TechRadar urges CMA roadmap on Microsoft lock-in in UK procurement

TechRadar’s Bill McCluggage argues that the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) should publish an interim roadmap to help public bodies address Microsoft lock-in when procuring cloud and AI services. The article says the CMA’s cloud investigation found competition was not working well.

According to the article, Microsoft and AWS each held 30–40% of the UK cloud market in July 2025, with Microsoft’s share growing. Fewer than 1% of customers switched cloud providers annually, the CMA found. The article also says the regulator found Microsoft withheld some licensed products from AWS and Google that weakened those rivals.

The CMA accepted voluntary commitments from Microsoft and AWS on 31 March 2026, including extending Microsoft’s free egress-switch window from 60 to 180 days. It also opened an investigation into Microsoft’s business-software ecosystem, with a decision expected around February 2027. The article argues that this timetable could lag behind AI deployments and calls for clearer procurement guidance and action on licensing, interoperability, contract exit plans, and verification of commitments.

The source is an opinion article; its call for a roadmap and its assessment of the risks are the author’s arguments.