Tutorial / Cram Notes
Emergency calling in Microsoft Teams is a critical aspect of the MS-700 Managing Microsoft Teams exam, which IT professionals must comprehend to ensure effective and compliant communication systems. Emergency calling policies in Teams are designed to help organizations meet their legal requirements and provide users with the necessary tools to reach emergency services.
Understanding Emergency Calling Policies
Emergency calling policies manage the behavior of emergency calls placed from Microsoft Teams. These policies contribute to the proper routing of emergency calls and the provision of accurate location information to emergency services. The importance of configuring these policies is heightened by legal requirements such as Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act in the United States, which mandate direct dialing and dispatchable location information for emergency calls.
Setting Up Emergency Addresses and Locations
The first step in configuring emergency calling policies is to set up emergency addresses within the Teams Admin Center. Emergency addresses must be provided for every location where Teams users can place emergency calls. Each emergency address in Teams can have multiple emergency locations (such as floor or room number) to provide finer grained location details for emergency services.
Configuring Emergency Calling Policy Settings
Administrators can configure various settings in emergency calling policies:
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Calling notification for security desk: This feature specifies whether to notify a security desk when an emergency call is placed.
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Emergency call routing policy: Defines how emergency calls are routed, including the selection of a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
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Emergency call masks: Used to standardize the appearance of phone numbers on caller ID, ensuring emergency calls are easily identifiable.
Assigning Emergency Calling Policies
Once created, emergency calling policies can be assigned at different levels:
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Global (Org-wide default): This policy applies to all users in the tenant if no other policy is assigned.
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Directly to users: Specific users or groups of users can have a distinct policy.
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Via batch assignment: For larger enterprises, policies can be assigned in bulk using PowerShell scripts.
Ensuring Regulatory Compliance
Administrators need to ensure that their emergency calling configurations comply with local regulations. This includes providing accurate location information to emergency services for any call made within the organization.
Testing Emergency Calling Functionality
Regularly testing the emergency calling set-up is essential for verifying the correct routing of calls and the accuracy of location information provided. Microsoft Teams includes a feature that allows for test emergency calls to be made without actually contacting emergency services.
Use Case Example: Emergency Policy for Multiple Locations
Consider a company with offices in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Each location must have its own emergency address configured in Microsoft Teams. Administrators ensure that the New York office has multiple emergency locations set up for each floor, while the smaller Chicago and Los Angeles offices only need one emergency location per site.
Table: Sample Emergency Calling Policy Configuration
| Setting | New York Office | Chicago Office | Los Angeles Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Address | 123 Broadway St. | 456 Michigan Ave. | 789 Sunset Blvd. |
| Emergency Locations | 10 (One for each floor) | 1 (Entire office) | 1 (Entire office) |
| Calling Notification | Security desk and Admin | Security desk | Security desk |
| Emergency Call Routing | Local PSAP | Local PSAP | Local PSAP |
| Call Mask | +1-212-999-0000 | +1-312-999-0001 | +1-213-999-0002 |
In this table, we can see how the emergency calling policies differ based on the location’s specific requirements and setup. The New York office requires more granular location information due to its larger size.
In conclusion, planning and configuring emergency calling policies is a vital aspect of managing Microsoft Teams environments. The policies must adapt to organizational structures and comply with local regulations to provide a reliable and compliant platform for users to reach emergency services. Familiarity with these policies is a key competency tested in the MS-700 exam and is critical for any Teams administrator’s skillset.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Emergency calling policies in Microsoft Teams can be assigned on both a user and location basis.
True
Explanation: In Microsoft Teams, emergency calling policies can be assigned to users individually or to a location through network settings, ensuring that emergency services can be dispatched to the correct location.
Which of the following elements can be included in an emergency address policy in Microsoft Teams? (Select all that apply)
- B) Building
- C) Floor level
- D) Street name
B, C, D
Explanation: An emergency address policy includes the physical location details such as building, floor level, and street name to assist emergency services in accurately locating the caller. The user’s phone number is not part of the address policy but is associated with the user’s profile and calling plan.
True or False: In Microsoft Teams, you can configure dynamic emergency calling policies that automatically update based on the user’s location.
True
Explanation: Microsoft Teams allows for dynamic emergency calling policies which can be configured to automatically update the emergency calling policy based on the location of the user detected through the Teams client or network settings.
What is the purpose of an emergency call routing policy in Microsoft Teams?
- B) To route the emergency call to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
B
Explanation: An emergency call routing policy in Microsoft Teams is designed to ensure that when an emergency call is made, it gets routed to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on the caller’s location.
True or False: Microsoft Teams requires that you have an emergency calling policy for each country where you have users.
True
Explanation: Microsoft Teams requires organizations to configure emergency calling policies according to the regulations and requirements for each country where the service is used to ensure proper routing and handling of emergency calls.
Which PowerShell cmdlet is used to configure an emergency calling policy in Microsoft Teams?
- A) Set-CsTeamsEmergencyCallingPolicy
A
Explanation: The Set-CsTeamsEmergencyCallingPolicy cmdlet is used to configure and adjust settings within an existing emergency calling policy in Microsoft Teams.
True or False: Microsoft Teams supports Enhanced 911 (E911) only in the United States.
False
Explanation: Enhanced 911 (E911) is supported by Microsoft Teams in the United States and is also available in other countries, albeit regulations and implementations may differ.
What is the main benefit of setting up emergency locations within Teams Call Routing?
- D) It ensures emergency responders can accurately locate the caller within a building or campus
D
Explanation: Setting up emergency locations within Teams Call Routing is important because it provides detailed location information to emergency responders, enabling them to accurately locate the caller within a building or on a campus in case of an emergency.
True or False: Only global administrators can set and apply emergency calling policies in Microsoft Teams.
False
Explanation: While global administrators have the rights to set and apply emergency calling policies in Microsoft Teams, other roles with appropriate permissions, such as Teams Communications Administrators, can also perform these tasks.
What is required to place an emergency call using Microsoft Teams?
- B) A phone system license and emergency calling policy assignment
B
Explanation: To place an emergency call using Microsoft Teams, a user needs to have a Phone System license and must be assigned an emergency calling policy which defines how the emergency call will be handled and routed.
True or False: All users in the organization must have the same emergency calling policy in Microsoft Teams.
False
Explanation: It is not necessary for all users to have the same emergency calling policy in Microsoft Teams. Policies can be tailored based on the user’s location, role, or other requirements to best suit the needs of the organization and comply with local regulations.
Which of the following statements is true regarding emergency calling policies in Microsoft Teams?
- D) Organizations should do test calls to verify the emergency calling policy and location information accuracy.
D
Explanation: Organizations should perform test calls after configuring emergency calling policies to ensure the policies are working correctly and that location information is accurate for emergency services response. Manual updates to location can enhance accuracy, but dynamic location detection is also a core feature of Microsoft Teams emergency services.
Interview Questions
What is dynamic emergency calling?
Dynamic emergency calling enables a Teams user to make an emergency call, and the system will automatically retrieve the location information based on the user’s location.
What emergency calling policies are supported in Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams supports two emergency calling policies location-based routing and dynamic emergency calling.
How do you enable dynamic emergency calling in Teams?
You can enable dynamic emergency calling in Teams by creating a location-based routing policy and assigning it to users.
What is location-based routing in Teams?
Location-based routing is a policy in Teams that routes emergency calls to the appropriate emergency call center based on the caller’s location.
How do you configure emergency locations in Teams?
You can configure emergency locations in Teams by using the Microsoft Teams admin center or PowerShell.
How do you assign an emergency location to a user in Teams?
You can assign an emergency location to a user in Teams by using the Microsoft Teams admin center or PowerShell.
How do you edit an emergency location in Teams?
You can edit an emergency location in Teams by using the Microsoft Teams admin center or PowerShell.
What is the purpose of emergency location identification numbers (ELINs) in Teams?
Emergency location identification numbers (ELINs) are used to identify the location of a caller to emergency services.
How do you assign an ELIN to a location in Teams?
You can assign an ELIN to a location in Teams by using the Microsoft Teams admin center or PowerShell.
What happens if a user makes an emergency call without an assigned emergency location?
If a user makes an emergency call without an assigned emergency location, the system will use the caller’s phone number to determine the location to route the call.
What happens if a user’s location changes while they are on an emergency call in Teams?
If a user’s location changes while they are on an emergency call in Teams, the call will remain connected and will be routed to the appropriate emergency call center based on the new location.
What is the difference between dynamic emergency calling and location-based routing?
Dynamic emergency calling retrieves the location information based on the user’s location, while location-based routing routes emergency calls to the appropriate emergency call center based on the caller’s location.
Can you configure multiple emergency locations for a single physical location in Teams?
Yes, you can configure multiple emergency locations for a single physical location in Teams.
How can you test your emergency calling configuration in Teams?
You can test your emergency calling configuration in Teams by using the emergency calling test feature in the Microsoft Teams admin center.
What are the system requirements for emergency calling in Teams?
To use emergency calling in Teams, you need a Phone System license, an emergency location, and a valid emergency service provider for your location.
How do you prioritize emergency calling policies in a large organization?
I’ve found that integrating emergency calling policies with location services simplifies user management. Anyone else tried this?
Would it affect the call quality if we integrate emergency calling with third-party telephony solutions?
Does configuring emergency calling policies require any special permissions in Microsoft Teams?
Thanks for the great information!
The alignment of emergency policies between different service providers and Microsoft Teams can be complex.
We faced significant delays in call routing after a policy change. What could be the reason?
Can anyone share insights on monitoring and reporting on emergency calls in Teams?