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The success model for media companies: Simply integrate telephony into Microsoft Teams

Everyday life in the newsroom: Communication with obstacles

"I need immediate feedback on the headline – but the responsible editor won't pick up." This situation is not an exception, but an everyday occurrence. In many editorial offices, telephone, chat and meetings are organised separately. If you want to call, you have to search for numbers. Those who work from home are difficult to reach. Those who are travelling are often left out. The result: lost minutes, missed opportunities, stressed teams.

Challenges of classic telephone systems

Many publishing houses still rely on classic, now outdated telephone systems. They work – but they no longer fit in with everyday working life. The technology is location-bound, the systems are cost-intensive and the effort required for maintenance and operation is disproportionate to the benefits.

At the same time, the pressure is increasing: content needs to be created more quickly, decisions need to be made in a decentralised manner and reactions need to be coordinated in real time. Many editorial teams now work in hybrid mode: a meeting in the office in the morning, an interview from the home office at lunchtime and the final coordination on the move in the evening. But while working methods have changed, the communication infrastructure has often stood still.

Internal extensions are only valid on landlines, mobile phones are generally accessible but are often not integrated into central address and number directories and do not have access to all of the company's extensions by default. Conferences take place in third-party apps. What is missing is a connecting system.

At the same time, the running costs are rising: telephone systems require continuous maintenance, dedicated server rooms cause continuous energy costs - while modern voice solutions such as Microsoft Teams Phone can be operated completely cloud-based and thus eliminate these costs. In addition, workarounds to support mobile voice communication – drive up complexity and IT budgets. According to a Forrester study, investments in Microsoft Teams Phone often pay for themselves after just six months, with an average ROI of over 140 %.

What is overlooked here: It's not about technology alone, but about the ability to work. If queries are not raised in good time, decisions are delayed and publications are delayed, the editorial team loses its effectiveness. And this is exactly what starts at the interface that should actually connect: communication. Those who still rely on isolated solutions today will be overtaken by integrated working methods tomorrow. It is time to stop making the editorial pace dependent on the telephone line - and instead consistently rely on networked communication concepts.

Advantages of integrated communication with Microsoft Teams

Telephone, chat, video and file storage in one system – not as a patchwork, but as a unit. If you call, you can see immediately whether your colleague is available. Anyone who is travelling can still be reached. Anyone working on a story can talk to the editorial team in parallel without having to switch tools. Missing tools, fragmented channels and a lack of integration no longer stand in the way of efficient, location-independent and seamless communication.

A modern platform such as Microsoft Teams creates a continuous flow of communication. Editorial teams, graphics, advertising departments and field reporters use a common system – regardless of whether they are in the office, working from home or researching. Everyone can be reached on their dedicated number, conversations can be started directly from the chat and spontaneous conferences can be organised without any technical hurdles.

A practical example: an editor in Düsseldorf talks to a colleague in Bonn as if they were both sitting in the same office. The topic is agreed via chat, a quick call clarifies the last questions and the article is created directly in the shared document. No media disruption, no tool change, no loss of time.

Traditional devices – desk phones, DECT systems – lcan also be seamlessly integrated. And even faxes end up directly in the electronic inbox of the responsible employee – converted and readable. This means that editorial routines can be retained where they are needed – without giving up the advantages of modern technologies.

Modern solutions such as Microsoft Teams not only provide functionality, but also security and reliability. Highly available systems with multiple secure data centres at different locations and clear responsibilities ensure that the telephony platform itself works reliably – regardless of where employees are currently working. A stable internet connection on site remains a prerequisite. The following solutions can provide additional reliability:

• Automatic switchover to the mobile network if the fixed connection is disrupted (mobile network backup, e.g. LTE or 5G)
• Combination of DSL and mobile connection for more bandwidth and redundancy (hybrid access))

The IT department is relieved, scaling is easy, new users are integrated in minutes. This creates a working environment that strengthens collaboration in editorial teams – not through more tools with media disruptions, but through less complexity. The effect is tangible: better accessibility, faster decisions, more satisfied employees.

Migration to Teams telephony: Implementation, costs, acceptance

A modern communication system is not an end in itself. It has to work, be economical and be accepted by people. This is precisely why a successful changeover requires three things: the right technology, a clear business benefit – and the courage to change habits.

A good example of this is the Handelsblatt Media Group (HMG), one of the most renowned publishing houses in Germany – with over 1,000 employees. At HMG, telephony was fully integrated into Microsoft Teams – with the help of Deutsche Telekom's "Operator Connect" offering. Deutsche Telekom provides the connection to the public network – with high availability and without its own hardware. Telephony runs via the cloud – flexibly scalable and location-independent.

Use cases such as fax and call transfer are also integrated: Incoming faxes are automatically converted into emails, hotlines and centralised telephone numbers are mapped via the ‘Luware Nimbus’ solution. In this way, the function is retained, the effort is reduced - and everything takes place within one system.

Operating costs are also significantly reduced as no separate systems need to be operated and maintained. The administrative effort is significantly reduced thanks to centralised management. Although mobile editors still need business mobile phone contracts, they are now fully integrated into the communication and collaboration processes thanks to the integration of Microsoft Teams on their smartphones. Administration of the integrated voice communication is centralised and user-friendly via the Teams Admin Center.

A Forrester study from 2023 shows how high the savings potential can actually be when switching to Microsoft Teams Phone: According to this study, IT operating costs in the area of telephony in large companies can often be reduced from three to two full-time equivalents - while at the same time improving efficiency and service quality.

Another effect can be seen in employees' everyday work: Operation is intuitive. Telephony works like chat – with the difference that the call is just a click away. There is no need to switch between apps, the context is retained. Whether in the office or on the move - the workplace is always where Teams is running.

A successful introduction typically also includes communication, training and accompanying measures. In this way, change is not imposed – it is shaped together. Modern telephony is more than just technology: it changes the way people work together – faster, more direct, more reliable.

Now is the right time for change

Digital communication is no longer an additional function – it has become the indispensable backbone of modern collaboration. If you want to remain efficient as a publisher today, you need a platform that combines all forms of communication. After all, speed, accessibility and collaboration determine whether content is published on time, sources are contacted reliably and topics are coordinated effectively.

The greatest risks for publishers today do not lie in switching over, but in staying with the old system: Maintenance costs increase, security decreases, working models slow down. At the same time, pressure is growing due to hybrid teams, shorter production cycles and rising expectations from readers and advertising customers. Those who postpone change will miss out on efficiency gains – and lose competitiveness.

The good news is that the path to integrated communication does not have to be a major project. Many companies start with a pilot area – such as the editorial department or reader service – and expand step by step. It is important to analyse the existing telephony, choose a suitable partner and draw up a clear migration plan. It is not only the technology and licence model that are crucial to success, but also communication and training.

Teams telephony is more than just a technical upgrade – it changes the way editorial teams think and act. Decisions are made faster, coordination becomes easier, locations grow together digitally. The Handelsblatt Media Group shows that it works – even in large organisations with historically grown structures.

The question is no longer whether voice communication should be integrated. But rather: How long organisations can afford not to.

Those who act now will create the basis for a newsroom that is flexible, networked and future-proof. Because this is precisely what will become the decisive factor in journalism - not at some point, but now.