Goodbye, Skype for Business: How to Migrate to Microsoft Teams

Microsoft is finally starting to replace Skype for Business with Teams. For too long these two solutions have coexisted while offering the same main features, such as IM and calling capabilities. However, the switch to Teams is a move toward even greater connectivity, as it can be linked with multiple applications from the O365 stacks as well as with popular applications like Zendesk, Jira, GitHub, and major storage solutions.

Microsoft is pushing the migration to Teams with two possible upgrade options:
- Upgrade Basic: For small-sized companies with simple architecture
- Upgrade Pro: For complex architecture such as hybrid environments with Skype for Business

1) Coexistence Mode

There are three modes that can be configured from the administration console:
- Islands Mode: This is the default mode where Skype for Business and Teams coexist
- Skype for Business Only: With this mode, users will only use Skype for Business
- Teams Only: Users can join only existing Skype for Business meetings; otherwise, Teams must be used

However, there will soon be two other modes in preparation for the upgrade to Teams:
- Skype for Business with Teams Collaboration: Skype for Business will get some Teams features (such as channels and access to files)
- Skype for Business with Teams Collaboration and Meetings: This mode will help the organization using Skype for Business on premise benefit from all of the Teams features.

2) Upgrading to Teams

The upgrade from Skype for Business Online to Teams will be quite simple for all users. First, it is important to alert all users of this change by enabling the notify feature from the admin console.

Users will see a yellow banner on Skype for Business noting the upgrade to Teams.

Once the organization is ready, switch the coexistence mode to “Teams only.”

3) Phone System

Upgrading to Teams and enabling the Phone System feature allows user to make and accept calls within the public switched telephone network. This process requires a bit of prior planning, so check out this Microsoft article for more information:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/faq-journey

Sources of Migrate to Microsoft Teams:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/upgrade-to-teams-execute-skypeforbusinessonline
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/faq-journey

****
[Read more: Office 365 — How to Publish a Room Calendar]

You just read about how to migrate to Microsoft Teams. If you have any questions or technical problems, visit our office 365 support here!