The UK's antitrust regulator is looking into Microsoft's possible monopoly power

## Summary
Reuters / REUTERS The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is once more turning its lens on Microsoft. The tech company will be the focus of an investigation by the regulator to see if it can be assigned strategic market status (SMS). In addition, the UK regulator is also following up on an inquiry into Microsoft and Amazon from 2025, where it sought to exert more control over the domestic cloud services market. As a result of that action, the CMA said Amazon and Microsoft have agreed to a plan involving egress fees and interoperability around cloud services. "These changes will reduce expense and effort for UK customers when using more than one cloud provider," the CMA bulletin states.

## Article Content
Reuters / REUTERS
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is once more turning its lens on Microsoft. The tech company will be the focus of an
investigation
by the regulator to see if it can be assigned strategic market status (SMS). The CMA already has "a major concern" with Microsoft's alleged limiting of competition in the cloud space via productivity software like Word and Excel, chat app Teams, AI companion Copilot and even Windows itself. The SMS designation "would allow the CMA to act" against the company. The investigation will begin in May.
In addition, the UK regulator is also following up on an
inquiry
into Microsoft and Amazon from 2025, where it sought to exert more control over the domestic cloud services market. As a result of that action, the CMA said Amazon and Microsoft have agreed to a plan involving egress fees and interoperability around cloud services. "These changes will reduce expense and effort for UK customers when using more than one cloud provider," the CMA bulletin states.
The CMA has frequently had Microsoft in its sights. The company sparked an investigation in 2023 for its
relationship with OpenAI
and in 2024 for its actions
hiring staff from Inflection AI
.
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- The CMA already has "a major concern" with Microsoft's alleged limiting of competition in the cloud space via productivity software like Word and Excel, chat app Teams, AI companion Copilot and even Windows itself.

### Implications
- The tech company will be the focus of an investigation by the regulator to see if it can be assigned strategic market status (SMS).
- The investigation will begin in May.
- As a result of that action, the CMA said Amazon and Microsoft have agreed to a plan involving egress fees and interoperability around cloud services. "These changes will reduce expense and effort for UK customers when using more than one cloud provider," the CMA bulletin states.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers microsoft, cma, cloud topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 206.