KU Phone Calls are Moving to Microsoft Teams

Microsoft is retiring Skype for Business, which means organizations like KU that use both Skype for Business and Teams will need to fully transition to Teams.

While Teams has been at KU since 2020, our campus phone service currently uses Skype for Business. Over the next several months, KU Information Technology will work to transition our campus phone service from Skype for Business to Teams. Our plan is to work with unit leaders and technical support staff to move faculty and staff in each unit as a group.

About Microsoft Teams

If you aren’t already familiar with Teams, it has the same benefits and functions as Skype for Business — but even more! We recommend familiarizing yourself with Microsoft Teams now, so you can take advantage of the chat, video meeting, phone, document collaboration and application integration all in one place. Whether you’re already using Teams or are just getting started, our HowtoKU website provides helpful resources.

Is Calling Different in Teams?

Making and receiving phone calls in Microsoft Teams is very similar to Skype for Business. The headsets and other USB devices currently used with Skype for Business generally should work fine with Teams. Desk phones and conference phones, however, may require reconfiguration or replacement.

What’s Next?

The project team will work with unit leaders and technology support staff to determine a schedule for migrating each campus unit from Skype for Business to Teams. Once the schedule is set for a unit, we will send faculty and staff in that unit an email providing specific days for the migration of their phone service. After the move, we will send those faculty and staff a follow up email letting them know the migration is complete.

Questions or Comments

Email us if you have questions or comments about the migration from Skype for Business to Teams. And, if you aren’t already familiar with Teams or just want more guidance on how to use Teams, visit our HowtoKU website.