Microsoft’s kindly provided a client comparison table that highlights the differences. And Tools / Options / Call Forwarding confirms the team calling and forwarding options have indeed gone: The loss of Gallery video view is probably the most noticeable loss for me. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) (not available with Office 365).Skill search (not available with Office 365).Advanced call features (not available with all Office 365 subscriptions) advanced call features include team ring, call forwarding, simultaneous ring, voice mail, call park, call delegation, response groups, and remote call control.However, if you want to use any of the following features, talk to your workplace technical support about upgrading to Lync 2013: Lync Basic 2013 provides all the basic functionality that’s available in the full version of Lync (Lync 2013). The Download page calls out the limitations and requirements: You can install this free client on your machine (perhaps at home) and login to Lync from there, or maybe join meetings.

This 336M download (“lyncentry.exe”) also strangely seems to fit and possibly have an application where the now-discontinued Lync Attendee left off. It’s clearly targeted at the Office 365 set, intended to make it easier to get them on-board without having to bother with licencing, distributing & managing use of the Client application, but there’s potentially a use for it with on-prem users. Breaking somewhat with tradition, Microsoft has released a free “basic” client for Lync 2013.

Microsoft lync 2013 client