The time is up for Skype, one of the O.G.s of online communication.The once-popular 22-year-old communications software is being retired by Microsoft in May 2025, with the companys Teams collaboration suite replacing its predecessor.Beginning March 2025, you will be able to sign into Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype credentials, and your chats and contacts will be right there ready for you, according to a post onSkypes website.Teams will carry the free calling and messaging that was available in Skype, in addition to the formers usual collaboration and teamwork features.Skype, founded in 2003, wasacquired by Microsoft in 2011. Microsoft wanted to use Skype to boost its enterprise collaboration tools, search engine Bing, and to aid in the launch of its Windows Phone 7 OS. At the time, Skype had 660 million users worldwide.Microsoft rebranded its internal Lync communication tool to Skype for Business, which it packaged with the Office software. Microsoftdiscontinued that software in 2021.There were concerns then that Microsoft also would shut down Skype, but that didnt happen at the time.Skype has been on deaths bed for some time now. Microsoft tried to make it a money maker by having a professional version, but that went nowhere, given the dominance of Zoom, said Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates.Microsoft has focused on Teams as a replacement; its a better product than Skype and has gained significant traction in the enterprise and even among consumers, Gold said.Skype was really just a legacy product with no real investment lately, he said. I dont think it will be missed by most users, who probably already have moved on to other products anyway.WhatsApp, for example, has gained traction as a communication tool, especially in developing countries. Companies conduct business via that mobile phone messaging app.Meanwhile, Microsoft pointed to Teams as a useful tool beyond just the workplace.In the past two years, the number of minutes spent in meetings by consumer users of Teams has grown 4X, reflecting the value Teams brings to everyday communication and collaboration,Microsoft said in a blog post.With Teams, users have access to many of the same core features they use in Skype, such as one-on-one calls and group calls, messaging, and file sharing, Microsoft said.Skype was particularly popular worldwide because it offered Internet-to-landline phone calls at a fraction of the cost of international calling plans.The free version of Teams does not support paid calling plans. But the Skype Dial Pad will be available to remaining Skype paid users after May, a Microsoft spokeswoman toldComputerworld.The Skype Dial Pad will be available to remaining paid users from the Skype web portal and within Teams, where you will continue to be able to use your subscription or Skype Credits, the spokeswoman said.The dial feature is available to small business in the Teams Essentials offering, which can be paired with Microsoft Teams Phone, with prices starting at $8 per month.