Microsoft Heightens Support Fees

Just when you thought the cost of upgrading to Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, was expensive enough, the company announces it has raised the support fees for both XP and the new version of Office.

The charge allotted for requesting help with either XP or Vista has been raised to $59, up a good chunk of change from the pre-Vista age of just $39.

For now, there are fewer complainers. That's because those who have recently invested in Windows Vista are charged nothing for support calls during the first 90 days of ownership. However, after that period ends, all bets are off. (Source: osnews.com)

Those users who need help with Windows XP or Office 2007 are charged a total of $49 for every problem that requires official Microsoft aid. That's up $14 from the age just before Vista's launch on January 30 of this year. However, the 90 days free benefit also applies to recent purchasers of Microsoft Office 2007. (Source: zdnet.com)

When contacted for comment, Microsoft replied that the changes are based on a desire "to provide more personalized support options based on customers' technology usage." In other words, they'd like to increase the amount of time allotted for each call, but in doing so, nearly double the cost to the retail consumer.

Users of Money 2007 will be relieved to hear that its support has not grown beyond the previous $35 standard.

Unfortunately, any "scenario-based assistance", or that involving complicated networks, entertainment or the optimization of an operating system, are now $79.

And you thought all those tarot card reading calls added up! :P