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Google Cloud Waives Data Transfer Fees When Moving to Rival Clouds

By  |  January 11, 2024

Google Cloud announced on Thursday that it will waive network fees for customers looking to migrate their data to another cloud provider, a move in contrast to other major providers like Microsoft’s Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) who charge based on data transfer amounts during switches.

The decision comes in response to concerns raised by Britain’s media regulator Ofcom in October about these fees potentially hindering customers from transitioning to alternative providers. Ofcom had sought an investigation into the dominance of tech giants, including Google, in the UK cloud market.

Related: Google Says Microsoft Engaging In Anti-Competitive Cloud Practices

While the elimination of data transfer fees facilitates easier cloud provider transitions, Amit Zavery, head of platform at Google Cloud, pointed out in a blog post that the reluctance to switch often stems from restrictive and unfair licensing practices. Zavery emphasized that merely easing data migration does not address the core issue of customer lock-in due to unfavorable licensing terms.

Source: Reuters