Microsoft has offered to provide free, unlimited technical support to back up interoperability documents provided to the European Commission in compliance with a March 2004 antitrust ruling against the software giant.
This ruling, among other things, required Microsoft to publish some interfaces for group server operating systems and for media players, so that competitors could make their products interoperable with Windows.
The Commission has already warned Microsoft that the documents supplied so far by the firm are inaccurate and incomplete and has threatened to fine Microsoft up to €2 million a day for non-compliance.
In response Microsoft has now offered unlimited free technical support to licensees of the interoperability program. Previously it had offered 500 hours worth of free support.
In a statement yesterday Microsoft said it would also provide on-site assistance to licensees and confirmed that it had submitted a work plan to the Monitoring Trustee (who is advising the Commission on the technicalities of Microsoft’s compliance) detailing a number of projects to enhance the program’s technical documentation.
“These new documentation projects, together with free and unlimited technical support and access to Windows source code, will ensure that our competitors have all the assistance they need to make this program effective,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
According to reports, however, the offer has been met with a cautious response from the Commission. Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd welcomed the move as a positive step but added, according to Reuters:
"However, technical support is only helpful once the documentation has reached a certain quality standard ... the Commission's preliminary view is that the technical documentation still does not comply with the requirements of the decision”.
Microsoft has requested an oral hearing before the Commission to put forward its arguments. This is due to take place next week.
The company is in the process of appealing the original antitrust ruling, but stressed that it was “committed to meeting all compliance requirements specified by the European Commission”.