Direct Routing vs Operator Connect in Southeast Asia: an honest comparison
Carrier maturity varies wildly across the region. Where each model actually fits, country by country.
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Editorial note: this piece is still an outline — the section list below is what it will cover. The full article is being drafted.
Most comparisons of Direct Routing and Operator Connect are written for markets where every carrier is already a Microsoft partner. Across Southeast Asia that assumption breaks down country by country, and the right answer changes with it.
This piece will compare the two models on the things that actually decide the outcome: carrier participation, control over media paths, emergency calling, and who is accountable when a call fails at 2am.
What this article will cover
- Carrier maturity and Operator Connect availability, market by market.
- Where Direct Routing's control over the SBC is worth the operational load.
- Emergency calling and number portability constraints per country.
- Hybrid estates: running both models under one dial plan.