Skype today announced a new version of Skype for Business that extends its features to make it easier for businesses of all sizes to install and manage Skype across their networks.

This includes new support for the Microsoft Windows Installer package, an enhanced online business control panel, new enterprise controls and new Skype Extras – business productivity plug-ins from third-party developers. Also available for download is Skype’s Guide for Network Administrators, which details how Skype works and how to manage Skype in an enterprise environment.

Here's the news release:

Skype, the global Internet communications company, today announced that it has extended its Skype for Business offering in response to continued demand among businesses around the world that use Skype™ to communicate with customers and colleagues.

Business users have always been part of the Skype family and make up more than 30 percent of Skype’s global community of users. In a recent survey of 250 businesses using Skype, 95 percent claimed to have saved on their telecommunications costs and 80 percent shared that using Skype had increased employee productivity. The survey also revealed that 62 percent of the companies using Skype communicate better with customers and 76 percent said they work more closely with colleagues because Skype is so easy to use.

Skype for Business builds upon Skype’s rich calling features including Skype-to-Skype, Video Calling, SkypeOut™, SkypeIn™, conference calling, file transfer and chat.