Skype has updated its software for enterprises with Group Video Calling, which is available immediately in the new business version of Skype (version 5.1 for Windows PCs). This new desktop offering allows businesses of all sizes to have group video calls between three or more people (up to a maximum of 10). The business version of Skype offers a communications platform for individuals to interact in real-time over audio and video, conference calling, instant messages, SMS, and other collaboration tools.
With the business version of Skype, enterprise administrators can deploy Skype to employees within an organization. It also provides the ability to control how Skype is used within the workplace by letting administrators turn off or configure a variety of Skype settings. Enterprise administrators can also create Skype accounts for employees, allocate Skype Credit or subscriptions and assign premium features, like Group Video Calling, through a Web-based tool called Skype Manager.
Group Video Calling for businesses is available from Skype for $8.99 per user per month. When businesses use Skype Manager to sign up their employees for a 3 or 12-month subscription for Group Video Calling, they will receive a 33 percent promotional discount.
Approximately 37 percent of Skype users say they use Skype’s product platform occasionally or often for business-related purposes. In addition, video calling accounted for approximately 41.5 percent of all Skype-to-Skype minutes in the second half of 2010.
To start a group video call, only one member of the conference call needs to be using Skype for Windows 5.1 or the latest Business version of Skype. For all participants to receive video in a group setting, they need to be using the 5.0 version of Skype for Mac or Windows, at a minimum. Skype video calls between two parties will continue to be offered as a free product.
