EES - Best to go for 1 year or 3 year with MS price increase? ProPlus is it free now?

[tj2419]

I have two questions as my Microsoft EES agreement is due for renewal.

 

1. With the iminent changes to Microsoft's EES licensing and the removal of discounts would i be better renewing on a 1 year or 3 year agreement?
   
2. Previously to get proplus for our staff and students we had to buy MS Office on our EES agreement. Now i noticed a new licence appear in our Office 365 tenant called "Office 365 Education Plus for faculty" would that remain for example if we cancelled our MS Office SKU?
   

 

Thanks

[Sagima]

I signed the three year thing just before they announced this so I don;t have any choice but you may as well do the three year thing and not worry about the price increase until 2019.

If you wait until 2018 and then do a 3 year one you won't be saving as much as you might think as the price increase is incremental and not all at once so you'll only save yourself the last part of the increase (for those three years)

[CAWJames]

The "Office 365 Education Plus for faculty" and "Office 365 Education Plus for Students" are only there/depend on the MS Office SKU, ie they are a perk because your organisation licences Office. If you didn't have it, you would only be entitled to the free O365.

 

At least that's how it used to work, and think still does

[jmak]

You can get Office 365 including full installed versions of Office for 5 devices for staff and pupils' personal devices for free if you (as a school) sign up to O365 for education. (Free version and you don't actually need to use it.) However, to install it on school kit, you need to licence it through EES as before - only the Apps are free to use on school.

 

https://products.office.com/en-us/academic/compare-office-365-education-plans

 

WRT the EES subscriptions, I had been recommended by MS to take one year subscriptions until 2018 and then get a three year subscription to maximise the discount in the last two years through to 2021. They may have a vested interest, but it looked like a logical approach....

[CAWJames]

https://blogs.office.com/2015/02/23/students-worldwide-can-now-check-eligibility-free-office-school/

 

"Students getting Office at no additional cost to schools is a benefit Microsoft provides to education institutions that buy Office for faculty and staff."

 

Doesn't that apply anymore?

[jmak]

https://blogs.office.com/2015/02/23/students-worldwide-can-now-check-eligibility-free-office-school/

 

"Students getting Office at no additional cost to schools is a benefit Microsoft provides to education institutions that buy Office for faculty and staff."

 

Doesn't that apply anymore?

Obviously wasn't expressing myself very well - it's been a long week.

 

Wot u said is wot i woz trying to say