Microsoft Teams unbundling proposal reviewed by EU regulators and rivals
2 min. read
Updated on
Share this article
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team Read more
Key notes
- European Commission continues Microsoft Teams antitrust investigation.
- EU questionnaires ask Teams competitors about Microsoft's proposed unbundling solution.
- Teams could be offered for 5 euros a month separate from Office.
After the European Commission (EU) opened up an antitrust inquisition into Microsoft’s budling practices with its enterprise chat platform Teams, the company is now proposing an unbundling solution that is getting scrutinized by regulatory body and its market competitors.
According to a report from Reuters, EU regulators were recently given a proposal from Microsoft that would have the company unbundle its Teams conference app from the rest of its flagship Office productivity suite.
However, in a more unprecedented move, the EU is also sharing Microsoft’s proposal with its market competitors to judge if the company’s latest suggestion can avoid antitrust scrutiny.
The EU is doing more than an elbow and nudge when allowing rivals to weigh in on Microsoft’s new regulatory proposition. Teams rivals are being asked by the EU to “provide feedback from potential customers on how their services could operate in tandem with Microsoft’s services, the pricing of products with and without Teams and eligibility criteria.”
Specifically, Microsoft would offer Office sans Team chat for 2 euros less than it does with the conferencing app. For customers who want just the Teams app could pay a standalone fee of 5 euros a month for the app.
Microsoft’s proposal was submitted back in August and comes ahead of what some insiders believe to be a formal statement of objection to the company’s current business strategy in the EU at the beginning of next year.
If the EU does reject Microsoft suggestion for unbundling Teams, it’ll be interesting to see what other restrictions and measures the regulatory body wants to put into place to appease competitors.
