Customer feedback improves Microsoft`s volume licensing programmes

Microsoft has announced changes to the roll-out of its new volume licensing programmes, including an extended transition period for Software Assurance, as well as the opportunity for Microsoft Office 2000 and Office XP customers to enrol directly in Software Assurance during the launch period.

Microsoft has also expressed its commitment to customers who have already made licensing decisions to ensure that they will benefit from these changes.

Based on customer feedback, Microsoft is extending the Licensing 6.0 launch transition period to 31 July 2002, and making Upgrade Advantage available to customers under the Open and Select agreements during the full launch period.

"Customers have told us that Licensing 6.0, our improved licensing programme, launched on 1 October 2001, is a significant change and that our original five-month transition period was not long enough," says Tracy McKinon, volume licensing programme manager at Microsoft South Africa.

"Given today`s economic climate, it`s clear our customers were right. Microsoft is extending the launch transition period to allow customers sufficient time to review their existing licences, evaluate the new options and decide how to take advantage of Software Assurance."

The enhancements to the programme simplify the purchase of Software Assurance for customers of Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. These products are considered "current" for the purposes of enrolling in Software Assurance.

This announcement is part of Microsoft`s ongoing commitment to listen to business customers of all sizes and to continue to improve the design of its licence programmes so licences are simpler to acquire, understand and administer, while providing customers with a variety of choices to meet their diverse business needs.

Originally announced in May 2001, Microsoft`s new Volume Licensing programmes bring simplification, choice and improvements to its customers. A key simplification was the replacement of the confusing "alphabet soup" of upgrade options (VUP, CUP, PUP, LUP, UA) with Software Assurance, which can be purchased for individual licences or for all of an organisation`s licensed PCs and servers. Microsoft`s Software Assurance offering provides the rights to upgrade to the latest versions of products released during the term of the agreement and will help customers quickly benefit from the very latest enterprise software.

Customers interested in Microsoft`s new licensing programmes should contact their Microsoft sales representative or reseller. They can also find information on the Internet at http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/