Microsoft is making Teams more powerful for businesses with the addition of SMS messaging. This long-awaited feature lets Teams users send and receive SMS messages. But before you think more about it, let me make it clear that it’s strictly for business use.
Microsoft originally announced this feature in June 2024, and now, it’s finally rolling out. Teams users in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico can now send and receive SMS messages directly from the app. However, if you try to send an SMS outside these regions, you will see a message failure notification.
This is not a regular SMS service. Microsoft classifies it as Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging. It means the service is strictly for business use. If a company wants to use this feature, it must register with The Campaign Registry (TCR) to comply with carrier and regulatory policies.
This is a business feature aimed at companies that use SMS for customer communication. With the mandatory 10DLC registration, Microsoft ensures businesses can send SMS without getting flagged as spam.
Businesses that already rely on Microsoft Teams Calling Plans will find it interesting. It allows them to integrate SMS messaging into their existing workflows. Whether it’s sending appointment reminders, customer support texts, or business updates, Teams is positioning itself as a complete solution. For regular users, this doesn’t change much.
This move suggests that Microsoft is clearly working to expand Teams’ capabilities beyond internal office communication. The timing of this update isn’t a coincidence. Microsoft officially confirmed that Skype will be retired in May 2025, and Teams is now its primary communication platform.
