The world revolves around communication. Over the past few years our means of communication has expanded rapidly thanks to technological advances.

If these technologies are used cleverly they can improve communication and save you and your department money. One example of this is Microsoft Lync.

With Microsoft Lync you can chat away to your heart’s content with fellow SU colleagues – whether it’s through instant messaging, voice calls or a video conference. And because the programme uses the university’s existing network, this will won’t cost your department an arm and a leg (as long as your calls are to internal staff). In addition to this, Lync connects to your Outlook information, your Office documents and other Microsoft applications ensuring you’re up to date at all times.

Lync’s main focus is the corporate environment and this shows in it’s functionality. Functions and advantages include the following:

• instant messaging
• voice over ip (voice calls)
• videoconferences
• visibility of Outlook contacts
• availability of global addresslist Outlook contacts
• know when colleagues are available to chat
• users can work on the same document simultaneously, whether it includes text or graphics and can see when someone else is working on a document
• better tools for collaboration between staff, for example, desktop sharing, sharing documents, whiteboard, etc.
• more secure communication since it takes places on the SU network
• available for Windows Phone, Android en Mac’s
• working from home more accessible
• removes travel time between meetings
• possibility for staff to link a phone number to a roaming laptop (at a registration fee and normal phone costs)
• communication with other organisations using Lync

To start using Lync, contact the IT Service Centre at x4367 or help@sun.ac.za. For more information on Microsoft Lync, go to http://lync.stb.sun.ac.za

A programme will be installed on your PC and if you want to use of the VOIP function, a Lync headset is recommended.

The cost to use Lync on campus is as follows:

Lync Softclient: R150-00 per month
Users are responsible for their own headset at a cost of approximately R290-00

Lync with Polycom 600: R 200-00 per month
Users are responsible for their own headset at a cost of approximately R290-00