High pricing allowed a lower-end segment to emerge from Google and others. Even though the Room Systems were provided by others, Microsoft controlled the pricing for Lync Rooms and it was not that attractive. Microsoft has been pushing Lync Room Systems - which will now be called Skype Rooms. Skype Rooms - Powered by Polycom and others This bet is not without risks - and we will be watching closely as they roll out production versions of Skype Voice. This move to put Voice in the Cloud (leveraging Azure and Office 365) positions Microsoft as both a partner and a competitor of Unified Communications providers. It is clear however, that Microsoft is committed to making Skype for Business fully functional in the Cloud for both Calls and Conference Calls: they are partnering with AT&T, BT, Colt, Equinix, Level 3 Communications, Orange Business Services, TATA Communications, Telstra, Verizon and Vodafone to make it happen. What this means is that Microsoft is placing a big bet on Enterprise Voice with Office 365. The only problem with that is that up to now Lync Audio hasn't been that great quality wise. That functionality isn't available until later this year - but Microsoft is trying to make a big play in Voice. The big sound bite from Zig Serafin, the new SVP for the Microsoft Skype Business Unit, is about being able to call people on any phone with Skype. This Blog Post is about Microsoft and how it will impact the Collaborative Workplace. Microsoft officially announced Skype for Business this week - effectively killing off the Lync Brand in favor of a better known and larger user base affiliated with Skype. They also announced that Skype Rooms - aka Video Conferencing Solutions - are going to be provided by Partners, such as Polycom.

As we all know, people are constantly looking for easier ways to facilitate that. The future of the Collaborative Workplace is all about making it easier to connect with others, particularly those who are not in the same location.

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