licensing practices Archives

Winsage

April 23, 2026

Microsoft faces court battle in £2bn Windows Server class action

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has approved a £2 billion class action against Microsoft, aimed at compensating approximately 59,000 businesses using the Windows Server operating system in non-Microsoft public clouds. The collective action, led by Maria Luisa Stasi, alleges that Microsoft has overcharged UK entities for Windows Server on competing cloud services. The tribunal dismissed Microsoft's objections and granted a Collective Proceedings Order on an opt-out basis. The class action addresses two main issues: pricing abuse related to the Microsoft Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA) and re-licensing abuse concerning the deployment of Windows Server on Azure versus other cloud providers. The UK Competition and Markets Authority is also investigating Microsoft's software licensing practices within the cloud market. James Hain-Cole from law firm Scott+Scott expressed satisfaction with the tribunal's decision, emphasizing its significance for securing compensation for affected businesses.

Winsage

April 22, 2026

“For years, Microsoft’s practices have had real financial impact on both public and private organizations” – Microsoft faces new legal challenge over licensing practices

Microsoft is facing a £2 billion lawsuit in the UK, led by competition lawyer Maria Luisa Stasi, representing nearly 60,000 businesses that claim the company imposes excessive charges for using Windows Server on competing cloud platforms. The allegations focus on higher licensing fees for organizations using services like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Alibaba Cloud compared to those using Microsoft’s Azure. The lawsuit has been allowed to proceed on an opt-out basis by the Tribunal. Microsoft plans to appeal the decision and asserts that its business model promotes competition. The case is part of broader scrutiny of Microsoft's licensing practices, with investigations also initiated by the UK Competition and Markets Authority and the European Commission, as well as inquiries in Brazil, Switzerland, the United States, and Japan.

Winsage

October 16, 2025

£2B UK cloud licensing claim against Microsoft seeks backers

The ongoing legal challenge against Microsoft seeks £2 billion in damages for alleged overcharging of businesses using its software on competing cloud platforms. The case was filed with the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) and highlights significant cost disparities when running Windows Server on rival clouds compared to Microsoft's own services. Dr. Maria Luisa Stasi is leading the initiative, which was officially filed in December 2024, following a 637-page report from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that found Microsoft's licensing policies disadvantage customers using services from competitors. Key findings from the CMA's investigation include significant price discrepancies, restrictions on product availability through AWS and Google, and limitations on transferring licenses to these platforms. The CAT hearing in December will determine if the case proceeds to trial. Microsoft is also facing additional legal challenges, including a complaint from Google regarding its licensing practices and a ruling from Austria's Data Protection Authority about illegal tracking of students. The CMA has recommended leveraging digital market powers to address these issues, but no official actions have been announced.