Skype Replacement

Skype for Business was retired by Microsoft in January 2024 with extended support in place until 14th October 2025. The Council needs the ability to use some form of telephony when Skype goes to end of life. Currently PCC have 2090 Microsoft E3 licences, which enables collaboration and calls between staff who have the E3 licence and where possible telephony will be facilitated using federated Teams calling with other Local Authorities, Central government and other federated partners. Some of the council functions will require staff to be able to call an external number of an organisation or an individual with whom the council is not federated, to facilitate this all staff will have an E5 licences applied to them, licencing them for external calling.