Call Queues are the modern, online version of SfB Response Groups. A call comes in to the organization, and is queued and distributed to “agents” based on a number of factors.

One question that I get often is “who can be an agent in a call queue?”

The short answer is that only users can be agents. This means that Common Area Phones and Meeting Rooms cannot be agents. Well, they can, if you license them as a user. However, if you take advantage of the lower priced CAP or MeetingRoom licenses, then they cannot be agents in a Call Queue.

There are some other restrictions.

If you’re using a Direct Routing number for your Call Queue, your agents must be Teams users. If you use a Calling Plan number, you can use Teams, Skype for Business Online, and Skype for Business Server users.

If you want Teams agents, the agents must be in Teams Only mode. Calls are only handled by Teams apps when a user is in Teams Only.

Bonus: SfB Server Response Groups only offered calls to desktop clients, not mobile. That’s awesome if you assume that everyone who might be an agent is permanently planted in a chair in front of a desk, but that’s not reality! Call Queues allow calls to be offered to users logged on to a number of different devices – including mobiles – check out this doc for details.

(Note: this post has been edited to update it with capabilities made available soon after publication date. While I don’t normally update past blogs with new information, I felt it made sense given the timelines involved.

Updates are coming fast and furious at times from Microsoft. If you have thoughts on revising historical posts (or not!) I’d love to hear from you – hit me up in the comment section or find me on twitter @bumpinthenet)