While Skype is officially set to be discontinued by Microsoft in May 2025, the company has recently introduced support for SMS messaging in Teams Chat. This update enables users to send and receive SMS messages directly through the Teams application on both desktop and mobile devices.
This initiative was initially announced by Microsoft in June of last year via their Microsoft 365 roadmap. After a lengthy development period, the feature is now ready for broad release.
According to Microsoft Learn, the SMS functionality is included in the Teams Calling Plan, which is available to users in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Messages sent outside these regions may be blocked by Teams, resulting in failure notifications or no delivery confirmations. Additionally, it’s important to note that all SMS messages to or from Microsoft Teams will be treated as:
This means that SMS in Teams is not classified as consumer SMS; unfortunately, this feature is not universally accessible. Microsoft has clarified that Teams messages are A2P (Application-to-Person), which is crucial for regulatory compliance. Regulatory bodies and service providers often enforce strict policies for businesses using SMS communication with customers.
To utilize SMS messaging in Teams, organizations and their users must register for a 10DLC (10 Digit Long Code) network. This registration reduces the likelihood of messages being flagged as spam.
Furthermore, companies wishing to activate SMS messaging features must complete registration with The Campaign Registry (TCR) before enabling the Microsoft Teams Calling Plan for SMS. This registration involves two components: Brand (company identification) and Campaign (the purpose of SMS operations).
The feature is slated for release in May 2025, coinciding with the deactivation of Skype. It’s important to reiterate that this functionality is not intended for individual users and is currently available only in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Via: Microsoft, Neowin
