Best Phones for Microsoft Teams Australia: Desk Phones That Actually Work

For Microsoft Teams Phone in Australia, Yealink MP-series phones are the most widely deployed Teams-certified option. The Yealink MP54 suits most office positions at around $220 to $260 AUD; step up to the T58W Pro for a touchscreen interface or executive use. This guide covers Teams-certified models, SIP phones on Direct Routing, and which configuration fits your deployment.

Two Types of Teams-Compatible Phones

Before choosing a phone, you need to understand which type of Teams Phone deployment you are running. This determines which phones will work for you.

Teams-Certified Phones (Teams Mode)

Teams-certified phones run native Microsoft Teams firmware and are managed through the Microsoft Teams Admin Centre. They look and behave like Teams on a dedicated device: you see your Teams contacts, presence status, and calls within the Teams interface on the handset. These phones require a Microsoft Teams Phone licence on the user's account.

Teams-certified phones work with both Microsoft Calling Plans and Direct Routing configurations. Direct Routing is a method of connecting a Teams Phone environment to the public telephone network via an external SIP trunk provider, rather than through Microsoft's own calling infrastructure. Think of Direct Routing as your own phone line feeding into Teams, rather than buying line capacity directly from Microsoft.

Standard SIP Phones on a Direct Routing Setup

If your business uses Direct Routing through an AU VOIP provider (such as Maxotel providing SIP trunks into a Teams environment), a standard SIP phone registered to the same provider's hosted PBX can sit alongside Teams on the same phone system. The SIP phone does not run Teams firmware and does not show the Teams interface. It behaves as a standard VOIP desk phone making and receiving calls via the AU provider's platform, which connects to Teams.

This is a common configuration for businesses that want some staff on Teams softphone (laptop or mobile) and others on physical desk phones without needing a Teams licence per handset. Confirm with your AU VOIP provider how their Direct Routing integration handles desk phone registration before purchasing.

Teams-Certified Phones Available in Australia

Yealink MP Series (Teams-Native)

Yealink's MP series are purpose-built Teams phones running native Teams firmware. They are the most widely deployed Teams-certified desk phones in the Australian market, carried by major IT distributors and VOIP resellers. The current range covers entry through executive positions.

Yealink MP54 is the entry-level Teams phone with a colour display, Teams button, and speakerphone. AU pricing approximately $220 to $260. Suitable for standard office positions and shared desks. Yealink MP56 adds a larger display and improved audio. AU pricing approximately $280 to $320. The Yealink MP58 is the premium model with a high-resolution colour touchscreen and USB-A and USB-C ports. AU pricing approximately $360 to $420. For executive and reception positions where a larger screen is useful, the MP58 is the practical choice.

Yealink T58W Pro with Teams

The Yealink T58W Pro is a premium desk phone with a large Android-based touchscreen that can run either SIP firmware or Teams firmware. In Teams mode it functions as a certified Teams phone. AU pricing approximately $420 to $480. This is the most capable Yealink desk phone for Teams and suits executive or reception positions where screen real estate and call management features are used heavily.

For detailed specs and Australian pricing, see our Yealink T46U review.

AudioCodes C470HD

AudioCodes is an Israeli network communications company with a well-regarded range of Teams-certified phones. The C470HD is a colour touchscreen phone with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, Teams-certified, and available through AU IT distributors. AU pricing approximately $380 to $450. AudioCodes phones are less common in the AU SMB market than Yealink but are a legitimate alternative, particularly in environments already using AudioCodes network hardware.

Poly CCX Series (Teams-Certified)

Poly's CCX series are Teams-certified phones designed to replace the VVX range for Teams deployments. The CCX 400 and CCX 500 cover standard office positions; the CCX 600 and CCX 700 are executive models. Poly CCX phones are available through AU IT distributors. AU pricing starts at approximately $250 for the CCX 400 and reaches $500 to $600 for the CCX 700. Poly's audio heritage (through the Polycom lineage) makes the CCX series a strong choice for reception positions where call quality is a priority.

Comparison: Which Teams Phone for Which Role

Does Your Teams Setup Affect Which Phone You Buy?

Yes. If you are using Microsoft Calling Plans. Where Microsoft provides your phone lines directly. You need a Teams-certified phone. Standard SIP phones will not register to a Microsoft Calling Plan directly.

If you are using Direct Routing through an AU VOIP provider, you have more flexibility. A Teams-certified phone in Teams mode will work. A standard SIP phone registered to your AU provider's PBX (a private branch exchange. The system routing your calls) will also work alongside the Teams environment, without needing Teams firmware on the handset.

For the full breakdown of Microsoft Calling Plans vs Direct Routing vs Operator Connect in the Australian context, see our Teams Direct Routing vs Calling Plans guide. For overall Teams Phone pricing in Australia, see our Teams Phone pricing guide.

What Teams Mode Means on a Phone

A phone in Teams mode runs the Microsoft Teams application as its operating system interface rather than a generic SIP phone firmware. When you pick up the handset, you see the Teams interface. You sign in with your Microsoft 365 account. Calls, presence, voicemail, and contacts all sync with your Teams tenant. The phone is managed from the Microsoft Teams Admin Centre, not from the VOIP provider's portal.

A phone in SIP mode runs standard VOIP firmware and connects to a VOIP provider via SIP credentials. It does not show the Teams interface. It makes and receives calls through the provider's phone system. Some phones (like the Yealink T58W Pro) support both modes and can be switched between them, but cannot run both simultaneously.

Teams Phone Licensing in Australia

Hardware selection is only part of the decision. To use a physical desk phone in Teams mode, each user needs a Microsoft Teams Phone licence in addition to their standard Microsoft 365 licence. As of mid-2026, the primary SKU is Teams Phone Standard, available as an add-on to Business and Enterprise M365 plans. AU pricing is approximately $12 to $15 AUD per user per month, depending on your M365 agreement and whether you purchase through a Microsoft partner or direct. Without this licence, a user cannot be assigned a phone number in Teams Admin Centre, and the desk phone cannot make or receive calls regardless of which hardware you have purchased. Confirming licence status before ordering hardware avoids the most common deployment blocker.

The Teams Phone licence is required regardless of whether you use Microsoft Calling Plans or Direct Routing through an AU VOIP provider. Calling Plans include the PSTN connection from Microsoft. Direct Routing uses a third-party provider for the SIP trunks but still requires the Teams Phone licence to enable the calling capability inside the Teams interface. For businesses running Direct Routing through an AU provider, the monthly licence cost is an additional line item on top of the provider service fee. Budget for both when calculating total cost of ownership. One practical approach for cost management is to licence selectively: assign Teams Phone licences only to users who need a physical phone or high-volume calling, and let other staff use the Teams softphone on their laptop or mobile at no additional hardware or licence cost.

Conference Room and Shared Space Options

The Teams-certified hardware ecosystem extends beyond individual desk phones to shared space devices. The Yealink CP965 is a dedicated Teams conference phone designed for small to medium meeting rooms, with 360-degree microphone pickup and a touchscreen interface that runs native Teams firmware. AU retail pricing is approximately $600 to $800 AUD. For meeting rooms where the primary requirement is audio-only Teams calls and conference calls, the CP965 is the most practical and widely deployed option in AU corporate settings. It connects to Teams Admin Centre for management in the same way a desk phone does and requires the Teams Rooms Basic or Teams Phone licence depending on how the device account is configured.

For meeting rooms that require integrated video, the appropriate category is a Microsoft Teams Room system rather than a conference phone. Yealink MVC series and Poly Studio X series are the most common MTR configurations in Australian corporate environments. These systems require a Microsoft Teams Rooms licence, which is priced separately from the individual Teams Phone licence and is typically $8 to $15 AUD per room per month on a shared account. MTR systems are appropriate for formal boardrooms and video-heavy environments. For most AU small businesses, a Teams-certified conference phone at a meeting room table, combined with a laptop running the Teams client for video, is a more cost-effective configuration than a full MTR deployment.

Physical Phone vs Softphone: When Each Makes Sense

A physical Teams-certified desk phone is not mandatory for Teams Phone. The Teams application on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android supports all calling features including transfer, hold, blind transfer, voicemail, and presence. For many desk workers, the Teams softphone on their primary device is entirely sufficient, and it avoids the hardware cost and management overhead of a physical phone entirely. The case for a physical phone is strongest in roles with high inbound call volume where a dedicated handset improves ergonomics, in reception and front-of-house positions where call management is the primary job function, and in environments where staff are not consistently in front of a screen throughout the day.

Reception positions in particular benefit from a physical phone with a DSS key panel or expansion module for monitoring and transferring calls across multiple lines. A Yealink MP58 with an EXP50 expansion module provides a BLF (busy lamp field) panel showing presence status across the team, allowing reception to manage call routing without navigating the Teams interface on a laptop screen. For back-office staff with moderate call volume, the Teams app on their existing laptop or mobile avoids any additional hardware expenditure. A hybrid approach, physical phones for reception and high-call roles and softphone for everyone else, is the most cost-effective configuration for most AU small businesses running Teams Phone.

What Most Businesses Get Wrong

The most common mistake is buying Teams-certified phones without confirming the Teams Phone licence is in place. Teams-certified phones require a Teams Phone licence (previously called Phone System add-on) on each user account in addition to their Microsoft 365 subscription. Without the licence, the phone will not register to Teams. Check your Microsoft 365 licensing before purchasing hardware.

The second mistake is buying Teams-mode phones for a Direct Routing setup where standard SIP phones on the provider's platform would have been simpler and cheaper. Confirm with your AU VOIP provider what they recommend for desk phone hardware in a Direct Routing configuration before purchasing.

The third mistake is buying standard SIP phones expecting them to show the Teams interface. They will not. A standard Yealink T46U or Grandstream GRP2634 will make VOIP calls via a SIP provider but will not display Teams contacts, presence, or call history. If you want the Teams experience on a physical handset, you need a Teams-certified model.

Your Next Steps

Confirm whether you are running Microsoft Calling Plans or Direct Routing. For Calling Plans: choose from the Teams-certified models above matching the role. For Direct Routing: ask your AU VOIP provider whether they recommend Teams-certified phones or standard SIP phones for desk use on their platform.

For general Microsoft Teams Phone guidance, see our Microsoft Teams Phone System Australia guide. For a comparison of Teams Phone against a standard hosted VOIP platform, see Teams Phone vs Hosted VOIP.

For a full comparison of business phone systems, see our guide to the best phone systems for small business. If you're still weighing up the switch, our VOIP vs traditional phone comparison covers the key differences. Browse the full Yealink phone range for current Digiphone pricing and stock.

Do I need a special phone for Microsoft Teams?

If you want a physical desk phone that shows the Teams interface, shows presence, and is managed from the Teams Admin Centre, you need a Teams-certified phone. If you are using Direct Routing through an AU VOIP provider, a standard SIP phone registered to that provider's platform can work alongside your Teams environment without needing Teams firmware on the handset. Confirm the right approach with your AU VOIP provider.

Can a normal VOIP phone work with Microsoft Teams?

A standard SIP phone will not register directly to Microsoft Teams Calling Plans. For Direct Routing configurations, a standard SIP phone can register to the AU VOIP provider's platform, which connects to Teams. But the phone itself will not show the Teams interface. Whether this approach works for your setup depends on how your Direct Routing is configured. Ask your provider.

What is the best Teams phone for a reception desk in Australia?

For a reception desk, the Yealink MP58 or Poly CCX 500 are the most practical choices in Australia. Both are Teams-certified, offer a larger screen for call management, and have premium audio suitable for the call volume a busy reception desk handles. AU pricing for both is approximately $360 to $460. The Poly CCX 500 has a slight audio quality edge; the Yealink MP58 is more widely available through AU distributors.

Does Microsoft Teams Phone require a desk phone?

No. Microsoft Teams Phone works on the Teams softphone app. Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. A physical desk phone is optional. Many businesses run Teams Phone entirely via softphone apps with no desk hardware. A desk phone adds a dedicated call interface, physical presence indicators, and the option to use a wired headset, but it is not required for Teams Phone to function.

Do Yealink Teams phones work in Australia?

Yes. Yealink MP-series and T58W Pro Teams phones are available through AU IT distributors and work with Microsoft Teams Phone in Australia. Microsoft Teams Phone licensing in Australia supports Calling Plans and Direct Routing, and Yealink Teams-certified phones work with both. Ensure you have the Teams Phone licence assigned to each user account before provisioning the handset.