Microsoft Teams Auto Attendant/Call Queue - We can't upload the audio file. Verify the contents of the file and try again.

Many companies are migrating to Teams Voice, transitioning from legacy PBXs such as Cisco, Avaya, and Coral. In the past, for Hunt and IVR voice prompts, they would reach out to professionals or companies that specialize in these prompts, or they would record them internally as a low-cost option.

Option #1: You can convert speech to text and use it for Teams CQ/AA greetings and menus.

Option #2: You can use existing WAV or MP3 files and upload them as they are.

I decided to write this article based on my own experiences with various failures, such as the following:

Error: Microsoft Teams Auto Attendant/Call Queue - We can't upload the audio file. Verify the contents of the file and try again.

Solution: Change the sampling rate to something Teams CQ&AA supported. 

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/phone-system-upload-wav-greeting-to-call-queue/m-p/1525267 

How it is been done: I had heard about this tool before, but I was recently convinced by my colleague Lawrence, and it's a free tool. I’ve seen similar articles, but I’ve never come across one that offers a proper resolution

Open the existing WAV or MP3 file; it doesn't matter what sample rate it was recorded at as long as you can listen to it. If you don’t need to cut or change anything, the next step is to EXPORT. 

What I did was export to a low sample rate of 8000 Hz, without making any other changes in the following window.

Export to file location,

Upload this file afterward to Teams CQ/AA; it should work without any problems. This method was also used recently with WebEx Contact Center.

Setting Up PLAR on Microsoft Teams Common Area Phones

Configuring Private Line Auto Ringdown (PLAR) on Microsoft Teams common area phones can significantly enhance communication efficiency in shared spaces. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you set it up:

Amazing feature, However a bit of delay from Microsoft end even though Teams certified phones were in the market. Cisco call manager or Cisco DI had it for a longest time according to what i learn! Having said that this feature must be there with other legacy PABX for sure. 

What is PLAR/Hotline? 

PLAR, or Private Line Auto Ringdown, is a feature that allows a phone to automatically dial a pre-configured number when the handset is picked up. This is particularly useful in common areas where quick access to specific contacts or services is essential.

Why Use PLAR on Common Area Phones? 

Mostly following features: Good for emergency, safety &  compliance, convenience

Steps to Set Up PLAR on Microsoft Teams Common Area Phones

1. Assign license - Microsoft Teams Shared Device License 

2. Set up the PLAR Number & Turn on TAC and Teams Phone Device

    -     Sign into the Teams admin center with a Microsoft 365 admin account. 

    -     From the left navigation, select Teams devices, select Phones and then select the Configuration profiles tab.

    -    From the list, select the configuration profile assigned to your common area phone. 

    -    Under the Call settings section, turn on the Enable hotline toggle and then select Save.

Note: Verify the Advanced Calling setting is disabled when you are enabling the hotline setting in Teams admin center. Also verify the Team app version on the Android phone is version 1449/1.0.94.2023082303 or later.

    -     Sign into your Teams phone device and select Settings > Device settings > Admin only > Calling > Hotline.

    - Enter a contact or phone number to be autodialed.

    - Enter the display name you want to show on the phone's home screen and Save. 

3. [Optional] Create a policy and assign. to disable Advanced Calling settings and push all the site available phones bulk. 

Reference from Microsoft - Set up the common area phones for Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

Teams AA scenario - Use of Teams AA External Forwarding options

Use of Teams AA External Forwarding options

I had a scenario where porting is almost completing but customer end devices at reception is are not ready/late delivery to the location. This example is applying only to Service Number deliver to reception. Just to give glimpse of porting, i didn't port everything but partial porting and this is one of the number +1 365 xxx 421 and since it is "ServiceNumber" from Local telco. 

Due to the device not availability delay i have to look for an option asap.

Option #1 - Convert this number to user number and add forwarder to reception number. it can be Teams client or may be number forwarded.

Option #2 - Do the option#1 part of it and forward immediate Voicemail but for how many days? This wont be an option :D 

Option #3 - Create new Teams Auto Attendant immediately and adding the greeting (just like other reception number) so no one feel a difference or changes. Then all the call forwarded to existing to reception number: +1 365 xxx 6226 (Not migrated reception/main line)

Best option will be Option #3 and i have created AA and added a greeting and in the call routing options I select to External phone number which will ring the existing reception number.

Microsoft Phone System standard - Virtual User license & Domestic calling plan for external forwarding 

Important:

Teams Auto Attendant or Call Queue required Microsoft Teams Resource Account License/ and it used to called Microsoft Phone System standard - Virtual User license 
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-add-on-licensing/virtual-user

This license should be assign to receive a call to AA or CQ and this enabled only incoming in other word. If we required to External forwarding (in my example here) that need additional license to be assign for outbound dialing from AA. 

Unfortunately it was not working and i was checking the license etc for AA is all good. i had a Microsoft Phone System standard - Virtual User license for AA. In my above situation i have end up with assigning Domestic Calling plan to AA account. 

   

Fixed: It was for External call to be forwarded as redirect option from Auto Attendant it required Calling plan to be assigned but getting an error due to conflict of some license. 

Try this and enjoy! 

Teams QER and PIM authentication common errors - You dont have access to the Teams Admin Center

If your environment has Privileged Identity Management (PIM) enabled, you may be familiar with the following error.

This article is not about PIM itself, but organizations use this feature to minimize the number of individuals who have access to secure information or resources. This reduces the chances of a malicious actor gaining access and helps prevent an authorized user from inadvertently impacting a sensitive resource. For more information, refer to this article: Privileged Identity Management.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/id-governance/privileged-identity-management/pim-configure

You will usually encounter the following error if PIM is enabled but has expired, or if you forgot to enable PIM while trying to use an existing open window, such as in Power BI. (Voice professionals will be familiar with CQD/QER.)

Fix or Best practice: Enable PIM and wait 30 to 60 seconds before trying again. In most cases, this will help you avoid the error. However, if you try to access any of the M365 Admin or Azure admin centers in your browser while the PIM process is ongoing, you may experience the following error.

This is a frustrating issue that many users have complained about, often due to browser caching. The best way to avoid this is to either enable PIM or sign out of any expired PIM sessions. Close the tab or window, or sign out, so the browser can clear the cache. In worse cases, consider using an InPrivate browsing session.

Teams calling user cannot assign a phone number due to licensing and usage

Overview 

Admin experience when he/she try to assign a number to an user, "No results were found" 

1. Replication delay &  License status 

To address the delay in license assignment and replication from Microsoft, connecting to PowerShell is indeed a practical approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you figure out the status of the license assignment:

• Check License Status,

• Open PowerShell: Start by opening PowerShell with administrative privileges,

• Connect to Microsoft Teams: Use the Connect-MicrosoftTeams cmdlet to establish a connection to your Teams environment

   and try following,

• Wait for Replication: Keep in mind that after assigning a Microsoft Calling Plan to a user, it can take up to 24 hours before they’ll see the dial pad in their Teams client,

Get-csOnlineUser -Identity "madushkadias@deployskypeforbusiness.com" | fl 

Output shows following and Provisioned plan missing, and so, my assumption become valid.  

PreferredDataLocation                  :

PreferredLanguage                      :

ProvisionedPlan                        : 

UsageLocation                          : US

UserDirSyncEnabled                     : True

after few hours following reflected,

ProvisionedPlan                        : {MCOMEETADD, MCOPSTN2, MCOEV}

2. Usage Location 

Since we are using Teams calling, it is required to have the correct usage location matching the emergency address assigned. Try to assign the number again, assuming all is done with the license, but still, the Teams calling number cannot be assigned to the user. The next step was to try again via PowerShell command and the following was found: 

Unfortunately above error doesn't show in the GUI, Modified this field on Azure AD and use PowerShell to assign the number and it was success. 

 

3. After everything failed for you then only option will be opening a ticket with Microsoft.

Enjoy!

Microsoft Teams meetings - End Meeting for All Participants

Lot of customers looking way to end the meeting for all,  when presenter is done with the meeting.

first of for this function to work correctly, it required correctly organize the meeting. 

Step #1 add the co-organizer is a must.

Step #2 More option in the Teams meeting

Step #3 Chose co-organizer(s) 

Once meeting options has been added and done, as Co-organizer you will be able to have following option in addition to LEAVE the meeting.  

This feature will help you to have after meeting ends participant use for gossip using same meeting or avoid unwanted chat usage. 

Enjoy!

Teams dial pad missing due to Microsoft backend replication (The issue is due to RegistrarPool being Null after migrating users to Teams)

I had very interesting experience recently related to user migration from Skype for business to Teams direct routing. 

Most common issue is to missing dial pad would be following, 

- Teams license assigned or assigned license change not replicate on time or delay.
   License was PhoneSystem since this was Direct Routing work. 

- is enable for Enterprise voice

- Whether the user assigned a VoiceRoutingPolicy

- Whether the user assigned a TeamsCallingPolicy

Addition to this i checked following, 

-Homed location/HostingProvider of the users and whether user has been       migrated successful or not. 

Get-CsOnline -Identity xxx@abc.com | fl DisplayName, LineUri, EnterpriseVoice*, HostingProvider

This where the interesting part came in found a difference in another attribute which never had seen before. 

Get-CsOnline -Identity xxx@abc.com | fl DisplayName, LineUri, EnterpriseVoice*, HostingProvider, RegistrarPool

(NEW) 

Issue was due to RegistrarPool being Null after migrating users to Teams.

Only option is to Microsoft support since its SaaS product. So, opening a ticket to Microsoft Support will fix the problem and it went to PG folks. Issue was RTCProv is skipping registar pool during that time for unknown reason in Microsoft Teams Phone System.  

Once the replication done in few hours time 

RegistrarPool shouldnt be empty. It should change to Teams: like above screenshot.

Enjoy!