Skype, the leading Internet comms company, has announced a new package for small businesses. Skype for Business is designed to help small businesses easily manage communications, improve productivity and reduce costs.

It expands existing Skype small business offerings to include a new Web site, a resource dedicated to business support, new Skype hardware from Plantronics, and new features in Skype for Business Control Panel (formerly named Skype Groups) to simplify management of grouped users and pre-paid services.

Skype for Business introduces a dedicated Web site aimed at simplifying global communications and group administration for companies with fewer than 10 employees, a market represented by more than 50 per cent of businesses already using Skype.

This new resource, available now at http://skype.biz should make it easier for companies to use Skype and find valuable resources to maximise security and improve productivity. Other useful features include integration with the Microsoft’s Outlook toolbar and new products optimised for small businesses are also available through Skype for Business.

Skype for Business allows administrators to centralise the management of company-wide paid services and usability tools. Skype for Business Control Panel is available in 18 major languages: Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and six currencies: Brazilian real, British pound, euro, Japanese yen, Polish zloty and US dollar.

The Skype for Business Control Panel offers a new auto-management feature that enables group administrators to make large credit purchases to one account and simultaneously distribute Skype credits, topping-off all customer accounts. Skype credits can be used for Skype premium offerings including SkypeIn, SkypeOut, voicemail, personalisation and third-party conference calling.

Plantronics today announced its Internet-optimised Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset solution featuring a plug-and-play USB Bluetooth voice adapter. ‘Skype for Business coupled with our new Bluetooth headset is the ultimate tool for small businesses,’ commented Philip Vanhoutte, EMEA Managing Director, Plantronics. ‘You no longer need to carry a multitude of devices. Our Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset solution is multipoint, allowing customers to switch seamlessly between mobile phone and Internet calls.’

Other available high-quality products optimised for small businesses include Actiontec’s Vosky Exchange which a llows company PBX systems to connect with up to four Skype callers, Linksys’ Cordless Internet phone which provides freedom of movement, Polycom’s Computer Calling Kit, an option for Polycom’s SoundStation2 and SoundStation2W (wireless) conference phones, and USRobotics’ USB Internet Speakerphone. There are also loads of other third-party accessories.

Skype is the world’s fastest-growing Internet communication offering, allowing people everywhere to make unlimited voice and video communication for free. Skype is available in 27 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Skype generates revenue through its premium offerings such as making and receiving calls to and from landline and mobile phones, as well as voicemail and call forwarding. Skype also has relationships with a growing network of hardware and software providers. Skype is an eBay company.

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BIOS, Mar 10, 06 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Internet