Short answer
Calling Plans are Microsoft's own PSTN service. FirstNet adds local South African termination, local number porting, local support and custom routing on an ICASA-licensed network, and both options can coexist in the same Teams tenant.
In detail
What FirstNet adds:
- ICASA-licensed (ECNS and ECS) South African termination, with calls routed over FirstNet's interconnects with local operators.
- Local number porting run end to end by FirstNet, with a written rollback plan.
- A South African support team and an SLA on FirstNet-managed components.
- Custom routing through Direct Routing, such as location-based rules and custom dial plans.
- Support for analogue devices, common area phones and PBX coexistence through Direct Routing.
- Voice Bundles or Voice Rate Options, quoted for your traffic profile.
Calling Plans can suit organisations that are happy with Microsoft's own rates and number ranges and do not need carrier flexibility. Because the services coexist, you can move users across gradually or keep some on Calling Plans, and users get the same native experience in Teams desktop, mobile and web either way.
FirstNet can also supply Teams Phone licences as a Microsoft CSP and add compliance recording, Truecaller verified caller ID and Clarity call analytics on the same contract.
Source: FirstNet Microsoft Teams Calling service page →
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