Microsoft removes volume discounts - how Norwegian businesses are affected
And how Otheo + Adite helps organisations take back control
When Microsoft's new pricing model comes into full effect in 2026, many Norwegian organisations will be in for an unpleasant surprise: The costs of new EA agreements can increase by 30-40 per cent.
The reason is Microsoft's decision to remove the volume discounts in the Enterprise Agreement (EA) - a change that came into effect in November 2025 and is now forcing organisations to rethink their licensing strategy. Many are considering alternatives, and more and more are looking towards the CSP model, Microsoft's preferred form of purchase. But with this freedom comes a whole new set of operational responsibilities.
This is the backdrop for why Otheo and Adite now become key partners for organisations that want control, predictability and smarter licence management.
In EA agreements, companies have long had a stable number of licences tied up over several years. Now that discounts are disappearing, it's no longer price that separates EA from CSP - but flexibility.
CSP offers greater freedom of choice with lock-in periods ranging from one month to three years. It sounds simple, but it involves far more frequent decisions and continuous follow-up. For businesses, this means, among other things:
The models are not difficult - but they are demanding to handle manually on a large scale.
Flexible CSP licences are more expensive than annual EA licences. That's why flexibility needs to be actually utilised rather than just paid for.
Without automation, organisations run the risk of:
Flexibility has no value until it is managed - preferably automatically.
The Otheo platform gives organisations a complete overview of SaaS usage, including Microsoft licences, cloud usage and other subscriptions. The platform automates the entire licence lifecycle and ensures that the portfolio is always optimal.
Otheo handles, among other things:
Customers often experience Hundreds of automated licence events per month - a volume that is almost impossible to handle manually.
The result is lower costs, better control and fewer surprises.
Even though Microsoft's volume discounts are disappearing, there are still major price differences in the market. Through a structured purchasing partnership, Adite has negotiated terms that match historical EA discounts - often providing the most cost-effective options in today's market.
Adite assists organisations with:
The combination of Otheo + Adite gives organisations both the lowest possible price and the highest possible control.
Microsoft's new licence model shifts far more responsibility to businesses. For many, this will be a challenge - but also a rare opportunity to modernise a cost driver that has often been poorly optimised.
Businesses that want to succeed in the future should:
