Microsoft opened registration and published the session catalogue for Ignite 2026, running 17–20 November in person and online, according to Microsoft Partner Center on 22 September. Ignite is where Microsoft typically announces licensing, Copilot SKU and AI pricing changes.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: September 22, 2026
Microsoft applies a 5% uplift to one-year CSP software subscriptions billed monthly from 1 October 2026, according to Licensing School. SQL Server and Windows Server subscriptions left on monthly billing cost 5% more; annual prepayment and three-year terms are unaffected.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: September 21, 2026
From 2 November 2026, new Microsoft 365 Copilot Business CSP subscriptions arrive with pay-as-you-go metering and auto-apply switched on, A Guide to Cloud & AI reports. New Copilot services will then accrue consumption charges without a further opt-in.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: September 20, 2026
Microsoft Lifecycle confirmed on 15 September that support for Office LTSC 2021, including Project, Visio and Access 2021, ends on 13 October 2026. Installations still running from 14 October get no security updates or bug fixes.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: September 15, 2026
Microsoft Partner Center shows twelve promotions, including Copilot, E5, E3 and Purview discounts, expiring on 30 September 2026. Purchases and renewals after that date do not receive these discounts, such as 30% off one-year Copilot terms at enterprise scale.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: September 8, 2026
Microsoft's Partner News blog announced a sandbox preview of a consumption-based CSP offer for storage and database products on 2 September. No pricing or general availability date is published, so current CSP licensing terms are unchanged for now.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: September 2, 2026
Microsoft Agent 365's free tier gives only basic agent inventory and blocking; activity logs and risk scores need a $15 per user per month tier. Without the paid tier, organisations cannot see what agents are doing, according to covenant-tech.net analysis.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: August 24, 2026
Microsoft announced on 18 August 2026 that licence-included Azure VMware Solution sales end on 31 October 2026. Every AVS environment must move to VMware Cloud Foundation licences bought from Broadcom or its resellers by 30 August 2027.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: August 18, 2026
Microsoft has no release date for Exchange Server Subscription Edition CU1, previously promised for mid-2026 and then late 2026, The Register reported on 17 August 2026. Subscribers cannot plan patch windows, upgrades or renewal timing against a dated roadmap.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: August 17, 2026
Microsoft announced on 14 August 2026 that the Copilot web app moves from m365.cloud.microsoft to copilot.cloud.microsoft, with broad rollout from mid-September. Discovery rules, allow-lists and usage dashboards keyed to the old domain may stop reporting Copilot use.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: August 14, 2026
The ValueLicensing (£270m) and Wolfson (£1.3bn–£3.5bn) claims against Microsoft are converging before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, with hearings on 14–15 September 2026, The Register reported. UK organisations may fall within Wolfson's class of more than 2 million Microsoft customers.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: August 5, 2026
TechTimes reported Office 365 and Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 list price rises of 9–33% took effect on 1 July 2026. Because EA volume-discount tiers were removed in November 2025, large enterprises' effective increases at renewal approach 20%.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: July 1, 2026
Microsoft Licensing News reports Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, Intune Plan 2 and related products joined Microsoft 365 suites by 1 August 2026. Suite holders still paying for the products separately are paying twice until they cancel them.
Written by: Martin Thompson
Published on: February 16, 2026