Microsoft is facing a class-action antitrust lawsuit in the UK.
According to Saednews, Microsoft is currently dealing with an antitrust lawsuit in the UK that centers on the pricing of Windows Server software licenses. The plaintiffs are seeking over one billion pounds (around $1.25 billion) in damages to compensate for their losses.
The core accusation in this antitrust case is that Microsoft charges higher fees for Windows Server usage to customers who use cloud services from its competitors, like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Alibaba Cloud. In other words, customers who don’t use Microsoft’s own cloud services (Azure) are being forced to pay extra.
With increasing competition in the cloud computing market, major tech companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are fiercely trying to attract more customers to their cloud platforms. In this context, Microsoft appears to be taking advantage of its dominant position in the software market by implementing different pricing policies.
This lawsuit comes at a time when regulatory bodies worldwide are closely monitoring the activities of large tech companies like Microsoft. Recently, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also launched extensive investigations into potential anti-competitive practices by Microsoft, which could have serious consequences for the tech giant.
The class-action lawsuit from Microsoft’s cloud customers in the UK could have significant repercussions for the cloud services market. If the allegations are proven, Microsoft could be forced to pay hefty fines and revise its pricing policies in the country. Additionally, this case may set a precedent for similar lawsuits in other countries.
The lawyer representing the case stated that all UK customers of Microsoft’s cloud services are automatically included in this legal action unless they explicitly opt out. There are no upfront costs for customers to join the case, but if the case results in a win for either the customers or Microsoft, they may face costs like court fees or legal expenses.
In the end, the class-action lawsuit against Microsoft shows that competition in digital markets is increasingly complex, and large tech companies must continually work to maintain their market positions.
