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4 NewsLync by Telecom Reseller 2nd Quarter 2015

PERCY... continued from page 1
Snom to Showcase
Skype for Business
350 million registered Skype accounts and 40% you will ind they did ix some of the annoying Q: Would external callers have to use the
of international calling is done via Skype. hat
Desktop Phone foibles with the Lync client that resulted in users Skype client?
is a huge user base that know what it means to inadvertently turning on their video camera and A: Actually, no. Remember that as a Skype for
“Skype” someone and that the experience should Portfolio at sharing the wrong desktop. In my opinion, this Business user, you can invite people to meetings
include voice and video. Remember that last year was a much needed update, but I wish I could and the calendar appointment includes a web
Microsot reported 5 million voice users of Lync Microsoft Ignite, change the sounds used by Skype in Control link to join the call. his seems to be the most
– a far cry from Skype users. By using the Skype Panel (which you could do with the Lync client).
efective way to hold conversations with external
for Business brand, Microsot hopes to better May 4-8, McCormick Q: What, did you say there are two Skypes?
non-federated callers.
position Lync as a voice and video platform.
A: Yes, as of today, you would have both a Q: Any other surprises?
Q: What parts are there to Skype for Place, Chicago IL
Skype (the consumer product) and Skype for A: Ater using the client for over a month,
Business?
A: Skype for Business actually consists of
Business clients on your PC. Telling them apart is a challenge, as there is a subtle diference in the the only “gotcha” seems to be confusion about whether external callers need to use Skype to join
two parts – the client and server. What we
logos with the Skype (consumer) being blue with Skype for Business conference calls. Because the
are showing in our demos is the new Skype
Snom is hitting the road again, a while S in the center, and the Skype for client
appointment says “Skype Call”, invitees oten ire
for Business client, running with Lync 2013 exhibiting at Microsoft Ignite in is white with a blue S and border. Chances are up their Skype client for the call (they don’t need
server sotware in our One Box 365 appliance. Chicago, IL from May 4 - 8. Find us in that in most IT implementations, policy would to).
he client sotware is available for evaluation booth #557.
likely not allow both clients to be installed on the I’ve found myself adding text to appointments
now (more on that later), while Microsot has At the show, Snom will showcase average user’s desktop. Because of my preview saying “his is a Skype for Business call, just click
shared indications that the server sotware
its entire lineup of Skype for Business sotware, I have both installed.
on the link to join”
will be released in the May/June time frame (I qualiied IP phones, including the Q: With Skype for Business, can Skype users Looking to try it yourself? You can ind an
bet you hear more at Ignite) – soon thereater, newest D715 and D725 IP desktop call Skype for Business users?
evaluation copy of the Skype for Business client
AudioCodes will release a One Box 365 with phones. If you are planning to attend A: Yes and No. Skype user access is enabled on Microsot TechNet. It does require that
Skype for Business Server sotware pre-installed.
as well, make sure to swing by our by policy, then once enabled, access is granted you’ve got the most recent Oice 365 MSI iles
Q: What are the key diferences in the client booth and take a demo of our award- by a domain whitelist. Skype users must use at hand for installation, other Oice 365 Pro
user experience?
winning Snom UC edition portfolio IP their Microsot ID (provides domain) and then Plus users will have to also download the MSI
A: First and most obvious is a UI overhaul, phones.
communications is limited to IM and voice (for iles. Another option is visiting AudioCodes at
making the Skype for Business client much more This inaugural Microsoft Ignite now - this is likely to all change with the Skype booth #418 during Microsot Ignite, May 4-7th
like the Skype (consumer) product. he bright conference is geared for anyone who for Business server release). Once enabled, users in Chicago.
colors, use of round buttons and headshots, has attended the Microsoft Exchange, control their own contact lists in the Skype for You can contact Alan via email at alan.percy@
“cutesy” ring/conirmation tones and menu Lync, Project, SharePoint, MMS,
Business client, adding those Skype users they audiocodes.com or on Twitter @AlanDPercy. Please do share your thoughts!
navigation are more like Skype. Ater that,
or TechEd conferences. It is one of
the Microsoft’s largest technology want to grant access. Yeah, it’s complicated.
events next to its annual World
Partner Conference (WPC). The event CRAY...
provides an opportunity for decision continued from page 1
makers who are seeking what’s
next, and who want insights on key collections group, HR department, or wherever in the world can initiate an IM, call, or video focus on web-centric communications. It’s
technology trends in the industry; for you touch your customer, the world is session to a queue, rather than to an individual, very well-aligned with Oice 365, with a clear
IT professionals who need hands-on changing. It’s no longer just about answering and have their request routed to the best agent path to increased cloud capabilities, including
experience to enhance their tech calls, or even emails. It’s now a uniied, to solve the problem. With the connection PSTN-to-cloud connectivity and voice/video
skills; and for enterprise developers omnichannel world. Your customer may ask established, forms of communication can be for business in a cloud-ofered framework.
and architects looking for innovative for help via instant messaging or text from any combined to exchange information eiciently But, as businesses are inding out, it’s not
ways to maximize application device, then expect you to handle it smoothly and maximize the customer experience.
really a choice of cloud vs. premise, it’s a choice
development.
if the interaction escalates to voice, video, or Note that few contact center apps do this of how much cloud. Most businesses are now
Experts on Skype for Business
screen sharing. he lines between these forms seamlessly today; it does have to be very well- dealing with new questions arising from this
will speak on the state of the of communication are blurring, but you’ve still integrated, using Microsot-endorsed APIs and choice. Do I need an on-premise PBX or
business and the company’s
got to ofer great self-service options, route conigurations. Be careful in your choice of communications server? How do I integrate
vision for the future of uniied interactions intelligently, provide productivity vendor.
cloud-provided functionality with my own
communications. With a diverse tools to agents and managers, and manage So the world of Lync contact center back-oice systems and data? For the contact
lineup of speakers drawing from the product engineering, customer quality for your customers. he fundamentals of contact center haven’t changed.
communications is available to all those hundreds of millions of Skype users, plus center these are very diicult questions, since you can’t aford to lose live connections with
deployment and MS partner and Lync, and now Skype for Business, is at the everyone else on endpoints with web access, your customers, and you must inform your
MVP communities, the conference is heart of the omnichannel revolution. But how federated networks, mobile devices, and so on. contact center agents with history and context
designed to help everyone get the important is the brand shit itself to the world A very big world. But this would have been true to guide their customer conversations.
most out of their Microsoft uniied of the contact center? Let’s explore two possible even without the shit in brand.
So, not surprisingly, most businesses
communications deployment. Take answers to this question.
So is there no real impact? Well . there is continue to choose a hybrid approach,
a look at their Skype for Business another way to look at it.
combining some use of cloud with some use of
related sessions, and mark your THE CHANGE MEANS NOTHING
on-premise, and integrating systems and data to
calendars!
A rose by any other name . Yes, we all feel THE CHANGE MEANS maximize value and reliability. With Skype for
Visit Snom at Booth #557
smart quoting Shakespeare, but he said it well. EVERYTHING
Business, Microsot is very strongly endorsing
Visit Snom at our booth and take a Simply changing the name does not change So irst, there’s the impact on brand recognition. this approach. As Serain says, “We are enabling
demo of our award-winning Snom UC the nature of the thing. Lync was Microsot’s he Skype name is universally known and well- cloud plus on-premises hybrid options so that
edition portfolio IP phones.
uniied communications platform for the respected, arguably the world’s greatest success you can rely on our cloud when you need it
Meet with Snom
business, and Skype for Business is Microsot’s story in Voice-over-IP. As long as the “Shouldn’t without having to give up what you want to
Are you attending the Microsoft uniied communications platform for the Skype be free?” objection is handled cleanly, the manage on-premises.”
Ignite conference and interested in business. Lync was already federated to Skype shit should leverage tremendous brand equity. he brand shit is an indicator of this
meeting with a member of the Snom for contacts, presence and IM, with plans to And as long as the “Should I trust Skype for
philosophy. Skype may be about web-
team for a one-on-one demo? To expand that federation to video, etc. Skype for my mission-critical contact center?” objection enablement, but Skype for Business is all about
schedule an appointment, contact us at infoUSA@snom.com or 339-227- Business does indeed continue that federation story.
is handled by leveraging its Lync pedigree, the appropriate options for the enterprise. For the contact center, choosing the best-performing,
6160.
In a well-integrated Skype for Business shit should be welcomed.
More than that, the change represents an most data-enabled, highest-reliability
contact center, a customer on Skype anywhere
evolutionary step forward, signaling a real
architecture is critical to success.

Altia Systems Announces who is there or focus in on the whiteboard or VP at Gartner Inc. and Whit Andrews, VP Apps installed on client PCs and smartphones.
Immersive PanaCast Experience... speaker – just as they would do if they were Distinguished Analyst, at Gartner Inc. in Any session can run up to 5 cameras with 50
continued from p3
physically present in the meeting. PanaCast the August 2014 report, IT Market Clock for concurrent participants, each of whom can “look
Experience Plus is available for Apple iOS and Enterprise Video, 2014.
around” on their own without disturbing others.
Google Android smart phones or tablets, as well he PanaCast UX/UI is familiar to Lync
can virtually “look around” the room by as Microsot Windows and Mac OS X PCs.
users: cameras are assigned Microsot Lync IDs ENTERPRISE CUSTOMER
navigating through the PanaCast video streams “Video is now an established component
and can be added to “Meet Now” or scheduled ADOPTION
with familiar multi-touch gestures on their of uniied communications (UC) solutions conferences, just like other Lync users.
Several Enterprise customers have projects
personal devices to create their own views from and, increasingly, enterprises want to leverage he PanaCast Experience Plus consists of underway with PanaCast Experience Plus and
anywhere there is an Internet connection. In video for more than just conversation and the camera, an on- premises or cloud-based CONTINUES ON PAGE 8
real time, they can scan across the room to see
conferencing,” said Robert Mason, Managing
PanaCast Video Server (PVS) and PanaCast

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