By Richard Speed
Publication Date: 2026-04-09 08:45:00
The Microsoft and ValueLicensing legal tussle will enter an appeals phase this month, attracting the attention of a multibillion-pound class action against the Windows giant.
The appeal, due to be heard on April 28 and 29, follows a ruling by the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) in November that the resale of perpetual licenses for Microsoft software was not illegal. Microsoft disagreed with the decision, and a spokesperson told The Register at the time that the company intended to appeal.
The case has rumbled on for years, starting with ValueLicensing suing Microsoft for £270 million in 2021 over alleged clauses in contracts that prevented customers from reselling perpetual licenses in return for favorable subscription terms.
After years of protesting its innocence, Microsoft made a surprising pivot in 2025 and attempted to make the case about copyright. Office, for example, includes help files and…