5 min
Tick-tock, tick-tock! 5 May will be the last day Skype remains active. Still don’t have an alternative? Microsoft makes it easy: you can switch to Teams automatically using your Skype account.
However, there are some key details you should know before replacing one platform with another — especially if you used Skype’s pay-as-you-go phone service.
In this post, we’ll help you prepare for the transition and avoid any surprises along the way.
1. CHECKLIST FOR MIGRATING FROM SKYPE TO TEAMS
Follow these steps to avoid loose ends during your migration:
1.1 WHAT DO YOU NEED? FREE OR PAID TEAMS
The free version of Teams does not allow:
- Group meetings (more than two people) longer than 60 minutes
- Native meeting recordings (only possible using third-party tools)
- User permissions control (e.g. managing who can share their screen)
- Calls to landlines or mobile phones outside your organisation
- Integration with some tools (e.g. Dynamics 365, Salesforce and other advanced CRMs)
It’s also less secure, as it doesn’t support two-factor authentication or Single Sign-On (SSO). And most importantly, it doesn’t include priority tech support or IT assistance.
If any of these features are critical for your business, check out section 3 of this article for your best options to continue making group video calls and phone calls from Teams.
1.2 SIGNING INTO TEAMS
If you’re already a Skype user, you don’t need to create a new Teams account. Just sign in with the email address you used for Skype and your data will transfer automatically.
If you can’t remember which email you used for Skype, go to “Account and Profile” and check the “Email Address” section.
1.3 WHAT DATA WILL (AND WON’T) BE MIGRATED
Microsoft has confirmed that if you follow the steps correctly, you’ll see all your contacts and your entire chat history in Teams.
However, they also note that the following won’t be migrated:
- Private conversations
- Self-sent chats (messages to yourself)
- Bot and Copilot content
You’ll have until January 2026 to export any information you want to keep from these chats or bots.
2. WHAT TO DO ABOUT TELEPHONY: DON’T GET CAUGHT SHORT
As mentioned earlier, the free version of Teams does not include telephony. So if you need to call external contacts, you’ll need to choose one of these three alternatives:
OPTION 1: MICROSOFT TEAMS + TEAMS PHONE
Turn Teams into a full phone system by subscribing to Teams Phone directly from Microsoft.
If you want to keep your business communications running smoothly, you’ll need to purchase Microsoft 365 licences for each user (from €5.60/month per user), plus subscribe to Teams Phone (from €9.40/month per user) and add a call plan to reach external numbers.
ADVANTAGES
- One provider (Microsoft)
- No need to integrate multiple systems
- Seamless native experience (collaborate via Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
- Keep your Skype chat history
LIMITATIONS
- Higher cost per user (M365 licence + Teams Phone + call plan)
- Fewer PBX features compared to specialised solutions
- Priority support requires additional contracts (Premier or Unified Support), or an Enterprise plan
OPTION 2: MICROSOFT TEAMS + EXTERNAL TELEPHONY
Use Teams as your interface and connect it to a professional virtual PBX.
If you want to keep using Microsoft Teams but prefer more competitive call rates, you can combine the basic licence with our Teams + hosted PBX integration (from €10.30/month per user).
ADVANTAGES
- No need for extras (Teams Phone)
- Priority support included at no extra cost
- Advanced features (routing by schedule, call reports, recordings, etc.)
- Seamless experience with Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
- Keep your Skype chat history
LIMITATIONS
- Requires technical integration, although most providers offer a simple setup
OPTION 3: VIRTUAL PBX + BUILT-IN COLLABORATION
If you’re looking to cut costs without compromising on quality, and want to unify telephony, PBX, chat and video, try Enreach Contact — all in one platform from €8.20/month per user.
ADVANTAGES
- One provider (Enreach)
- No need for Teams or extra services (Teams Phone)
- Priority support included at no extra cost
- Integrate with your Microsoft or Google tools for documents, email and calendar
- Advanced PBX and telephony features at a competitive price
LIMITATIONS
- You won’t be able to join Teams meetings directly, but you can keep the free version installed or use Google Meet
- You’ll need to manually back up your Skype chat history to keep important information
3. HOW A VIRTUAL PBX ENSURES CONTINUITY AND STABILITY
With Skype shutting down, you’re also saying goodbye to its pay-as-you-go international calls. And while Microsoft Teams offers a similar feature via Communication Credits, you’ll still need an active Teams Phone licence to use it.
Also, the price per user has increased — from €4.20/month with Skype for Business to €5.60/month with Teams.
That’s why many businesses are taking this opportunity to switch to more complete and cost-effective options, like Enreach Contact: a workspace where you can manage national and international calls, hold video meetings, chat, share files, manage user permissions and set up time-based call flows — all in one platform.
If your team regularly communicates with clients who use Microsoft Teams, you don’t have to give that up: you can keep Teams as your interface and connect our virtual PBX to get the best of both worlds.
4. BEST PRACTICES FOR A SMOOTH MIGRATION
If you’re planning to move from Skype to Teams, here are four tips to avoid downtime:
4.1 INFORM YOUR TEAM
Send an internal email announcing the tool change and Skype’s shutdown date.
Make sure users know how to do the basics: find contacts, start chats, launch video calls, send files, etc.
4.2 PROVIDE TRAINING
It might be worth running a workshop to explain more advanced features — especially if you’re using new apps like Shifts for digital clock-in/out.
4.3 MIGRATE IN PHASES
The cleanest and safest way to migrate is by department or user group. That way, you ensure no one is left using Skype on their devices.
4.4 CHECK YOUR INTEGRATIONS
If Skype was connected to a CRM, you’ll need a Teams licence — or if you prefer, check out the full list of Enreach Contact integrations.
HAVE QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP
If you’re not sure which solution is right for your business, our team of experts is always on hand to advise you. Call us free on +34 900 670 750 or fill in the form below.
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