Problems to communicate with external users Skype for bussiness

Copper Contributor

OK. All of my users changed "Skype for bussines" to "Teams". Inside the company conversations have no problems. Problems begin when they atempt to communicate with external users - partner companies. Partners say - "Teams? What is it? We use only Skype for bussines!" and we have to persuade them to install client of Teams to take full advantage of information sharing. It seems that only we was informated about transition to Teams. Microsoft is working on the transition of ordinary users of Skype for bussines to Teams? And whether the possibilities of SfB and Teams interaction will be expanded?

6 Replies
Hi!
Microsoft is more and more emphasising customers to go over to Teams!
But if your partners have an on-premises setup they need to setup a hybrid with office 365 for you and them to talk between the teams and Skype client! Even though it’s limited today regarding the chat experience! Same with teams federation (external chat) but this will soon be remedied with the next version of federation experience!

Is it possible to invite them as guests?

Hello! Thank for answer!

Guest access in Teams administration switch on. Some of partners there are in list of users as guests in 365 admin center, but I don't see them in list of users in Teams administration.

What way to invite them to see in Teams?

You can chat with Skype for business on-prem users as external chats without hybrid setup. And other SKype for Business online users. They cannot however use the full features from Teams, but you can chat, call/video with them. They cannot join group chats etc. But interop is there.

Going Teams both sides is the same way, but soon will be lit up with Native Teams to Teams external chat support which will allow full fidelity between both.

@Chris Webb I would add that all they need is a modern browser like Edge or Chrome, and then they will be able to join your channels, meetings, and chat with more or less all the capabilities of the installed client.

Yeah, if they are invited as guests to your Teams tenant. For sure. I was talking more in lines of External Chat (old fed). :)