Microsoft Hellas announces the launch of a major new upgrade to Microsoft Office 365 for business in Greece. Microsoft’s most comprehensive Office cloud service to date, gains new features and offers service plans tailored to the needs and budgets of small, medium and large organizations. In addition to the always-up-to-date Microsoft Lync Online, Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft SharePoint services, business users can now get the rich Office applications they are familiar with, for installation on up to five devices. The applications are offered as a subscription service that is constantly renewed.
The options provided to businesses depend on their size:
- Office 365 ProPlus: Office 365 ProPlus includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, InfoPath and Access – offered as a service for installation on up to five devices. Microsoft highlights one of the advantages of providing Office as a service, since each subscriber can simply log in to Office 365 from any device, and have access not only to documents but also to their personal settings. The user can continue working on their document from exactly where they left off. Reference is also made to the control that IT departments maintain, specifically the ability to run Office 365 ProPlus alongside other versions of Office (such as previous versions) and tools for managing updates for their users.
Office 365 ProPlus is available as a standalone service. It is also included in the revamped Office 365 for Enterprise and the new Office 365 for Midsize Businesses.
- Office 365 Midsize Business. Office 365 for Midsize Business is designed for businesses with 10 to 250 employees. This service includes Office 365 ProPlus and offers midsize businesses high-quality communication and collaboration services with Exchange Online, Lync Online, and SharePoint Online – along with the simplified tools needed to maintain control and reduce complexity. Also included is the ability to integrate with Active Directory, a Web-based management console, and support during business hours. The cost is €147.6 per user per year, equivalent to €12.3 per user, per month.
- Office 365 Small Business Premium. Office 365 for small businesses is designed for businesses with 1 to 10 employees. In addition to the full suite of rich Office applications, this service includes business-class email, calendar sharing, tools for creating a company website, and high-definition video conferencing, all in an easy-to-manage service that requires no IT expertise. The cost is €124.80 per user per year, or a monthly cost of €12.80 per user, per month.
According to the announcement, Office 365 will feature additional business social networking features with SharePoint, Yammer and Lync-Skype connectivity for instant messaging (IM) and voice calls starting in June 2013. The new Office 365 service is available today in 89 countries and 33 different languages.
With the launch of Office 365 for all businesses, the new service is now fully available to everyone - businesses, academic institutions and home users.
