Microsoft to Allow Business Customers in Europe to Buy Teams App Separately from Office Software
London, CNN — In an effort to address antitrust concerns raised by the European Union, Microsoft has announced that it will allow its business customers in Europe to purchase its video and chat app, Teams, separately from its Office software. This change will take effect from October 1 and will impact business customers in the EU and four other European countries that currently use Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites.
Furthermore, Microsoft plans to make it easier for other companies, such as Zoom and Slack (owned by Salesforce), to integrate their products with Microsoft 365, which is the new name for Office 365.
Nanna-Louise Linde, Vice-President for European Government Affairs at Microsoft, stated in a blog post, “We believe these changes balance the interests of our competitors with those of European business customers, providing them with access to the best possible solutions at competitive prices.” Linde also added that Microsoft will continue to engage with the investigation and is open to exploring pragmatic solutions that benefit both customers and developers in Europe.
As part of the change, Microsoft will reduce the cost for big business customers who opt for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 without the Teams app. The company will charge €2 ($2.2) less per month for this bundle, which includes popular apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook. However, these “enterprise customers” will have the option to purchase the Teams app separately for €5 ($5.4) per month.
Linde also mentioned that existing enterprise customers who already have a suite with Teams can choose to keep their current productivity suite or switch to a suite without Teams. However, Microsoft’s blog post did not mention any changes for personal customers.
The antitrust investigation was launched by the EU following a complaint by Slack in 2020, which alleged that Microsoft was illegally tying Teams to its dominant workplace software. By allowing business customers to purchase Teams separately, Microsoft aims to address these concerns and promote fair competition in the European market.
In conclusion, Microsoft’s move to decouple Teams from its Office software for European business customers reflects the company’s efforts to comply with antitrust regulations and create a more competitive market environment. The changes will provide customers with more flexibility in choosing their collaboration tools while also promoting integration with third-party products.