Posted inMicrosoft Entra

MC1519855: Microsoft Entra ID Adds Choose Your Own Telephony Provider for SMS and Voice Authentication

4 minutesPosted inMicrosoft Entra
MWPRO IMPACT SCORE
OPERATIONAL IMPACT
68
0 25 50 75 100
HIGH IMPACT • REVIEW RECOMMENDED
Recommended Action:
Review the update and plan any required actions before rollout.
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Primary Audience

Tenant AdminsMicrosoft 365 AdminsSecurity TeamsCompliance TeamsIT ManagersService OwnersAzure Admins
Why this score?
AI Confidence
HIGH
Enough detail is available to trust this assessment.
Assessment Reasoning
The feature for choosing your own telephony provider in Entra ID is now generally available, requiring admins to configure new provider connections before Microsoft’s SMS and voice authentication retires in February 2027. Admin impact is high due to testing, provider selection, purchasing, and rollout work. User impact is moderate because authentication behaviour may change for users who continue using SMS or voice. Urgency is elevated given the set retirement deadline and need for planning and staged implementation.
78
🛡️ Admin Impact
CRITICAL
40
👥 User Impact
MEDIUM
70
⚡ Urgency
HIGH
80
🔧 Effort
CRITICAL
ℹ️ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
📌

AT A GLANCE

Choose Your Own Telephony Provider (CYOT) for SMS and voice authentication in Entra ID is now generally available. Microsoft-provided SMS and voice services retire in February 2027, so plan your transition soon.
👥

END USERS

Users may see SMS or voice authentication use new telecom providers.
🛡️

IT ADMINS

Review user needs, select a provider, and complete setup before Microsoft-provided SMS and voice retire in February 2027.
📅

ROLLOUT TIMELINE

Available:
Now

📢 Official Microsoft Message Center Announcement

(Updated) Microsoft Entra: Choose your own telephony provider now generally available
Message ID: MC1519855 (Updated)

Updated October 30, 2026: We have updated this post with additional information as the feature is now generally available. Thank you for your patience. 

[What and why]

Choose Your Own Telephony Provider (CYOT) is now generally available in Microsoft Entra ID. With CYOT, your organization can deliver SMS and voice authentication through a supported telecom provider of its choice. You purchase the provider’s offer in Microsoft Security Store and manage the commercial relationship directly with the provider. 

Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication begins retiring on February 1, 2027. To keep SMS and voice authentication available for users who need it, set up CYOT before that date. 

Microsoft recommends phishing-resistant authentication methods, such as passkeys, instead of SMS or voice. Use telephony-based authentication only for users who have a business, regulatory, or technical need for it.

[What you need to do]

If your organization plans to use CYOT: 

  1. Identify users who need SMS or voice. Confirm which users have a requirement that phishing-resistant methods can’t meet. 
  2. Choose a provider. Compare the supported telecom providers on coverage, channels, pricing, support, and compliance. 
  3. Check purchasing requirements. Confirm that you have a paid Azure subscription that is eligible for Security Store purchases, and that you have the Owner role, or Contributor plus Role Based Access Control Administrator. 
  4. Estimate costs. Review provider pricing and Azure hosting costs. 
  5. Set up and roll out. Follow Set up SMS and voice. Start in evaluation mode, then increase traffic to your provider in stages. 
  6. Complete your transition before February 1, 2027. Review the guidance for the retirement of Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication.

Learn more 

Source: Microsoft Message Center • Analysed by MWPro

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