Microsoft Must Face $2.8 Billion UK Lawsuit Over Cloud Computing Licenses
A London tribunal ruled that Microsoft must face a $2.8 billion lawsuit alleging it overcharged British businesses for Windows Server on rival cloud platforms.Summary
A London tribunal has ruled that Microsoft must face a mass lawsuit alleging it overcharged thousands of British businesses for using Windows Server on cloud services provided by Amazon, Google, and Alibaba. Competition lawyer Maria Luisa Stasi is representing nearly 60,000 businesses, claiming the claim is worth up to 2.1 billion pounds ($2.8 billion). The lawsuit alleges that Microsoft charges higher wholesale prices for Windows Server than for Azure users, making rival cloud platforms cheaper. Microsoft argued the case failed to establish a workable method for calculating losses, but the Competition Appeal Tribunal certified the case to proceed. A Microsoft spokesperson stated the company plans to appeal and disputes the allegations. The case highlights ongoing regulatory scrutiny of Microsoft's licensing practices in the cloud market, with Britain's Competition and Markets Authority also investigating the company's practices.
(Source：Insurance Journal)