TL;DR
- Microsoft faces a legal deadline to produce a multi-tenant hybrid cloud for service providers in Europe
- Failure to meet the deadline or address alleged anti-competitive pricing could lead to further legal action
- The case is part of a wider investigation into Microsoft’s software licensing practices
Microsoft under pressure
Microsoft is under pressure to meet a deadline to produce a multi-tenant hybrid cloud for service providers in Europe, as part of a settlement agreement with the Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers in Europe (CISPE). The company has been accused of alleged software license abuses, including higher costs for running Windows Server outside of Azure.
According to sources, Microsoft is running behind schedule and it is unlikely that the company will meet the deadline. This could lead to further legal action and potentially damage Microsoft’s reputation in the industry.
The case about bundling and tying of products
The case is part of a wider investigation into Microsoft’s software licensing practices, which has been ongoing for several years. The company has faced criticism from competitors and regulators over its alleged anti-competitive practices, including bundling and tying of products.
In a recent development, Microsoft has been accused of publishing inaccurate price lists for some of its products on April 1st, which could potentially lead to legal action. The company has also faced criticism from Google, which has accused Microsoft of using “unjustified and discriminatory bundling, tying, self-preferencing pricing and technical and economic lock-in” to restrict choice in the cloud market.
As the deadline looms, Microsoft is under increasing pressure to address the allegations and produce a compliant product. Failure to do so could result in significant legal and financial consequences for the company.
In a statement, Microsoft said that it is committed to complying with the settlement agreement and producing a multi-tenant hybrid cloud for service providers in Europe. However, the company has not provided a clear timeline for when the product will be ready.
Possible Implications for cloud service providers in Europe
The case has significant implications for the cloud computing industry, as it could potentially lead to changes in the way that companies license and use software. It also highlights the ongoing tensions between Microsoft and its competitors, including Google and Amazon.
As one expert noted, “The cloud market is highly concentrated, and Microsoft’s alleged anti-competitive practices could have significant consequences for the industry as a whole.”[^1]
Conclusion
In conclusion, Microsoft is facing a critical deadline to produce a multi-tenant hybrid cloud for service providers in Europe, as part of a settlement agreement with CISPE. Failure to meet the deadline or address alleged anti-competitive pricing could lead to further legal action and potentially damage the company’s reputation in the industry.
References
[^1]: Paul Kunert (April 7, 2025). “Legal clock ticking for Microsoft over alleged software license abuses“. The Register. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^2]: Simon Sharwood (April 7, 2025). “No joke: Microsoft foolishly published inaccurate price list on April 1st“. The Register. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^3]: Dev Kundaliya (November 29, 2024). “Microsoft faces fresh antitrust scrutiny from US regulator“. Computing. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^4]: Unknown (November 28, 2024). “Microsoft faces wide-ranging US antitrust probe“. Reuters. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^5]: Unknown (November 4, 2024). “Microsoft vs. Google cloud-spat belies anticompetitive reckonings for both“. CIO. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^6]: Unknown (Unknown). “Microsoft Counterfeit Software Defense Lawyer“. Vondran Legal. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^7]: Matt Ashare (March 3, 2025). “Microsoft assails UK markets watchdog, defends software licensing“. CIO Dive. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^8]: Unknown (March 23, 2016). “Licencing software programs, and dealing with violations of the license“. Law Stack Exchange. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^9]: Unknown (Unknown). “Protester interrupts Microsoft Copilot keynote, says company has blood on its hands“. MSN. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
[^10]: Steven C. Vondran (March 4, 2016). “Is our company legally obligated to agree to a software license audit?“. Vondran Legal. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
