In this guide
1. Introduction 2. Global Providers 3. Why No Provider in China? 4. China Service Provider Structure 5. Government Regulations 6. CTS 100% Legal SolutionTable of Contents
Operator Connect is an option for providing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connectivity with Teams and Phone System.
Figure 1: Microsoft Teams Operator Connect overview.
There Are Many Operator Connect Providers in Other Countries
Figure 2: Operator Connect providers available globally.
Why Is There No Operator Connect Provider in China?
Figure 3: No Operator Connect providers are certified in China due to regulatory hurdles.
“Overseas clients using Operator Connect often find no China region, search my site, and ask ‘why?’ The reality is: no carrier in China can offer Operator Connect’s ‘hosted and ready’ model, because Chinese law requires numbers to be registered under the end user’s China entity.”
China Has Two Types of Service Providers
To understand why Operator Connect is unavailable, you first need to know how telecom works in China. China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile are the three major operators from the Chinese government. All Chinese phone numbers come from these three operators. The phone numbers that can be seen in the market are all from the government, and these third-party resellers obtain numbers wholesale from the three major telecom operators.
Figure 4: China's telecom provider structure. Only the three government operators own number resources.
Chinese Government Regulations Issued in 2013
Chinese government policy requires phone numbers to be registered under the end user's company license. And this end user must have a local entity in China.
Who registered the phone number must take responsibility.
Figure 5: Official government regulation on real identity registration.
CTS: The 100% Legal Alternative to Operator Connect
While Operator Connect is not available in China, CTS provides a 100% legal alternative through Microsoft Teams Direct Routing.
How CTS works: We help your company sign the contract directly with the government operator. The number is 100% legally registered under your own China company entity. We only assist with the application and technical integration — you own the number, and we make sure the communication stays fast, direct, and compliant.
Figure 6: CTS ensures 100% legal number ownership with direct contracts.
Related Resources
🔧 Get Teams Direct Routing Service — Start the application process
📘 Step-by-Step Direct Routing Setup — Technical guide
📘 China SIP Trunk Provider Guide — Understand who provides numbers
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