Why does Skype for Business (Plan 2) license only allow download of Skype for Business 2015?

[Joe Champion]

Hello,

Should Skype for Business (Plan 2) be compatible with any Skype for Business client software version?

My portal only shows downloads for Skype for Business Basic and Skype for Business 2015. Any ideas why Skype for Business 2016 is not listed on the list of client software that I can download?

I did some research and noticed that all Office bundled packages that comes with Skype for Business list the license as Skype for Business (Plan 2).  You can buy that particular license as a standalone. However, if you buy it as a standalone, it only provides the option to download Skype for Business 2015 client software version.

That said, what other license would you need to be able to use the Skype for Business 2016? I can't find any documentation that explicity states that if you want to use Skype for Business 2016 client software, you must also buy licence x, y, and/or z. I'm lost by why the standalone Skype for Business license only allows me to download an outdated version of Skype.

[#2]

What specific feature differences are you after?
The year version in the product name does not specifically refer to the version or how up to date it is.
The 2016 client came with the Office 2016 installation, whereas the 2015 version comes with the server or as a standalone.
Other than that they are the same, as you can see in this client comparison article: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn933896.aspx

[#3]

Is it working on any other plans?  There should be options for which clients as available to download within your admin portal.  S4B 2015 is really Lync 2013 with a skin on it (via a patch) to call it Skype.

If your portal is set to only allow the 2013 edition of office/skype as a download you'll only see S4B 2015.  If you allow the office 2016 edition of Skype to download then you'll end up with S4B 2016. 

[#4]

By default, with Skype for Business Plan 2 we should be able to download the Skype for Business 20015 and Skype for Business 2016 Client both. For being able to download the Skype for Business 2016 Client we should allow downloading the 2016 Application from the Settings.

Be it any plan we should be able to download both the SFB 2015 and SFB 2016 Client from the Office 365 Portal. In addition, we can also download the Skype for Business Client from the following link

SFB 2016

https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=49440

[#5]

As per my first post, there is virtually no difference between the 2015 and 2016 versions.
Also the link you have provided is to the Basic client, which has less features than the client available from O365.

[#6]

I dont see any difference in the Client from the Office 365 Portal and the Client from the link which I gave ultimatley both are the basic client if we look at it. If required here are the link for Skype for Business 2015 and Skype for Business 2016 from the Office 365 Portal

Skype for Business (SFB) Click to Run installer.

SFB 2016  32 bit {use this set with office 32 bit 2016 } :

32 - Bit - https://c2rsetup.officeapps.live.com/c2r/download.aspx?productReleaseID=SkypeforbusinessEntryRetail&...

SFB 2016 [64 bit {use this set with office 64 bit 2016 }:

64 - Bit -  https://c2rsetup.officeapps.live.com/c2r/download.aspx?productReleaseID=SkypeforbusinessEntryRetail&...

SFB 2015  32 bit {use this set with office 32 bit 2013} : 

For X86: https://c2rsetup.officeapps.live.com/c2r/download.aspx?productReleaseID=lyncEntryRetail&platform=x86...

SFB 2015  64 bit {use this set with office 64 bit 2013}: 

X64: https://c2rsetup.officeapps.live.com/c2r/download.aspx?productReleaseID=lyncEntryRetail&platform=x64...

[#7]

Refer here for the differences:  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn933896.aspx

Basic is missing some of the call controls and other features.  If you're using Office 365 you should just get the edition that's coming from your tenant.

[#8]

Hello All,

Let me explain in depth how things are and how we get the feature products and what is the difference. If we are using Skype for Business Plan 2 we get Skype for Business Basic Client whether we are downloading from the Office 365 Portal or we are downloading from the specific link https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=49440 the feature would reamin the same from both the clients. The only feature that would not work are Call Forwarding Options and Skype for Business Meeting Delegate Feature as the feature is not supported with the basic client.

But when we are using the Office 365 Pro Plus version we get the Skype for Business Full Client which includes the above limiations and we can set the call forwarding options and the Skype for Business Meeting Delegate.

With Regards,

Satish

[#9]

Ah! Thank you for clarifying that information.

I think I found your answer.  When you get Skype Plan 2 (or 1) you only get Basic, when you assign ProPlus licensing then it installs Skype fo Business (full client) as part of the ProPlus suite.

The Skype for Business (Lync) client is supported for use with these subscription options, but it is not included. Lync 2013 Basic is available for all customers. The Lync Basic desktop client is a locally installed application that provides presence, instant messaging and conferencing features for Office 365 plans that include Skype for Business Online. Office 365 ProPlus, and Office 365 Enterprise E3 include the full Skype for Business (Lync) application, which include additional features including advanced telephony support, archiving & compliance features. A Skype for Business Online license must be assigned for each user. For more information on Lync Basic features, see Clients for Skype for Business Online 

Source:  https://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/library/jj822172.aspx