Launched earlier this year and new capabilities promised this summer, Microsoft is taking the wraps off some new, Office 365-integrated features for Skype for Business today. These new features will give business customers a range of new, enterprise-grade options, bringing Skype for Business more in line with Lync feature set.
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Skype Meeting Broadcast – allows up to 10,000 people to watch a broadcast of a Skype for Business meeting using their browser, and is available worldwide to customers with an Office 365 enterprise plan or Skype for Business Plan 2.
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PSTN Conferencing (for US Customers only) – Skype for Business meeting invitees can dial-in through a traditional telephone and is available in the U.S. to customers with an Office 365 enterprise plan or Skype for Business Plan 2.
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Cloud PBX with PSTN Calling (for US Customers only) – gives users the ability to make and receive calls from landline and mobile phones in Skype for Business and is available in the U.S. to customers with an Office 365 enterprise plan or Skype for Business Plan 2.
Additionally, Microsoft has worked with several partners to bring these capabilities to through Azure ExpressRoute for Office 365. Those partners include AT&T, BT, Colt Equinix, Level 3 Communications, Orange Business Services, TATA Communications, Telstra, Verizon, and Vodafone.
The preview available today is available through sign-up at https://www.skypepreview.com/. Note this is not intended for end-users, but for Office 365 administrators.
The full service is expected to release out of preview sometime before the end of 2015. Pricing is not yet available.
