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The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly preparing an investigation into whether Microsoft has used anti-competitive tactics to maintain its dominant position in the cloud market.
According to The Financial Times said the agency is looking into allegations that Microsoft imposed punitive licensing agreements to prevent customers from transferring data outside its platforms. The FTC is also investigating allegations that Microsoft raised subscription fees for customers who wanted to leave, made its products incompatible with competitors, and charged exorbitant exit fees, sources told the FT.
Last year, the FTC requested public comment on the business practices of major cloud providers. Most commentators highlighted restrictive software licenses, minimum outlay contracts, and high data transfer fees as areas of anticompetitive concern.
It is unclear how far the FTC investigation will advance. FTC Chair Lina Khan’s term may end with the start of Donald Trump’s presidency, and Trump is generally seen as siding with deregulation.
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