Back in November 2014, Microsoft announced Skype for Business will replace the company’s enterprise offering, Lync. Earlier today, Microsoft announced the technical preview of Skype for Business, which will give employees the ability to communicate with each other in a simple way.
Microsoft said in a blog post,
“We announced last November that the next version of Microsoft Lync would become Skype for Business. I am thrilled to announce that the technical preview of the Skype for Business client starts today, and that the new client, server and online service will become generally available starting in April! The tech preview gives current Lync customers a chance to trial Skype for Business and get ready to upgrade.”
In the coming weeks, business users will be able to use Skype for Business in the form of a new client, a new server and updated service within Office 365. This will definitely boost productivity of the users, and allows them to communicate with their colleagues and co-workers who have a Skype ID.
Skype for Business offers users enterprise grade security and expanded Lync feature set, allowing users to search for users (within or outside the company) and communicate with them. Furthermore, it is integrated into Office so you can make use of features such as instant messaging, voice and video calls, and much more.
Currently, Skype for Business technical preview is available for Lync users in the US. Customers interested in trying out the new technical preview can access it here. The technical preview is available starting today until April 30th, the time frame when the stable version is expected to launch.
The Office 365 team will hold a YamJam session on Yammer on March 18th from 1-2 pm EST where customers can ask the team any questions they have about the new service, and learn more about Skype for Business.
Further reading: Microsoft, Skype, Skype for Business
