EMC’s Business Finance blog

A UK education technology agency has issued another interoperability complaint about Microsoft to the European Commission. The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA) confirmed yesterday that it welcomed the EC’s most recent antitrust investigation against Microsoft, and that it had handed over its own evidence to the Commission in hopes of supporting a wider investigation.

BECTA reiterated its belief that Microsoft limits document interoperability in Office 2007, which ultimately limits choice. “In the context of the education system this can result in higher prices and a range of other unsatisfactory effects which have a negative impact on wider policy initiatives, including improving educational outcomes, facilitating home school links and addressing the digital divide,” the agency wrote in a statement on its website.