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ARTICLE · 29 JANUARY 2025

Big Tech: Major Cloud Providers In The Firing Line?

Travers Smith LLP
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The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is already conducting a market investigation into cloud service providers, including Amazon and Microsoft.

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Stephen Whitfield
Stephen Whitfield
Helen Reddish
Helen Reddish
Laura Reuther
Laura Reuther
James Longster
James Longster
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The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is already conducting a market investigation into cloud service providers, including Amazon and Microsoft. On 1 January 2025, it gained extensive new powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 ("DMCC Act"). We look at whether these developments could lead to tougher regulation of major players in cloud services and what that would mean for their customers.

What's the concern about cloud services?

Based on the CMA's ongoing market investigation into cloud services, it appears that some businesses find it difficult to switch between some of the larger cloud service providers – with the result that competition in the market may be less intense than it otherwise would be. There are also concerns about businesses finding it difficult to use the services of two different cloud providers alongside one another. This could, for example, make it difficult for a customer which mainly uses Microsoft to

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