Alphabet's Google Cloud said on Thursday its customers who want to migrate their data to another cloud provider will not have to pay any network fees to make the transfer.
Many cloud providers, including Microsoft's Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), charge customers based on the amount of data transferred when they switch vendors.
Britain's media regulator Ofcom in October raised concerns about the fees, saying it can discourage customers from switching to an alternative provider. Ofcom had earlier asked the country's antitrust authority to investigate tech giants' dominance of the UK cloud market.
Although eliminating data transfer fees will make it easier for customers to change their cloud provider, restrictive and unfair licensing practices are why many customers do not switch, Amit Zavery, head of platform at Google Cloud wrote in a blog post.
"Making it easier for customers to move from one provider to another does little to improve choice if customers remain locked in with restrictive licences," he said.
AWS leads the cloud computing market, followed by Azure, and Google is a distant third. Both Google and Amazon had earlier said that Microsoft's terms of services had made it difficult for customers to switch.
Removal of data transfer fees applies to all customers globally from Thursday.
Check out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!
BJP is planning to ban RSS, says Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray
May 18, 2024 8:01 PM
Punjab Lok Sabha elections: Complete list of Congress candidates
May 18, 2024 4:08 PM
Punjab Lok Sabha elections: Check full list of AAP candidates and constituencies
May 18, 2024 12:59 PM
PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi election rallies in Delhi today: Here are the routes to avoid
May 18, 2024 11:28 AM