Microsoft

Starting July 1st 2012, Microsoft will be adjusting prices for volume licensing customers in the European Union, which are part of the European Free Trade Association (EU/EFTA). This is an effort to address sustained currency differences between European countries. The pricing changes will only affect volume licensing programs and do not apply to Windows, Office or other products sold to consumers through retailers or pre-installed on PC's.

Download the PDF document "Establishing Volume Licensing pricing policy consistency across Europe" by Microsoft

Here is a list of specific programs to which this change applies:

Open/ Open Value/ Open Value Subscription
Select/ Select Plus
Enterprise Agreement Perpetual and Subscription (Direct and Indirect)
Microsoft Online Subscription Program (MOSP)
Syndication Program
SPLA
ISVR

Note: FPP and Academic Programs are not currently impacted at this time.

What happens if your company already has an existing annuity agreement?

If you currently have an Enterprise Agreement or an Enterprise Subscription Agreement, your organisation will not experience the price change until the full term of the agreement. However, if you are due for a renewal on or after 1st July 2012, please contact your COMPAREX Account Manager or call us directly on 0870 050 0125 to discuss the possibility of an early renewal.

Microsoft guideline on how this change will affect you

Mid-term Enterprise and Enterprise Subscription Agreement Customers: Existing EA/EAS customers have price protection on previously ordered products and will not experience a price change during the term of their agreement. Any new product additions will be priced at current pricelist price.
Renewing and New EA/ EAS Customers: Renewals and New agreements will be priced at current pricelist price.
Mid-term Open Value company-wide & Open Value Subscription Customers: Existing OV and OVS Company-Wide customers have price protection on previously ordered products and will not experience a price change during the term of their agreement. Any new products will be priced at the current pricelist price.
Open Value Non-Company-Wide Customers: For OV Non Company-Wide purchases there is no price protection and orders will be priced at current pricelist price.
Renewing and New OV/ OVS Customers: Renewals and New agreements will be priced at current pricelist price.
Select and Select Plus Customers: Select and Select Plus have no price protection and are subject to current pricing for incremental purchases.
Open License Customers: Open License has no price protection and is subject to current pricing for incremental purchases
Microsoft Online Subscription Program (MOSP) Customers: Existing MOSP customers receive price protection until their 12 months expire at which renewals will be subject to current prices.

By how much do you expect the price change to be?

Currently, GBP pricing is 20% cheaper than the EURO pricing. Between now and July 1st 2012, taking into consideration exchange fluctuations, and playing it safe, we anticipate a minimum of 15% price increase which will address sustained currency differences between European countries.

What are the next steps?

COMPAREX Group has been working with Microsoft as a key strategic partner for many years and is one of the largest LAR's (Large Account Reseller) in the world. This core partnership coupled with our access to a number of pricing regions, enables us to give our customers a pinpoint understanding of what these changes may mean to affected customers.

License types

License type	Description
Open Licence	Microsoft Open Licence is a Volume Licensing program for small to mid-sized organisations that have two or more PCs and fewer than 250 desktop PCs.
Open Value	You can begin an Open Value agreement with a minimum of five licences of either any mix of products or, if you wish, standardise your desktop software.
Select	A Select Licence Agreement lasts for three years but gives you on-going rights to the software versions you've installed.
Select Plus	Microsoft Select Plus (which will eventually replace Select) allows customers to purchase their software licences and services at any business unit level, while realising advantages as one organisation. Since the agreement never expires, customers do not need to renegotiate and renew agreements every three years.
Enterprise Agreements (EA)	EA last for three years, and you pay a fixed price per PC, based on the number of PCs covered and the Microsoft platform products you choose.