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Limited features for business collaboration find it lacking in terms of advanced features.Business depend heavily on communication tools …
Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft TeamsFormerly Lync
Overview
What is Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams?
Skype for Business was an online messaging and conferencing tool, now superseded by Microsoft Teams.
Recent Reviews
Awards
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Popular Features
- Desktop sharing (189)8.888%
- High quality audio (188)8.080%
- High quality video (183)7.777%
- Low bandwidth requirements (180)6.666%
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Pricing
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What is Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams?
Skype for Business was an online messaging and conferencing tool, now superseded by Microsoft Teams.
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Alternatives Pricing
What is Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams combines video conferencing software with team collaboration tools. The communications platform allows MS Office users to conduct conference calls and share files via SharePoint, and join or initiate a group chat.
What is GoTo Connect?
GoToConnect, from GoTo, is a cloud-based business phone system with built-in web-based video conferencing solutions. It includes features such as call analytics, call recording, softphone, fax to email, voicemail to email, and desktop integration.
Features
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Product Details
- About
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams?
Skype for Business was a unified communications tool superseded by Microsoft Teams.
For personal use, Skype Desktop and Mobile apps are still available for download, but for business functionality the vendor now fully supports Microsoft Teams as the replacement for Skype for Business.
Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Skype for Business was an online messaging and conferencing tool, now superseded by Microsoft Teams.
Reviewers rate Live chat highest, with a score of 9.2.
The most common users of Skype for Business, now part of Microsoft Teams are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
Comparisons
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Reviews
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Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Skype is an easy to install and reliable to use software to interact with one or a number of users at a time.
- Video calls
- Perfect screen sharing
- HD voice calls
- Less data security.
- Voices can be interrupted easily.
- High internet connection required.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Skype for Business as one of the best ways to
connect. We can use it anywhere, boosting communication. It is excellent for
chats, calls, and videoconferencing, but I can also remotely access other
users' desktops to help them as if I were there. The adaptability of the
meetings held by our organization has vastly improved as a direct result of
this development. We can use it on our laptops or desktop computer and phone.
Skype for Business's ability to be set up on mobile devices and laptops is one
of its most appealing features. As far as tools go, Skype for Business is
right up there.
- Easy group formation.
- Office 365-compatible.
- Interviews are easy to start.
- Remote screen-sharing is easy.
- Excellent sound quality and user-friendly.
- Cross-platform synchronization is possible.
- Sometimes login takes too long.
- Video calls need more bandwidth.
- Screen sharing is causing the host trouble.
November 24, 2021
Your familiar Skype, optimized for business users
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
The system is used across our internal organization which has 3 geographically distinct locations in the USA. We frequently use it for conferences with vendors, suppliers, and key opinion leaders. It is intuitive to use, loads easily, and allows one to display presentations, edit same, share other information and see the various members on the 'call'.
- Sharing presentations amongst participants
- Participants can bring in additional materials easily, comment on same
- Very good at graphical input
- To avoid multiple people speaking at once and talking over each other, it would be helpful to have a hand raise function for speakers
- Graphics can sometimes be slow in loading, so a provision for uploading presentations to each of the participants could avoid lags due to slow internet connectivity
May 03, 2021
Simpler and streamlined video conferencing app
We use Skype for Business across the whole organization to share information and get updates on anything related to work. It makes the communication among us streamlined and enjoyable. we can send files, pictures, and screen sharing during the video call to share our work or presentation. It is makes working from home much easier.
- can do messaging with picture and video sharing options
- screen sharing during video call is very convenient
- program is stable rarely has downtimes
- this shouldn't be a complaint but i wish Skype has better emotes
We sometimes host conferences or virtual meetings with Skype for Business, though we usually only use it when another org insists. We rely on Zoom more often, due to stronger security features and the sensitive nature of our work, as well as regular Skype when we need to "call" people into meetings. Both versions of Skype are primarily used when we think that the the security trade-offs are worth the ease of adding users without an internet connection or smartphone.
- Easy to add people to a call.
- Easy screen-sharing and other hosting actions.
- Skype in general is probably still the most internationally-known teleconferencing software.
- It has the worst security of any teleconferencing apps we use; a huge problem in our line of work.
- Logging in is always a nightmare for some reason.
- Need totally separate software to use Skype for Business vs regular ol' Skype; you'd think they could just layer them both into one system.
April 14, 2021
Skype For Business
We used it for group calls all over the country and (world). We are able to review all HR /Payroll issues that may arise that need a fast resolution
- Able to connect all levels of Management
- we are able to hold "in house " conferences from anywhere
- connection issues is number 1
January 24, 2020
The best for interoffice messaging
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Skype for Business (formerly Lync) is our internal messaging system. We use this to message between departments as well as between locations across the country. It's easy to use and implement throughout our company. It gives us real-time communication, especially if you are on a call or in a meeting. I would highly recommend it.
- Communication
- Communication
- Have had issues with using the calling feature vs. just the messaging.
January 13, 2020
Skype is the way!
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
It's being used by the whole organization to communicate with one another in a very quick and professional manner. Instead of sending an email, we can chat via Skype for Business with that individual and reach them much faster when trying to get a quick answer. This helps solve the communication issues with others.
- Quick.
- Informal.
- Connection issues.
- File sharing could be improved.
October 22, 2019
Skype Business Review
Meetings with colleagues who work remote. Issues only involve those that are not technology proficient.
- User-friendly
- Clear connection
- Dependable
- Skye for dummies (tutorials)
- Recording sessions
September 27, 2019
Avoid Skype if you Can!!!
We no longer use Skype for Business as we have switched to Zoom. In a past job, Skype/Lync was very beneficial and we did not have as many problems. However, with my current company, and Office 365 setup, I was in a constant battle with Skype. Half of the time, audio would fail. The other half, video would fail. Sometimes the phone integration would fail. It was always a battle.
- Ability to chat (now taken over by Teams)
- Connectivity/Quality Issues
- Not User Friendly
- Device connection is difficult (external mics, cameras, etc)
September 17, 2019
Skype is THE Business!
Skype for Business is being used by our organization to link up Board Members and staff during off-times between meetings in order to have productive conversations and drive forward points on our Strategic Plan. We signed up for Skype for Business in order to have an effective communication tool that supported multiple users.
- Skype for Business can support large meeting numbers.
- Skype for Business is newly refreshed and has very little lag time.
- Skype for Business effectively integrates with existing Skype users.
- I think the Skype for Business mobile capabilities could use a few small updates, as we have run across a few glitches that may just be due to connectivity issues.
- File sharing is slightly clumsy but we have gotten the hang of it as a team.
- That's it! Skype for Business is pretty great and easy to use.
September 16, 2019
Skype for Business is a bit overrated
We use it to have meetings with people outside of our company via phone, screen-share and video. The goal is to make it feel like everyone is in the same room and be able to work remotely from one another with much more ease than if we did not have it.
- Easy to use screenshare capabilities.
- The clarity in sound when on the phone.
- Allows for a nice chat function.
- Complicated for external users.
- Need to download software to use the screen-share technology.
- Seem to need to redownload fairly often.
September 16, 2019
Review from a small company deployment
Skype for Business is used as part of the Office 365 environment by each employee. It allows for low-cost communications, screen sharing particularly on a one to one basis. Business partners using Office 365 can easily be contacted through Skype for Business.
- Presence has shown.
- Always on for most users.
- Uses limited resources on user computers and networks.
- PBX integration for cloud implementation seems less straightforward particularly for an organization across different countries.
- Crashes often.
- Screen sharing is always a struggle.
- Integration with cloud PBX other than a few Microsoft supported vendors.
September 15, 2019
Communicating with employees and clients is easy with Skype for Business
Our company currently uses Skype for Business for communication purposes between team members and clients when client calls need to be made. We use it multiple times a week to keep in touch with co-workers, discuss projects or current/future workloads, and occasionally speak to clients through Skype for Business when project details need to be discussed.
- Team communication
- Clear voice calls
- Ease of use
- Improved mobile features
- Quicker connections
- Easier video capabilities
November 12, 2018
Borderless communication with Skype for Business.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Skype for Business is an excellent tool that we use to communicate with customers, suppliers and other branches of the company, through this application we can organize meetings and train staff through videoconferences for the development and training of employees.
- Skype for Business modernizes and simplifies telephony in your business.
- Skype for Business offers a solution for each type of meeting. Your business can host all kinds of meetings from relaxed meetings, highly interactive collaborative sessions to more formal meetings with thousands of attendees.
- All communications through Skype for Business, especially mobile, are secure. Skype for Business has the advantage of offering a variety of technologies and services to keep the owner's data secure.
- With Skype for Business, the basic voice concepts are all those that respond, forward, redirect, transfer, and put on hold.
- Enterprise Voice users can call co-workers in their VoIP or organizational PBX network, and they can also call any phone number even outside their organization.
- Before joining a video call, make sure your camera is ready. You will see how you will look, the lighting, and the environment before going live.
- Although it can also be used from the web, the most effective is that you install Skype on your computer or mobile (and your client as well). This is usually problematic for people who are not used to using technology.
- Use the Microsoft system completely free of charge for a trial version so companies can validate if this application meets the expectations of the company.
- Have a fully customized videoconference room with the logo and corporate colors of the company, with the Skype for Business account.
October 22, 2018
Skype for Business (Free -- at a cost)
Skype for business is used day-to-day for inter-office communication alongside hosting meetings with clients or employees working remotely. It addresses being able to share screen(s) when not close by, plus troubleshooting errors that would typically be resolved when in person. It is especially helpful to "show" clients your monitor(s) without having to travel or use expensive software. It is included in our Office 365 license.
- Ease of use -- if you can send a text message or email in Outlook, you can manage Skype for Business. Relatively uncomplicated.
- Interconnectivity with Outlook (allows user to send Skype meeting request in an email -- embedded).
- Given its cost (free with an E3 license of Office 365), it is a good value. If your business already has the aforementioned license of Office 365, I'd recommend using this software versus paying for another service -- for simple messaging.
- Mobile application for iPhone and Android -- allows you to send messages remotely via a connected device.
- Ease of joining calls with audio/phone -- the ability to join a meeting with a call-in number is exceptionally tough. Typically we have to resort to calling the individual directly versus having it hosted on Skype.
- Implementation with non-users -- if a client does not have Skype for Business, it can be difficult to arrange a meeting with screen sharing, etc.
- Apart from the basic messaging feature -- the voice, video, and screen sharing functions are often flaky. Low dependability and ease-of-use (for advanced features). Ad hoc meeting generation is also daunting for an infrequent user.
May 04, 2018
Skype for Business is leading the pack!
We use video conferencing to connect our doctors to their patients and out of all the product we use, Skype for Business is a definite leader among a plethora of options. We have to use and/or have used most of the products out there due to the different requirements at each location and if asked I'll recommend Skype for Business every time.
- Great audio / video
- Easy to deploy and manage
- Secure
- Pricey
- Copy & Paste of screenshots into the IM tends to freeze the program
January 24, 2018
Skype for Business should be one tool rather than many
It's used by our whole organization and also with our customers and potential customers. We mainly use Skype for Business with Outlook to plan online meetings and also to make online meetings with potential customers. Last month I think we made more than 20 meetings like this and I think that we will have more and more like this.
- online meetings with customers
- online meetings with potential customer
- share screens with customer
- share videos
- usability to set up new online meetings
- usability to [collaborate] and see all my colleagues within my team
- make group talks
January 23, 2018
Does not support external phone line/calls
We are a small start-up and tried to drink the Microsoft Kool-Aid by going with Office 365 for Business, which Skype for Business comes with. We really wanted to use this tool for our phone (VoIP) and team/customer chatting. We spent numerous hours trying to figure out how to get business and individual phone lines. Skype for Business is not set up that way, there was a workaround that we could have implemented but it was very confusing and the time and the expense was not worth the headache.
- Chatting - very easy to chat with internal teams and external customers that have a Skype account.
- Outgoing phone calls - worked fine.
- Screen sharing - worked well internally.
- No way to receive external phone calls unless they have a Skype account. This was a deal killer for us.
- No way to schedule meetings with customers and share screen if they are calling in from an external number - they must have Skype and you have to be connected.
January 18, 2018
Skype for Business connects you to your team!
I use Skype for Business at the request of a publication client who uses it to communicate with his team which includes me, the designer, editors, authors, marketers, etc. Skype has been essential for our meetings since we are all located all over the United States. People can enter the calls via voice or video and it can recognize who is talking based on the microphone in order to let you know who is speaking in case they are not visible on video.
Another nice thing is it's compatible on Windows and Mac devices, whether it's a computer or PC, tablet or smartphone.
Another nice thing is it's compatible on Windows and Mac devices, whether it's a computer or PC, tablet or smartphone.
- Device compatibility is excellent between all the different types of technology we have nowadays. You can patch in via smartphone, PC, Mac, or tablet.
- It's great for people in different time zones so they can all connect at the same time to make plans and follow through.
- If two people are competing to speak, there can be issues with distinguishing who is talking as it will lower the sound of the quieter voice.
- If you're using the app on mobile and there are connectivity issues, it sometimes boots you out completely which can be frustrating and difficult to jump back into the call.
Skype for business has been especially useful for my freelance work as a Financial Administrator. It is the primary channel of communication between me and the rest of the team, based in Barcelona, Spain. Skype for Business is incredibly easy to use and online meetings with increasing number of members have never been simper. Me and my virtual colleagues use it from our PCs, tablets and phones for instant messaging and video conferencing. And I don't even need to be in the office or in the same country.
- Simple to learn and use
- Microsoft Office shows if my colleagues are working on the same document
- Wonderful for sharing your screen, presenting and hosting calls
- Ability to share files
- Video performance and sound shaky at times but not very often
- The software needs improvement on mobile devices
October 05, 2016
There isn't even a close 2nd!
Our company is geographically dispersed globally. Communication, as we all know, is essential, and doing so while also being able to "see" everybody provides a near-real experience of everyone being together - the visual body language, the camaraderie, etc., - that goes a long way toward cementing a team orientation and culture.
- Better cooperation as a result of visual queues.
- Greater sense of being together.
- It beats simple audio communications.
- Really can't think of any - our company absolutely loves it!
July 19, 2016
Skype for Business Review
Solarus uses Skype for Business for the most part in regards to instant messaging. All members of our organization have the program and we use it to communicate with each other instantly. It is most essential to the engineering team and they use it more than anyone else. Sometimes we use the group chat feature to get a message across quickly that needs consensus from other users.
- Instant messaging with members of the organization
- Integration with Outlook
- Ability to quickly send photos, files, and information
- Video chat option
- Adding users can be a pain
- Mobile application is annoying in terms of the chat history and order of latest chats. The app in general is quite cumbersome.
July 19, 2016
Skype, your mobile landline
I work mainly from home or mobile throughout the UK. I had a problem with 'just a quick question' from clients and buyers at strange times of the day. Quick questions never turn out to be so, especially when they are immediately followed by another 'quick question' from another client.
The problem I had was that mobile numbers although convenient don't look professional on their own and some forms I filled in would not accept a mobile number and wanted a landline.
Skype addressed these problems, one being a landline registered to a Nottingham area code and the other being the ease to take messages while I'm on the road and call from my 'mobile landline' number wherever I may be in the world.
The problem I had was that mobile numbers although convenient don't look professional on their own and some forms I filled in would not accept a mobile number and wanted a landline.
Skype addressed these problems, one being a landline registered to a Nottingham area code and the other being the ease to take messages while I'm on the road and call from my 'mobile landline' number wherever I may be in the world.
- Manage separate employees account numbers
- Using Skype answerphone to never miss a call.
- Take my 'mobile landline' number with me wherever I go.
- Easily budget your monthly costs
- Dashboards are a little clunky, sometimes hard to find where you need to be
- Doesn't always warn you when your Skype in number is about to expire
June 17, 2016
Skype For Business - Valuable tool set to become very popular with small business in the next few years!
I've been using Skype For Business (formerly Microsoft Lync) for over 5 years as one of the main communication tools for our business. We use it throughout our business to communicate between staff, project members and also clients over the Internet.
Primarily we use it for voice communication, but we regularly use it host live presentations and online meetings with our clients. It's a professional and valuable tool, which we use extensively to communicate effectively with clients and business partners in other countries.
Primarily we use it for voice communication, but we regularly use it host live presentations and online meetings with our clients. It's a professional and valuable tool, which we use extensively to communicate effectively with clients and business partners in other countries.
- Good clear, reliable, online conversations.
- Online meetings and conferences.
- Easy to use, integrates with Microsoft Office software.
- Currently you can only assign telephone numbers to Skype For Business users in 5 countries. We need support for our country, so we can consider replacing our PBX!!!
- Out of the box, integration with VOIP hardware.
- More online PBX functionality. e.g. ability to set up incoming call queues, routing and messages.