TECHNOLOGY - Sept. 11, 1993
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Microsoft to Charge for Help Calls: The software company said it will begin billing customers who call for help with its Windows operating systems. Individuals may be charged $2 a minute and companies thousands of dollars annually under a pricing structure that takes effect Oct. 1. Microsoft will still offer free daytime phone help on its application programs such as the Excel spreadsheet. But customers who need help with Windows, which runs basic PC functions, will face the new charges. Microsoft will offer a $20,000-a-year package for large firms; a $2-a-minute service for individuals, with a maximum charge of $25 per call, and a $195-a-year service for individuals that allows unlimited inquiries.
