What's changed?

Microsoft has made some big moves recently that are reshaping how customers buy and renew their licensing agreements. Here’s what’s new: 

   

 EA Pricing Is Being Standardised — and It Might Cost More

From 1 November 2025, Microsoft is removing volume-based discounts across EA pricing tiers (Levels A–D) for Online Services. Instead, all customers will pay a single, standardised price—the same one listed on Microsoft.com. 
 
What does that mean? 

 Customers who previously benefited from Level B, C, or D pricing may see price increases 

 There’s less room for negotiation, and less flexibility overall 

 On-prem software pricing stays the same, but cloud services are affected 

For many mid-sized organisations, this makes EA less financially attractive, especially when compared to CSP. 

 CSP Now Offers Multi-Year Pricing—and It’s a Game Changer 

To support customers moving away from EA, Microsoft has introduced three-year subscription terms in CSP for Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 (with or without Teams), plus Teams Enterprise SKUs.  

These can be billed: 

 Upfront for three years 

 Annually or triennially, depending on what suits the customer 

There are also currently 10% discount promotions available for new-to-E3 or E5 customers on these three-year terms. So not only is CSP more flexible—it’s also more cost-effective. 

 Moving to CSP Is Easier Than Ever 

Microsoft has made it simple to move customers from EA to CSP using Partner Center.  

You can: 

 Use the channel transfer tool to renew EA subscriptions directly into CSP 

 Keep existing SKUs—even if they’re end-of-sale
 
 Align renewal dates and avoid double billing 

 Automate upgrades and apply promotions with ease 

It’s a smooth, partner-friendly process that makes CSP a no-brainer for many customers. 

Partner Opportunity

As Microsoft nudges customers toward CSP, partners can step in as trusted advisors and unlock new revenue streams.   

What’s in It for Partners? 

 Revenue Growth: With EA pricing standardised, CSP becomes a more attractive option—especially with multi-year terms and promotions that boost long-term revenue and upsell potential. 

 Stronger Customer Engagement: CSP gives partners control over the customer relationship, enabling ongoing support, flexible billing, and trusted advisory roles. 

 Simplified Transitions: Tools like channel transfer make EA-to-CSP migrations smooth, reducing admin and aligning renewals with ease. 

 Service Differentiation: Partners can bundle licensing with services like training and consulting, creating unique offerings that drive loyalty and margin. 

 Promotions & Incentives: Microsoft is backing CSP growth with discounts and incentives—helping partners win deals and expand their footprint. 

 Scalable Opportunity: The 300–2,400 seat range is ideal for CSP, giving partners a clear path to scale with tailored, cloud-first solutions. 

Licensing Experts 

Our team knows the ins and outs of EA, CSP, and MCA-E—and we’ll help you position CSP as the smarter choice.

Renewal Strategy

We’ll work with you to build a plan that makes transitions smooth and stress-free. 

Sales Enablement  

From talking points to tools, we’ll equip your team to have confident, value-driven conversations.