Microsoft Discounts Windows Phones for Partners

In an effort to get more of its best advocates to become walking advertisements for Windows Phones, Microsoft is instituting a discount program for partners.

Windows Phone Division President Andy Lees announced the Windows Phone Discount Program for Partners last week at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles, where many partners were already walking around with Windows Phone 7 devices.

Under the program, partners with at least one competency are eligible for offers for unlocked Windows Phone devices and savings on voice and data service plans. The program applies to any competency, not just the mobility competency.

While Microsoft's universe of partners is about 640,000 companies, about 20,000 organizations have a competency, according to figures released at WPC. Employees need to associate their Windows Live ID with the partner company to take advantage of the offer, and multiple employees can participate.

The device offer is worldwide. Partners who meet the eligibility requirement can access the unlocked phones from eXpansys, a global consumer technology online retailer based in the United Kingdom. So far, the voice and data plan discounts are only available in the United States through Sprint and T-Mobile. According to a FAQ, Microsoft is working to add mobile carriers in other countries for non-U.S. partners.

There is currently no end date for the program, and partners with current Windows Phone service plans may be able to update their service plans to a discounted plan.

More information is available here.

Posted by Scott Bekker on July 21, 2011 at 11:58 AM