Microsoft Malaysia launched the new Skype for Business, replacing its Lync service. The new app is a powerful communications and collaboration tool that includes instant messaging, voice, video calls, online meetings and more.
As part of the Office 365 platform, Skype for Business lets enterprises broadcast meetings up to 10,000 people real-time and supports dynamic playback – allowing users to connect to a multitude of people with voice or video capabilities. It is deeply integrated with Microsoft Office, enabling coworkers to instantly do work – see their contacts’ online statuses, schedule meetings in Outlook, take notes in OneNote, and start conversations from Office apps.
Existing Office 365 customers using Lync Online are now able to enjoy the Skype for Business user experience.
Microsoft Lync, formerly known as Microsoft Office Communicator, uses Microsoft Lync Server, the software infrastructure for enterprise instant messaging, presence, VoIP, conferencing, and so on. Skype for Business builds on all of the capabilities of Lync, including content sharing and telephony. There are over 100 million Lync users worldwide.
Skype for Business can be configured to be used with PBX (Private Branch Exchange) desk phone. There’s also the Skype directory where users could search for a contact. Skype for Business also allows instant switching between devices during a call, for example a voice call from the desktop app can be transferred to the smartphone app.
No pricing were announced at press time. According to the Microsoft website, the basic plan for Skype for Business cost $24 a year per user.
Rukmani Subramanian, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer, Microsoft Malaysia, said that in this new, digitized era, technology plays an integral role, especially with the younger workforce. “We need to start equipping this generation with the right tools to collaborate, communicate and be productive. Today we’re seeing that the right tool for this era comes in the form of socially networked communications – which is an effective way of exchanging information today.”
“Skype for Business plays an integral role as it’s the right tool for people to connect freely and seamlessly, which is at the core of our mission to reinvent productivity – to get everyone and every organization to do more and to achieve more. We are excited to introduce Skype for Business – bringing together the familiar experience of Skype with the security and IT control you can trust from Microsoft – giving businesses a powerful and secure communications tool that their users will love,” she said.
Skype handles 50 billion minutes of traffic every month. It has more than 300 million users worldwide.