
Not all Skype for Business components will be complete for Office 365 subscribers in May, though. The switch will be completed for all customers by "the end of May," according to a Microsoft FAQ page. Organizations using Microsoft's current Lync Online service as part of Office 365 subscriptions will be automatically switched over to the new Skype for Business service as Microsoft rolls it out. She added that Skype for Business enterprise voice will support E911 services, which is an alternative emergency calling system.
#Microsoft desktop voices 2015 trial
The free trial of enterprise voice capabilities in Skype for Business will not require an ExpressRoute subscription, per the spokesperson. In previous descriptions, Microsoft had said that organizations would need to set up SIP trunking service arrangements with its telecom partners to enable VoIP connections to the PSTN, and that aspect may now be wrapped up as part of ExpressRoute connection services. Microsoft's enterprise voice capability has been an evolving feature that has required involvement with telco partners to establish voice connections over the Internet. ExpressRoute supports private connections, bypassing the public Internet, ranging from 10Mbps to 1Gbps bandwidth. It's unclear from Microsoft's announcement whether ExpressRoute will be a requirement for using Skype for Business to access enterprise voice and data. This announcement coincides with Microsoft's extension of the ExpressRoute service to Office 365 services generally, on top of existing support for Azure services, as announced by Microsoft this week. Organizations using the server version of the product will be able to leverage those service providers "when you need it," the announcement added. Partners that will offer ExpressRoute connections for Skype for Business as part of Office 365 subscriptions will include "AT&T, BT, Colt, Equinix, Level 3 Communications, Orange Business Services, TATA Communications, Telstra, Verizon and Vodafone," according to Microsoft's announcement.

Microsoft also announced that it is extending its ExpressRoute high-bandwidth connection service to Skype for Business for voice and data. This means Office 365 can be used for all your conversations-written, audio and video. later this year, followed by a global roll out. this summer, as well as enterprise-grade PSTN connectivity, beginning in the U.S. We will offer enterprise voice and audio conferencing in Office 365, starting with a technical preview in the U.S. Here is how Microsoft described its plan: Those capabilities will be rolled out globally at some other, unspecified time, according to the announcement.

#Microsoft desktop voices 2015 plus
Many of the preview releases are timed for "this summer," and that implies that the products won't be "generally available" (or ready for production use) in April.įor instance, capabilities such as "enterprise voice," Microsoft's term for VoIP communications, as well as audio conferencing, plus connections to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), will roll out at the "technical preview" stage sometime "this summer" in the U.S. However, the fine print also indicated that not all of those products will be at the "general availability" product release stage with regard to all of the Skype for Business capabilities. Microsoft's announcement today implied a broad product rollout of Skype for business products in April. A spokesperson for Microsoft explained that Skype for Business users will be able to "invite anyone, including Skype consumer client users, to join a Skype for Business meeting using a browser." The new Skype for Business product line coming in April promises interconnectivity between these business and consumer Skype solutions.

Microsoft also owns the consumer Skype service network, enabling voice, video and IM communications over the Internet, which was purchased back in 2011. Microsoft announced the name change back in November. Skype for Business is the new name applied to Microsoft's Lync unified communications product line, supporting presence, instant messaging, videoconferencing and voice-over-IP (VoIP) capabilities. The three products set for possible release include Skype for Business Server, Skype for Business client and a Skype for Business service that will be offered via Office 365 subscriptions. Microsoft disclosed its Skype for Business roadmap plans today, with three new products expected to start arriving next month.
