Microsoft confirms split of Microsoft Teams from Office 365, Microsoft 365 services in EU

In response to the European Union’s investigation into whether Microsoft’s bundling of Microsoft Teams with Office 365 services constituted a monopolistic practice, Microsoft has, as previously speculated, decoupled Microsoft Teams from the Office 365 and Microsoft 365 productivity suites in EU territories.

Commencing October 1st of this year, Microsoft’s offerings of Office 365 and Microsoft 365 in both the European Union and Switzerland will no longer encompass Microsoft Teams as a standard feature. Following this modification, subscription rates are anticipated to decrease by approximately 2 euros.

The enterprise version of Office 365 will be available at a starting rate of 7.4 euros per month. Meanwhile, the frontline worker version will adjust its starting price to 1.6 euros. As for the commercial edition of Microsoft 365, its subscription will commence at 4.6 euros. However, should users desire a standalone subscription to Microsoft Teams, a monthly fee of 5 euros will apply.

Existing subscribers, whether individual or corporate, will have the option to retain their current subscription packages or transition to plans excluding Microsoft Teams. While bundled Microsoft Teams subscriptions will persist in the EU, Microsoft intends to broaden its offerings, thereby circumventing potential antitrust challenges from the bloc.

Beyond these subscription alterations, Microsoft has also proclaimed its intent to furnish developers with an expanded array of API resources. This endeavor aims to empower third-party services with the ability to integrate their data functionalities with Microsoft Teams, ensuring content accessibility isn’t confined solely to Microsoft Teams’ platform.