Overview
- The CMA said Tuesday it will open a Strategic Market Status probe in May into Microsoft’s business software, a process that could run nine months.
- The investigation will assess whether licensing for Windows Server, SQL Server, Microsoft 365, Teams and Copilot makes it costlier or harder to run those tools on rival clouds.
- Following Tuesday’s decision not to designate Microsoft or AWS with SMS status for cloud infrastructure, the watchdog accepted commitments to cut egress fees and improve interoperability.
- Microsoft said it will extend free data‑transfer switching for UK customers from 60 to 180 days, allow free egress over its global network, and open a formal path for rival clouds to request new interconnects.
- The CMA will review delivery in six months, and it cited AI’s fast rollout in workplace software and the firms’ 30–40% UK market shares as reasons to act now.