What is Microsoft Office Communicator?

About Microsoft Office Communicator 

Where It’s Found

  • Located under the Help menu in Microsoft Office Communicator.
  • Select “About Microsoft Office Communicator…” to open the dialog box.

What the “About” Dialog Box Includes

  1. Product Name and Version Number
    • Example: Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 R2
    • Identifies the specific release of the software.
  2. Build Number
    • Example: 3.5.6907.0
    • Indicates updates or patches installed.
  3. Copyright
    • Lists Microsoft as the copyright holder.
    • Example: © Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
  4. License Information
    • Describes the type of license in use (trial, volume, retail).
    • Shows if the product is activated.
    • May include a button or link to view license terms.
  5. Legal and Compliance Details
    • Provides access to Microsoft Software License Terms.
    • Outlines permitted usage.
  6. Third-Party Notices
    • Some versions include acknowledgments of third-party software or libraries.

Overview of Microsoft Office Communicator

Microsoft Office Communicator was part of Microsoft’s unified communications platform for business users.

Main Features

  • Instant messaging
  • Presence awareness (online, busy, away status)
  • Voice and video communication
  • Integration with Microsoft Outlook and Exchange
  • Desktop and application sharing (in later versions)

Version History

  • Initial release: 2005
  • Major versions:
    • Office Communicator 2005
    • Office Communicator 2007
    • Office Communicator 2007 R2
  • Successors:
    • Microsoft Lync
    • Skype for Business
    • Microsoft Teams

Purpose of the “About” Dialog Box

  • Troubleshooting: Identifies exact version for IT support.
  • Licensing Verification: Confirms legal software use.
  • Upgrade Planning: Helps determine when to move to a newer communication tool.