier-side tooling. Options B, D, and E are not benefits of Operator Connect: it requires the PSTN provider to be an approved Microsoft operator (unlike the broader provider freedom of Direct Routing), it does not guarantee universally lower per-minute rates, and analog fax support still typically requires additional hardware or an ATA rather than being provided natively via the cloud.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
No requirement to manage an on-premises Session Border Controller (SBC).
Why this is correct
With Operator Connect, the carrier manages the SBC infrastructure and the connection to Microsoft's network. This removes the burden of hardware maintenance, software updates, and complex certificate management from the organization's IT staff, making it much easier to deploy and maintain than a traditional Direct Routing setup.
- ✗
Ability to use any local PSTN provider regardless of Microsoft partnership.
Why it's wrong here
Operator Connect is only available through specific carriers that have officially partnered with Microsoft and integrated their backend systems with the Teams environment. If your current local provider is not a certified Operator Connect partner, you would have to use Direct Routing to maintain that specific relationship.
- ✓
Direct management of phone numbers within the Teams Admin Center.
Why this is correct
Operator Connect provides a 'managed service' experience where the carrier's available phone numbers appear directly in the Teams Admin Center. Administrators can assign, change, or unassign these numbers to users with just a few clicks, similar to how Microsoft Calling Plans work, but using their own carrier's inventory.
- ✗
Lower cost per minute compared to all other PSTN options.
Why it's wrong here
While Operator Connect can be cost-effective, it is not guaranteed to be the cheapest option. Pricing is negotiated directly with the carrier, and depending on call volume and existing contracts, Direct Routing or even Microsoft Calling Plans might offer better financial terms for certain organizational profiles and usage patterns.
- ✗
Support for analog fax machines via the cloud without extra hardware.
Why it's wrong here
Operator Connect is primarily designed for user-based voice communication and does not natively solve the challenges of connecting legacy analog devices like fax machines. Such devices typically still require local Analog Telephony Adapters (ATAs) or specific Direct Routing configurations to bridge the gap between analog and digital signals.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
This MS-700 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the MS-700 exam.