Update Rolling out for Skype for Business

  • Published
  • By Loren Deer
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio- The Air Force Network Integration Center is pushing out an update from Lync to Skype for Business 2016. AFNIC will begin rolling out the update for Wright-Patterson AFB from Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. until Dec. 7.

“Skype for Business has all the features people love about Skype with one significant difference,” said Vanessa Johnson, communication planner and project manager for the 88th Communications Group. Unlike Lync, Skype for Business 2016 will be fully integrated with Office 365.

The integration will make it easier for users to work with their teams. SfB offers features such as being able to make and receive calls on a computer, phone or tablet and advanced call routing.

“Replacement of Lync to SfB, and OneDrive for Business are all part of Office 365 collaboration tools,” said Johnson. These Office 365 tools help support and provide users the capability to grow in their everyday work environment.

Johnson also added that one of the major benefits of SfB is that users will be able to hold up to 250 users at a time for meetings. Lync only allows for a maximum of 50 users.

SfB is meant to work with Office 2016. Johnson estimates that 80 percent of Wright-Patt should already have Office 2016 by the time that the update starts. Johnson added that Wright-Patt employees can look forward to more updates coming in 2019 for OneDrive for Business and SharePoint.

Users who do not have Office 2016 will need to follow the SfB user guide for first-time set up. For the SfB user guide, please contact the 88th CS Cyber Operations Center (CYOC) at, wright.patterson.comm.focal.point@us.af.mil or (937) 656-2666.