Furious Brits fight back on Vista prices

Microsoft has admitted there is nothing to stop UK consumers buying cheaper copies of Windows Vista from US sellers, following complaints about its high price by UK-based customers.

This could be good news for British buyers angered by the price Microsoft is charging for its new operating system in the UK.

What has made matters worse is that Microsoft is offering a family pack discount to US households, but not for UK users. This means to get the same number of upgrades, UK households have to pay three times as much as their North American counterparts.

US consumers can get two copies of Home Premium for $50 (£25) each when they buy an upgrade or full copy of Vista Ultimate. By comparison the UK Vista Home Premium upgrade price is £150.

The US family discount means upgrading a three-PC home in the US costs £185, whereas UK families would have to stump up £550 to do the same, based on a one Ultimate upgrade and two Home Premium upgrade package.

Bill Gates has blamed exchange rates for the price differential, but even without the special offer, this doesn't add up.

Microsoft said the US family discount was a time-limited trial, but this has not mollified UK consumers, particularly as it lasts until June.

Even discounting this special offer, UK consumers who buy Vista from the US would find the price for an individual copy is still considerably cheaper; we worked out the price of a full copy of Vista Home Premium could, even with shipping and import costs added, still be up to £70 cheaper in the US.

Although UK consumer organisations such as the Office of Fair Trading, and the National Consumer Council, refused to comment, such is the outrage at the pricing that a petition has been put up on the 10 Downing Street website. In the first day it received more than 1,000 signatures.

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