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. 

Skype for Business

Set your Skype for Business client to allow invites from non-UCT users

  1. In the Skype for Business window, click
    Settings
     Settings.
  2. Select Alerts.
  3. 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
  4. 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:
  1. Search for the Skype user's email address (not their Skype name)*.
  2. Double-click their address.
  3. 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:
  1. Give them your conference device’s IPT address.
  2. The device email address is normally displayed on the conference device home screen and may look something like this: ictsmobilevc@ipt.uct.ac.za
  3. They will use this as the address when they call you using Skype.
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.

  1. Go to the conferencing device’s home screen.
  2. Click Place a Call.
  3. Enter the Skype user's email address (not their IP address)*.
  4. 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