Skype For Business Teams Hybrid
In July 2019, we announced Skype for Business Online will be retired on July 31, 2021, giving our customers two years to plan their upgrades to Microsoft Teams, the core app for communication and collaboration in Microsoft 365. As Skype for Business Online is retired, we want to ensure customers have the information and resources they need to plan and execute a successful upgrade to Teams.
Audio and Video Calls: In many ways, Skype for Business meetings are comparable to Microsoft Teams meetings. You can easily schedule a meeting through Outlook, or host an ad-hoc meeting with your team and with external participants who do not have a Microsoft Teams account. Skype for Business with Teams collaboration and meetings – Users can use Skype for Business in. Everyone using Skype for Business is assigned a TeamsUpgrade mode, either by default or explicitly by their admin. If they've been assigned a coexistence mode, they'll be able to receive messages you send them from within Teams. Just search for them in Teams, type your message, and send it on its way. The fourth option that is available is Skype for Business with Teams collaboration and meetings. This mode is similar to the Skype for Business with Teams Collaboration mode in that users receive chats and calls in Skype for Business. However, Teams is used for both group collaboration and for scheduling meetings. Microsoft Teams extends the capabilities of Skype for Business, bringing together chat, meetings, calling, collaboration, app integration, and file storage into a single interface. This new central hub for teamwork can help streamline the way users get things done, improving user satisfaction.
Why is Skype for Business Online retiring?
Since its introduction, Skype for Business Online has been a valuable tool for millions of people around the world. By combining instant messaging, calling, and video into one application, Skype for Business Online established new possibilities for business communications. Microsoft Teams is the next chapter in that vision.
The capabilities of Microsoft Teams go beyond those of Skype for Business Online. By combining chat, video, calling, document collaboration, and application integration into a single experience, Teams enables entirely news way of working. And ongoing platform innovation and development means Teams users benefit from richer performance, functionality, flexibility, and security.
Teams isn't just an upgrade for Skype for Business Online, it's a powerful tool that enables companies, schools, and organizations to become more agile and improve the efficiency of key workflows. Learn more about the potential benefits of Teams for your organization in the Forrester white paper, The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Teams.
What does this mean for Skype for Business customers?
After Skype for Business Online retires on July 31, 2021, the service will no longer be accessible. Until then, current Skype for Business Online customers will experience no change in service. As of September 1, 2019, all new Microsoft 365 customers have been onboarded directly to Teams for chat, meetings, and calling.
The time needed to fully upgrade to Teams will vary based upon the unique characteristics of the organization, including number of users, technical complexity, and internal adaptability to change. We strongly recommend that you begin your upgrade to Teams today. By starting your upgrade today, you'll have ample time to finish it prior to the retirement date. Beginning in August, Microsoft will provide an assisted upgrade process to help you move any remaining Skype for Business Online users to Teams Only.
Teams is available in most Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans, and your existing licensing investments carry forward to Teams. Capabilities that are premium workloads in Skype for Business Online today will continue to be premium workloads in Teams. For example, if you have purchased Audio Conferencing standalone or as part of E5 with Skype for Business, Audio Conferencing will be enabled in Teams.
Skype For Business Teams Call
The Skype consumer service and Skype for Business Server are not affected by the retirement of Skype for Business Online.
Read FAQs on the process of upgrading to Teams and the Teams capabilities roadmap.
What is Microsoft doing to help customers upgrade to Teams?
We strongly recommend that you begin your upgrade from Skype for Business Online to Teams today. By starting your upgrade today, you'll have ample time to finish it prior to the retirement date.
Take advantage of the resources available to help plan your Teams deployment and upgrade from Skype for Business:
Teams deployment and upgrade documentation – Free technical guidance for IT administrators.
Teams upgrade planning workshops – Free interactive upgrade planning workshops, where you'll receive guidance, best practices and resources designed to help you plan and implement your upgrade to Teams.
Assisted upgrades from Skype for Business Online to Microsoft Teams – Automated program that assists you with the technical steps of upgrading Skype for Business Online users to Teams.
FastTrack for Microsoft 365 – Teams deployment assistance available for qualifying plans.
Teams live training – Free online training classes designed to get your organization up and running with Teams.
Teams Chalk Talks – Free online workshops for IT pros and decision makers sharing best practices for some of the most popular and compelling scenarios in Teams.
Microsoft Partners – Microsoft solution providers can help you take full advantage of Teams.
Microsoft Teams blog – Get the latest Teams news covering new features, adoption and usage resources, Teams devices, and integration with other business productivity applications.
If you're a current Skype for Business Online customer, start planning your upgrade to Teams today. We're excited for you to experience its powerful communication and collaboration capabilities, and we're committed to helping along the way.
What happens after Skype for Business Online retires?
Microsoft will provide assisted upgrades for Skype for Business Online users not in Teams Only mode at retirement. Customers will receive notifications in both the Teams admin center, and the Microsoft 365 Message Center, 90 days before their scheduled upgrade date to allow time for technical and user readiness.
After the assisted upgrade is complete, all online users will be in Teams Only mode. Users in Teams Only mode receive incoming chats and calls, and schedule meetings, in Teams. Users in Teams Only mode will not be able to initiate chats or calls or schedule meetings in Skype for Business Online. Teams Only users will still be able to join Skype for Business meetings scheduled by users still using Skype for Business Server.
For more information, see Assisted Upgrades from Skype for Business Online to Microsoft Teams.
What can organizations with hybrid configurations (Skype for Business Online and on-premises Skype for Business Server) expect when Skype for Business Online retires?
Hybrid customers with online and on-premises configurations will be required to upgrade online users from Skype for Business Online to Microsoft Teams by the July 31, 2021 retirement date.Microsoft will provide assisted upgrades to help upgrade remaining Skype for Business Online users to Teams Only mode after the retirement date.
Organizations with a hybrid configuration can continue to use Skype for Business and Teams side-by-side until they're ready to move to Teams Only mode. After the Skype for Business Online retirement date, when a Skype for Business Server user is moved to the cloud, that user will be in Teams Only mode.
For more information, see Coexistence with Skype for Business and Understand Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business coexistence and interoperability.
Skype for Business Online retirement FAQs
Will customers in all clouds be subject to Microsoft-assisted upgrades at the retirement of Skype for Business Online?
Some cloud environments, such as GCC High, DoD, 21Vianet, and Microsoft Cloud Germany require unique upgrade experiences and won't be included in the Microsoft-assisted upgrades to Teams at the retirement of Skype for Business Online.
Will current Skype for Business Online customers be able to add new seats to their tenant?
Current Skype for Business Online customers may add new seats to their tenant with the understanding they will need to upgrade these users to Microsoft Teams prior to the July 31, 2021 retirement of Skype for Business Online.
What is the future of Skype for Business Server?
We recognize customers may need to use Skype for Business Server for some users or geographies due to their requirements. In these instances, we encourage organizations to adopt Teams along with Skype for Business Server to drive teamwork and collaboration. The latest version of Skype for Business Server 2019 was released in October 2018 with Mainstream Support planned through January 9, 2024.
What does this mean for the Skype consumer service?
The retirement of Skype for Business Online will not impact the Skype consumer service.
What does this mean for existing Microsoft 365 customers?
We've brought the key set of Skype for Business Online capabilities into Teams along with new and innovative functionality for voice, video, and meetings. We encourage all Microsoft 365 customers to start using Teams today, independently or side-by-side Skype for Business Online and/or Skype for Business Server.
Will you continue to invest in improving Skype for Business Online?
Skype For Business Teams Hybrid
In July 2019, we announced Skype for Business Online will be retired on July 31, 2021, giving our customers two years to plan their upgrades to Microsoft Teams, the core app for communication and collaboration in Microsoft 365. As Skype for Business Online is retired, we want to ensure customers have the information and resources they need to plan and execute a successful upgrade to Teams.
Audio and Video Calls: In many ways, Skype for Business meetings are comparable to Microsoft Teams meetings. You can easily schedule a meeting through Outlook, or host an ad-hoc meeting with your team and with external participants who do not have a Microsoft Teams account. Skype for Business with Teams collaboration and meetings – Users can use Skype for Business in. Everyone using Skype for Business is assigned a TeamsUpgrade mode, either by default or explicitly by their admin. If they've been assigned a coexistence mode, they'll be able to receive messages you send them from within Teams. Just search for them in Teams, type your message, and send it on its way. The fourth option that is available is Skype for Business with Teams collaboration and meetings. This mode is similar to the Skype for Business with Teams Collaboration mode in that users receive chats and calls in Skype for Business. However, Teams is used for both group collaboration and for scheduling meetings. Microsoft Teams extends the capabilities of Skype for Business, bringing together chat, meetings, calling, collaboration, app integration, and file storage into a single interface. This new central hub for teamwork can help streamline the way users get things done, improving user satisfaction.
Why is Skype for Business Online retiring?
Since its introduction, Skype for Business Online has been a valuable tool for millions of people around the world. By combining instant messaging, calling, and video into one application, Skype for Business Online established new possibilities for business communications. Microsoft Teams is the next chapter in that vision.
The capabilities of Microsoft Teams go beyond those of Skype for Business Online. By combining chat, video, calling, document collaboration, and application integration into a single experience, Teams enables entirely news way of working. And ongoing platform innovation and development means Teams users benefit from richer performance, functionality, flexibility, and security.
Teams isn't just an upgrade for Skype for Business Online, it's a powerful tool that enables companies, schools, and organizations to become more agile and improve the efficiency of key workflows. Learn more about the potential benefits of Teams for your organization in the Forrester white paper, The Total Economic Impact™ of Microsoft Teams.
What does this mean for Skype for Business customers?
After Skype for Business Online retires on July 31, 2021, the service will no longer be accessible. Until then, current Skype for Business Online customers will experience no change in service. As of September 1, 2019, all new Microsoft 365 customers have been onboarded directly to Teams for chat, meetings, and calling.
The time needed to fully upgrade to Teams will vary based upon the unique characteristics of the organization, including number of users, technical complexity, and internal adaptability to change. We strongly recommend that you begin your upgrade to Teams today. By starting your upgrade today, you'll have ample time to finish it prior to the retirement date. Beginning in August, Microsoft will provide an assisted upgrade process to help you move any remaining Skype for Business Online users to Teams Only.
Teams is available in most Microsoft 365 Business and Enterprise plans, and your existing licensing investments carry forward to Teams. Capabilities that are premium workloads in Skype for Business Online today will continue to be premium workloads in Teams. For example, if you have purchased Audio Conferencing standalone or as part of E5 with Skype for Business, Audio Conferencing will be enabled in Teams.
Skype For Business Teams Call
The Skype consumer service and Skype for Business Server are not affected by the retirement of Skype for Business Online.
Read FAQs on the process of upgrading to Teams and the Teams capabilities roadmap.
What is Microsoft doing to help customers upgrade to Teams?
We strongly recommend that you begin your upgrade from Skype for Business Online to Teams today. By starting your upgrade today, you'll have ample time to finish it prior to the retirement date.
Take advantage of the resources available to help plan your Teams deployment and upgrade from Skype for Business:
Teams deployment and upgrade documentation – Free technical guidance for IT administrators.
Teams upgrade planning workshops – Free interactive upgrade planning workshops, where you'll receive guidance, best practices and resources designed to help you plan and implement your upgrade to Teams.
Assisted upgrades from Skype for Business Online to Microsoft Teams – Automated program that assists you with the technical steps of upgrading Skype for Business Online users to Teams.
FastTrack for Microsoft 365 – Teams deployment assistance available for qualifying plans.
Teams live training – Free online training classes designed to get your organization up and running with Teams.
Teams Chalk Talks – Free online workshops for IT pros and decision makers sharing best practices for some of the most popular and compelling scenarios in Teams.
Microsoft Partners – Microsoft solution providers can help you take full advantage of Teams.
Microsoft Teams blog – Get the latest Teams news covering new features, adoption and usage resources, Teams devices, and integration with other business productivity applications.
If you're a current Skype for Business Online customer, start planning your upgrade to Teams today. We're excited for you to experience its powerful communication and collaboration capabilities, and we're committed to helping along the way.
What happens after Skype for Business Online retires?
Microsoft will provide assisted upgrades for Skype for Business Online users not in Teams Only mode at retirement. Customers will receive notifications in both the Teams admin center, and the Microsoft 365 Message Center, 90 days before their scheduled upgrade date to allow time for technical and user readiness.
After the assisted upgrade is complete, all online users will be in Teams Only mode. Users in Teams Only mode receive incoming chats and calls, and schedule meetings, in Teams. Users in Teams Only mode will not be able to initiate chats or calls or schedule meetings in Skype for Business Online. Teams Only users will still be able to join Skype for Business meetings scheduled by users still using Skype for Business Server.
For more information, see Assisted Upgrades from Skype for Business Online to Microsoft Teams.
What can organizations with hybrid configurations (Skype for Business Online and on-premises Skype for Business Server) expect when Skype for Business Online retires?
Hybrid customers with online and on-premises configurations will be required to upgrade online users from Skype for Business Online to Microsoft Teams by the July 31, 2021 retirement date.Microsoft will provide assisted upgrades to help upgrade remaining Skype for Business Online users to Teams Only mode after the retirement date.
Organizations with a hybrid configuration can continue to use Skype for Business and Teams side-by-side until they're ready to move to Teams Only mode. After the Skype for Business Online retirement date, when a Skype for Business Server user is moved to the cloud, that user will be in Teams Only mode.
For more information, see Coexistence with Skype for Business and Understand Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business coexistence and interoperability.
Skype for Business Online retirement FAQs
Will customers in all clouds be subject to Microsoft-assisted upgrades at the retirement of Skype for Business Online?
Some cloud environments, such as GCC High, DoD, 21Vianet, and Microsoft Cloud Germany require unique upgrade experiences and won't be included in the Microsoft-assisted upgrades to Teams at the retirement of Skype for Business Online.
Will current Skype for Business Online customers be able to add new seats to their tenant?
Current Skype for Business Online customers may add new seats to their tenant with the understanding they will need to upgrade these users to Microsoft Teams prior to the July 31, 2021 retirement of Skype for Business Online.
What is the future of Skype for Business Server?
We recognize customers may need to use Skype for Business Server for some users or geographies due to their requirements. In these instances, we encourage organizations to adopt Teams along with Skype for Business Server to drive teamwork and collaboration. The latest version of Skype for Business Server 2019 was released in October 2018 with Mainstream Support planned through January 9, 2024.
What does this mean for the Skype consumer service?
The retirement of Skype for Business Online will not impact the Skype consumer service.
What does this mean for existing Microsoft 365 customers?
We've brought the key set of Skype for Business Online capabilities into Teams along with new and innovative functionality for voice, video, and meetings. We encourage all Microsoft 365 customers to start using Teams today, independently or side-by-side Skype for Business Online and/or Skype for Business Server.
Will you continue to invest in improving Skype for Business Online?
We plan to support Skype for Business Online through the July 31, 2021 retirement date. However, with Microsoft Teams replacing Skype for Business Online as the core communications solution for Microsoft 365, it will continue to be where ongoing development and innovation is focused. Customers seeking the latest functionality and performance are encouraged to upgrade to Microsoft Teams.
How can I get Teams licenses for my organization?
Teams is available in many of the Microsoft 365 suites. Capabilities that are premium workloads in Skype for Business Online today will continue to be premium workloads in Teams. Existing licensing investments made by customers carry forward to Teams. For example, if a customer has purchased Audio Conferencing standalone or as part of E5 with Skype for Business, Audio Conferencing will be enabled in Teams as it's available today.
How will the retirement of Skype for Business Online affect organizations with hybrid Skype for Business configurations for on-premises Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connectivity and online Phone System capabilities?
Some organizations have split users between homed on-premises for PSTN connectivity and homed online for Phone System capabilities. Once access to Skype for Business Online ends, organizations will need to upgrade online users to Microsoft Teams and connect their on-premises telephony network to Teams through Direct Routing.
Customers with eligible subscriptions are encouraged to engage with FastTrack for Teams onboarding assistance.
What happens to customers with third-party audio conferencing (ACP) once Skype for Business Online is retired?
We believe the best audio conferencing experience for customers using Teams is through our Audio Conferencing services. For this reason, we don't have plans to support third-party audio conferencing providers in Teams. Support for the integration of third-party party audio conferencing providers in Skype for Business Online will end on July 31, 2021, along with Skype for Business Online.
Is Skype Meeting Broadcast going to retire at the same time as Skype for Business Online?
Skype For Business Teams Chat
Yes. Teams Live Events is the successor solution to Skype Meeting Broadcast.
Whether you're just getting started with Microsoft Teams, already using Teams alongside Skype for Business, or ready to upgrade, we want to ensure you have everything you need to navigate a successful journey to Teams. Plan both technical and organizational readiness and download customizable assets such as a sample project plan, user communications, feedback surveys, and more.
Learn moreRead the latest upgrade newsWhy upgrade to Microsoft Teams?
Microsoft Teams extends the capabilities of Skype for Business, bringing together chat, meetings, calling, collaboration, app integration, and file storage into a single interface. This new central hub for teamwork can help streamline the way users get things done, improving user satisfaction and
accelerating business outcomes.
Teams upgrade planning workshops
Join us for a series of live, interactive upgrade planning workshops, where we'll share guidance, best practices and resources designed to help you plan and implement your upgrade to Teams. For an optimal experience, start with the Plan your upgrade session below. Click any workshop below to register for live sessions or access on demand.
Start herePlan your upgrade
Discover everything you need to facilitate a successful upgrade to Teams. Audience - All (Business sponsors, IT admins, user readiness/change manager, project lead)
Ready your end users
Design a user readiness strategy to help your users love and adopt Teams. Audience - User readiness/change manager
Identify your upgrade approach
Determine the most suitable approach based on your current Skype for Business implementation and upgrade goals. Audience - IT admins
Implement your upgrade approach
Execute your defined upgrade approach as part of your formal upgrade plan. Audience - IT admins
Yes. Skype for Business Online will be retired on July 31, 2021, at which point it will no longer be accessible or supported. We encourage Skype for Business Online customers to start using Teams and begin planning their upgrades now to allow ample time to complete upgrade prior to the retirement date.
Your organization's journey from Skype for Business to Teams can be defined by you. To assist in your planning and execution, we've developed comprehensive upgrade guidance based upon a proven framework designed to help you navigate the technical and organizational elements of change. Start your journey by familiarizing yourself with our upgrade success framework and associated resources that serve as the cornerstone for navigating your journey from Skype for Business to Teams.
We encourage you to plan the journey from Skype for Business to Teams leveraging the guidance and resources at aka.ms/SkypetoTeams and attend a free upgrade planning workshop to identify and implement the upgrade path that best meets the needs of your organization.
Skype For Business Teams Banner
Within the Microsoft Teams admin center, you'll notice options for coexistence modes, enabling your organization to manage the Skype for Business to Teams journey that's right for your organization. Learn more about coexistence and upgrade modes.
A successful upgrade will include validating technical readiness in addition to user acceptance readiness. Even if you determine your organization isn't quite ready to upgrade to Teams, you can begin the planning process today. Further, you can start realizing the value of Teams by enabling Teams alongside Skype for Business. Get started on your [Skype to Teams journey[(https://aka.ms/skypetoteams-home) today.
Microsoft also offers live, interactive workshops in which we'll share guidance, best practices, and resources designed to kick start upgrade planning and implementation. Learn about upgrade planning workshops.
Skype For Business Or Teams
No, you'll want to switch users to Teams Only mode to complete the upgrade to Teams. If your organization is ready to upgrade to Teams, take time to communicate to users to let them know what's happening and allow them to acclimate to Teams. This will help ensure they have a positive upgrade experience and help alleviate calls to your helpdesk. For sample communication templates, download our Upgrade Success Kit.
Skype For Business Teams Migration
For questions related to your upgrade, reach out to your current points of contact, which might include your assigned Microsoft account team, partner, or FastTrack. Alternatively, you can open a help ticket from within your Microsoft Teams admin center by clicking the Need help button.
