Becta takes Microsoft battle to the EC

The Government's adviser on IT in schools has taken its frustrations with Microsoft one step further after referring its interoperability complaint against the corporation to the European Commission (EC).

In October 2007, Becta made a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading alleging that Microsoft was responsible for anti-competitive licensing practices in the schools software marketplace.

They also alleged the existence of impediments to effective interoperability in relation to Microsoft's Office 2007 product.

Earlier this year the EC announced that it was initiating a formal investigation in relation to Microsoft's approach to interoperability. Becta has followed this through with its referral to the EC with supporting evidence.

Becta is concerned over the impediments to interoperability that will limit choice. They believe it will result in higher prices and the education system will have to foot the bill.

Becta said it could also have a string of other negative effects, including improving education outcomes, facilitating home school links and addressing the digital divide.

Becta's executive director of strategic technologies, Dr Stephen Lucey, said that it wasn't just over issues of competition that spearheaded their complaint, but the damage that it could potentially do to the education system.

"It is not just the interests of competitors and the wider marketplace that are damaged when barriers to effective interoperability are created," he said. "Such barriers can also damage the interests of education and training organisations, learners, teachers and parents."

He added: "Intervention via the competition authorities is not our preferred approach. Ideally we prefer to address interoperability issues by working in close partnership with the wider industry. We are successfully addressing a range of other interoperability challenges through this type of approach."

In response to Becta's latest call to arms, a spokesperson for Microsoft said they were committed to education and working with Becta.

"Microsoft is deeply committed to education and interoperability. We believe that more and more schools are upgrading to Windows Vista and Office 2007 as they increasingly recognise the benefits of embracing technology to transform teaching and learning," the spokesperson said.

"We have funded the development of tools to promote interoperability between Office 2007 and products based on the ODF file format. We will continue to work with Becta and the Commission in a cooperative manner to resolve these issues."

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