Another Microsoft price hike for UK customers?

[Areku]

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/uktechnet/2016/10/21/important-volume-licensing-update/

 

 

whats your take?

[Joanne]

Yeah it's because the value of the pound has plummeted. Kinda to be expected really. Sucks!

[elsiegee40]

I agree with Joanne. The pound isn't worth what it was so things are costing us more.

 

 

MOD NOTE

This thread is not in the political forum. It is therefore not the place to debate whether the pound was over-valued in the first place or whether this is an effect of Brexit

[Max_Power]

At least if you have an agreement in place your pricing is protected until the agreement expires. (or at least that's how i understood the 3rd paragraph from the end)

[Cazale]

I agree with Joanne. The pound isn't worth what it was so things are costing us more

 

That might make sense, if not for the fact that Microsoft have always tended to price things on a pound per dollar basis (so if something cost $79.99, it would appear here for £79.99, or thereabouts). It's always been a complete rip-off. To now use "harmonisation adjustments" as an excuse for a 22% rise is a joke.

 

I can pretty much guarantee you that if the value of the GBP rises again they won't lower prices back down (a big "if" I know).

Edited October 24, 2016 by Cazale

[matt40k]

To now use "harmonisation adjustments" as an excuse for a 22% rise is a joke.

 

To prevent the big US customers taking advantage by buying UK licenses. Not that the UK tax man would mind the extra revenue. If the pound bounces back, they'll have to lower the costs, and I'm sure they'll make a big song and dance about how it's because of Azure somehow, else we'll all just pretend to be in US.

[Cazale]

To prevent the big US customers taking advantage by buying UK licenses

 

I still don't buy it. Like I said, you'll probably find most things are priced pretty close to a USD = GBP basis anyway. Also, the above happens mass market (i.e. Xbox One games). See here for an example: Xbox One - Buying from Other Regions *WITHOUT* A VPN (Virtual Private Network) - HotUKDeals

[unixman_again]

Time to switch to Apple? IBM claims moving to Mac drastically reduced support calls, operating costs | ExtremeTech

 

The article says "With an estimated 90,000 Macs deployed, IBM is actually the largest single business customer for Apple hardware" which I think is interesting.

[matt40k]

Individuals is different to large companies. Individuals you can pretty much ignore conversions rate mistakes, large companies its a difference between profit and going bankrupt. Also you can get into tax issues. I don't pretend to understand global economics - I just accept the fact that somewhere else in the world they are getting a better deal on Office 365 then I am - still I earn more in a month then they earn in a year.

@unixman_again - LOL!!!

Edited October 24, 2016 by matt40k

[caffrey]

You would think Microsoft would look the other way when it comes to Education, *Just think of the children!*

[matt40k]

You would think Microsoft would look the other way when it comes to Education, *Just think of the children!*

 

Isn't Office 365 free for Education?

[RLR]

Microsoft: We're hiking UK cloud prices 22%. Stop whining: It's the Brexit ? The Channel

 

Wonder if this will affect education pricing.

[Arthur]

Already posted.

 

www.edugeek.net/forums/licensing-questions/176154-another-microsoft-price-hike-uk-customers.html

[Sagima]

The bits of microsoft's cloud I use are all free so they can go up as much as they like. The 13% rise of the other stuff might have an effect but we've just paid for this year's so hopefully the pound will stage a massive comeback before august next year and I'll be able to avoid it all together!

[DJ-1701]

You would think Microsoft would look the other way when it comes to Education, *Just think of the children!*

 

Isn't Office 365 free for Education?

 

It has been so far... *touches wood*.

[john]

*mod note* two threads on same topic merged into one

[gshaw]

Ironically MS were originally claiming it was being a member of the EU that was to blame for their plans to hike ("harmonise") EES prices a few months back, can't win can we

[jmak]

The bits of microsoft's cloud I use are all free so they can go up as much as they like. The 13% rise of the other stuff might have an effect but we've just paid for this year's so hopefully the pound will stage a massive comeback before august next year and I'll be able to avoid it all together!

Had to check for a minute - thought I was reading one of @DaveP 's humourous threads.

[DavR]

Just been looking at my budgets for next year, and have spoken to someone at our licensing company about our next year's EES bill due April. As well as this hike, she also mentioned there was another 15% hike from July 16, so we're looking at a cumulative hike of about 25%!

 

I'm told there's another similar hike planned for July 17, so if you're renewing any time soon, now might be a good time to get into a three year deal. Evidently we should have last year

[Arthur]

Evidently we should have last year

Yeah. The three price hikes of ~15% each year were mentioned in a thread last year.