MS SQL Server - Can you use US licences in the UK

Author

Can you use US licences in the UK

James

2006-01-31, 7:23 am

We get ripped off in the UK and so US licences cost around half the price.
My question is can UK businesses buy licences in the US or join the US open
licensing?
I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't want people to do this, but if you got hold of
the licences would it actually work?
Also, what if your company has as US branch, could you order all your global
licences through there?

David Portas

2006-01-31, 7:23 am

James wrote:

> We get ripped off in the UK and so US licences cost around half the price.
> My question is can UK businesses buy licences in the US or join the US op=
en
> licensing?
> I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't want people to do this, but if you got hold of
> the licences would it actually work?
> Also, what if your company has as US branch, could you order all your glo=
bal
> licences through there?

Regarding licences purchased under a volume licence agreement I suggest
you consult a Microsoft representative or reseller about that. As for
licences purchased abroad through the retail channel those would be
liable for excise duty in the UK I assume so make sure you factor that
into your costs.

Where do you find US software at half the price of the UK? If you shop
around I think the differential will not be so great. Example:

SQL Server Standard Edition 2005 with 5 CALs

http://www.programmersparadise.com/...
e&txtCa=
tegory=3D& txtProductID=3DM47+3
04M
Price: $1,725.99 plus tax

http://www.greymatter.com/buyers/133879
Price: =A31,178.03 plus tax
=3D $2085.11 (@1.77)
which is about +20%. Assuming you are VAT registered in the UK then US
sales tax will further reduce that potential saving against the UK net
price.

--
David Portas, SQL Server MVP

Whenever possible please post enough code to reproduce your problem.
Including CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements usually helps.
State what version of SQL Server you are using and specify the content
of any error messages.

SQL Server Books Online:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/ms130214(en-US,SQL.90).aspx
--

James

2006-01-31, 9:23 am

So it looks like it might be a bit risky if you end up getting charged
customs duty, excise duty and import VAT.
It would be worth it if the company's US arm bought it though.

It looks like its our friends at amazon.co.uk that are trying to pull a fast
one...

Its interesting though, because there's some cases being looked at by the EU
at the moment where people in the UK are being prevented from shopping around.
The one I'm thinking of is itunes where we aren't allowed to buy exactly the
the same MP3 from france/holland for much less.

"David Portas" wrote:

> James wrote:
>
>
> Regarding licences purchased under a volume licence agreement I suggest
> you consult a Microsoft representative or reseller about that. As for
> licences purchased abroad through the retail channel those would be
> liable for excise duty in the UK I assume so make sure you factor that
> into your costs.
>
> Where do you find US software at half the price of the UK? If you shop
> around I think the differential will not be so great. Example:
>
> SQL Server Standard Edition 2005 with 5 CALs
>
> http://www.programmersparadise.com/...M47+304
M
> Price: $1,725.99 plus tax
>
> http://www.greymatter.com/buyers/133879
> Price: £1,178.03 plus tax
> = $2085.11 (@1.77)
> which is about +20%. Assuming you are VAT registered in the UK then US
> sales tax will further reduce that potential saving against the UK net
> price.
>
> --
> David Portas, SQL Server MVP
>
> Whenever possible please post enough code to reproduce your problem.
> Including CREATE TABLE and INSERT statements usually helps.
> State what version of SQL Server you are using and specify the content
> of any error messages.
>
> SQL Server Books Online:
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/library/ms130214(en-US,SQL.90).aspx
> --
>
>

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