You can use Skype for Business to interact with other public Skype users. This applies whether you are using your office computer or a Polycom video conference device.

Set your Skype for Business client to allow invites from non-UCT users
- In the Skype for Business window, click
- Select Alerts.
- Enable the following settings under Contacts not using Skype for Business:
- Allow anyone to contact me
- Allow invites from domains my admin hasn't verified
- Click OK.
Contact a Skype user from your desktop
If they’ll be calling you:
Give them your Skype for Business contact details: staffnumber@ipt.uct.ac.za (e.g. 01234567@ipt.uct.ac.za).
If you’ll be calling them:
- Search for the Skype user's email address (not their Skype name)*.
- Double-click their address.
- Select either instant messaging, voice or video call.
* If the person's email address does not end with msn.com, live.com or hotmail.com, use the following format: emailaddress(emailprovider)@msn.com.
For example, testing123@gmail.com would become testing123(gmail.com)@msn.com
Contact a Skype user from a video conference device
This process is only available if you use a Polycom video conference device that is configured for Skype for Business.
If they'll be calling you:
If you'll be calling them:
You can only connect with Skype users if they are using Skype on a Windows computer. This functionality will be extended to Apple Mac users once Microsoft releases a new Skype for Mac client.
- Go to the conferencing device’s home screen.
- Click Place a Call.
- Enter the Skype user's email address (not their IP address)*.
- Click Call.
* If the person's email address does not end with msn.com, live.com or hotmail.com, use the following format: emailaddress(emailprovider)@msn.com. For example, testing123@gmail.com would become testing123(gmail.com)@msn.com