Office 365 Price Changes

[Mr.Ben]

The pricing for Office 365 seems to have changed in the last couple of days:

 

Live@edu

 

Now the Web Apps are Free (as they were in Live@Edu)! and plan A1 (Email only) seems to have been removed.

 

Although I'm still unsure about why the individual options cost more?

 

Does anyone know when the Live@Edu installations are going to move over?

[gshaw]

I'm going to an MS event next week where Office 365 \ Live@Edu is on the agenda... watch my blog as I'll update after I find out about...

 

- migration timescales

- ADFS vs LiveID authentication

- SkyDrive (apparently can still use it on 365 somehow)

- using Office 365 as a hybrid with on-premise Exchange (e.g. use the 365 inbox as an online archive for staff with in-house Exchange)

[jamesbmarshall]

- migration timescales

- ADFS vs LiveID authentication

- SkyDrive (apparently can still use it on 365 somehow)

- using Office 365 as a hybrid with on-premise Exchange (e.g. use the 365 inbox as an online archive for staff with in-house Exchange)

 

For these types of questions you're better off dropping me a mail.

[gshaw]

For these types of questions you're better off dropping me a mail.

 

Will do, PM me your email and I'll elaborate a bit further

[ascott2]

20% price reduction on other plans

 

http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft_office_365_blog/archive/2012/03/14/new-lower-prices-for-office-365.aspx

Edited March 15, 2012 by ascott2

[PiqueABoo]

So was it: a) The mass whining, b) The Apple, Google et al threat, c) Both?

 

Pragmatically, the previously published staff charges was a serious problem that would have stopped plenty of (honest) schools using the non-email features. Just need to figure out whether this change is a new problem i.e. what the non-email Office365 management features and overheads are like.

[gshaw]

Bit of both I reckon, feels very similar to the VMware vRAM tax backtrack...

[PiqueABoo]

Feels like 'extra work' to me, still mustn't complain I suppose...

 

Found this a while back and ignored it, but next time there's a droughty day it looks like you can get a clue about the effort here:

Live@edu Transition to Office 365 for Education TAP (what's a TAP?)

[jamesbmarshall]

(what's a TAP?)

 

Technology Adoption Program - typically Microsoft works with a selection of customers to test products or processes like the Live@edu to Office 365 for education transition. Feedback from a TAP is then used to improve whatever thing it was set up for.

Edited March 15, 2012 by jamesbmarshall

[CyberNerd]

Technology Adoption Program - typically Microsoft works with a selection of customers to test products or processes like the Live@edu to Office 365 for education transition. Feedback from a TAP is then used to improve whatever thing it was set up for.

 

Also Known As: pre-SP1

[PiqueABoo]

Feedback from a TAP is then used to improve whatever thing it was set up for.

 

Ok so that TAP documentation may reference things that may change prior to everyone else getting it? Looking at the mail part for instance, there is a "Differences" table that tells us the various education 'bolt-ons' like closed campus etc. do not migrate. Personally I wouldn't miss those somewhat 'rigid' abstract transport rules, but I suppose they could be there when we migrate?

[jamesbmarshall]

Ok so that TAP documentation may reference things that may change prior to everyone else getting it?

 

Exactly - by all means pore through it for an insight into roughly how the transition will look, but don't treat it as gospel until the official guidance is published.

[zag]

I was just about to send you an email about this James.

 

But for everyones benefit...

 

1) When do these prices take effect?

2) How do we sign up?

3) Can sharepoint online be a replacement for our local sharepoint server?

 

Its a pretty big announcement. I always wondered why office online couldn't be added to our agreement. Now its free, that's brilliant news.

[jamesbmarshall]

1) When do these prices take effect?

 

Refer back to the official Office 365 blog for information, and sign up for the newsletter: https://www.microsoft.com/liveatedu/newsletter-sign-up.html.

 

2) How do we sign up?

 

As above.

 

3) Can sharepoint online be a replacement for our local sharepoint server?

 

This is going to depend on what you're using SharePoint for, but broadly speaking it's certainly a possibility.

[OverWorked]

At the EDIT2012 conf, the Microsoft rep announced that the A2 price plan would be free for education.

 

This includes Email, Lync, Office apps, sharepoint, + other things I can't remember.

 

There's supposed to be a copy of his powerpoint on EduGeek somewhere, but I can't find it.

 

See the Link in Mr Ben's post above.

Edited June 8, 2012 by OverWorked

[OverWorked]

Does anyone know when the Live@Edu installations are going to move over?

 

In the next 6-12 months. It's vague. Microsoft staff will be contacting Live@Edu customers individually.

[ZeroHour]

There's supposed to be a copy of his powerpoint on EduGeek somewhere, but I can't find it.

 

They will be posted on the front page soon, just need to get the copy from the laptop.

[Dos_Box]

They will be posted on the front page soon, just need to get the copy from the laptop.

 

I'd best get these to you then

[nadeem]

In the next 6-12 months. It's vague. Microsoft staff will be contacting Live@Edu customers individually.

 

Unless things have changed in the last few days - we've been told its within 18 months (at the recent Live@edu user group) - depending on when you move you'll have to do varying amounts of work yourself.

[jamesbmarshall]

Microsoft staff will be contacting Live@Edu customers individually.

 

That's correct, so take a moment and make sure your details are up to date otherwise you'll miss out on the information as it comes!

 

Live@edu Upgrade: Are your details up to date? - UK Live@edu Blog - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

[zag]

That's correct, so take a moment and make sure your details are up to date otherwise you'll miss out on the information as it comes!

 

Live@edu Upgrade: Are your details up to date? - UK Live@edu Blog - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

 

Thanks just updated my details.

 

Just a small point but that web page doesn't work with google chrome. I think you would get a lot more people updating their details if it supported all the major browsers.

[jamesbmarshall]

Just a small point but that web page doesn't work with google chrome.

 

I'll pass that back; in the mean time Safari, IE and Firefox all work.

[gshaw]

Just upgraded one of my test domains to 365, is there any way to enable Plan A2 features without EES? Reason being I want to try out the Sharepoint and Lync features before upgrading our live domain (which is also the one that would be attached to our MS agreement)

[jamesbmarshall]

Just upgraded one of my test domains to 365, is there any way to enable Plan A2 features without EES?

 

Yes - go to the purchase section of the admin portal; you should see all of the available plans both free and paid for.