The eBay-owned company said Skype for Business can now be installed on multiple computers using the Windows Installer package, known as MSI. The idea is that system administrators can have greater control over how to deploy Skype in corporate networks.
Skype has also added a new online business control panel, which enables companies to centrally manage and allocate SkypeIn phone numbers and SkypeOut credits. The upshot is controlling who makes Skype calls to landline or mobiles and how much they can spend.
New enterprise controls have also been added so network administrators can use existing IT management tools to remotely configure Skype clients, including being able to turn off various Skype features, such as file transfer, based on company, group or department IT policies.
Skype also is working with partners to develop new business productivity tools, which it calls Extras. Examples include the Convenos Meeting Center, an on-demand web conferencing and collaboration service; and WebDialogs Unyte, a one-on-one application viewing tool.
Despite the advice from some experts, including Gartner, that Skype should not be used in a corporate setting, Skype claims business users make up more than 30% of its users worldwide. The company has said, in the past, that most of those users are SMBs.
