The new deal, then, focuses on customers that still have Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 systems, either because the machines were not replaced with newer hardware or because the company opted to not dive into Windows 10 during the first year when the free upgrade was available. Small- and mid-sized businesses could have upgraded free of charge from Windows 7 Professional or Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro during the previous year-long offer, or acquired new devices already equipped with Windows 10 Pro. To be eligible for a Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5 subscription - which are delivered through a program called "Cloud Solution Provider," or CSP, usually by Microsoft resellers - customers' devices must already be running Windows 10 Pro.
Previously, Fillingham had said the subscription plans targeted customers who did not want to sign a "long-term volume licensing agreement." Larger customers, particularly enterprises, typically purchase Windows and other Microsoft products under such agreements. Microsoft introduced the plans in July and began selling them in the fall. Unlike Microsoft's historical licensing - which permanently licensed the operating system on a per-device basis - the E3 and E5 subscriptions are per-user licenses, and payments must be maintained to run the OS.
The Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 subscriptions cost $7 per user per month and $14 per user per month, respectively, or $84 and $168 annually. "Customers subscribed to Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 as well as Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5, can now upgrade their Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs and devices to Windows 10 without the need to purchase separate upgrade licenses," said Nic Fillingham, small business product manager, in a post to a company blog Jan.