14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just announced the worldwide availability of the Office 365 productivity suite for businesses, while also debuting three different versions of the service.
Office 365 is now available in a total of 69 markets and 17 languages, but the company is expecting to add another 20 markets and 16 languages by the second quarter of 2013.
Beside the existing Office 365 Small Business and Enterprise packages, Microsoft is also unveiling three new versions to better address business consumers’ needs.
Office 365 ProPlus includes all Office apps, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, InfoPath and Access, and can be used on up to five devices. It can be purchased as a standalone package for $144 (€110) per user for an annual subscription, but it’s also included in Office 365 Enterprise and Office 365 Midsize Business.
The latter, on the other hand, is specifically aimed at medium-sized businesses with 10 to 250 employees, coming with collaboration tools such as Exchange Online, Lync Online and SharePoint Online. Pricing starts at $180 (€138) per user for an annual subscription.
Last but not least, Office 365 Small Business Premium can be purchased by companies with one to 10 employees, offering the complete set of Office apps for $150 (€115) per user.
“With Office 365, everyone from large enterprises to small businesses to individual consumers can now benefit from the power of Office and the connectivity of the cloud,” said Microsoft Office Division President Kurt DelBene.
“This release unlocks new scenarios and delivers capabilities that far surpass anything available in browser-only solutions.”
As you probably know from our previous stories on the subject, several companies and authorities across the globe have already picked Office 365 as their main collaboration and communication platform, so the Redmond-based technology giant is expecting the number of clients to skyrocket in the coming months.