Microsoft Support Services

Microsoft support services are available to users by telephone and through various online services.

Note For a complete listing of support services, including telephone numbers, pricing, terms, and conditions, visit the Microsoft Technical Support Web site.

Standard No-Charge Support

Internet Explorer users who cannot find the answers they need using online help and other resources can contact Microsoft Technical Support directly. No payment or purchase is required to obtain 90 days of telephone and Web Response support from the first reported incident.

In the United States, no-charge support is available from Microsoft support engineers through a toll call between 6:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. Pacific time, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. In Canada, no-charge support is available through a toll call between 8:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Outside the United States and Canada, users can contact Microsoft Product Support Services at the Microsoft subsidiary office that serves their area.

Users who call Microsoft Product Support Services should be at the computer and have the appropriate product documentation in hand. The following information is required:

• Version number of the Microsoft product in use

• Type of hardware in use

• Exact wording of any messages that appear on the screen

• Description of what happened and what was being done when the problem occurred

• Description of what was tried to solve the problem

Pay-Per-Incident Support

Microsoft Product Support Services offers priority telephone access to Microsoft support engineers in the United States 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding holidays. In Canada, priority support is available from 6:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. Eastern time, 7 days a week, excluding holidays. Microsoft charges a fixed rate per incident, which appears on the user's telephone bill (not available in Canada) or is billed to the user's VISA, MasterCard, or American Express card.

Priority Plus and Priority Annual Support

Microsoft Product Support Services offers annual fee-based support plans. These plans are designed for businesses that require priority access to support engineers for business-critical needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These businesses anticipate a high volume of calls or require access to specialized information.

Premier Support

Microsoft Technical Support offers a complete program of professional support services for business enterprise customers called Premier Support. These support services are designed to help large enterprises successfully develop, deploy, and manage mission-critical business systems that are built with Microsoft technologies. Premier Support provides access to the professional services and technical expertise that large enterprises need to maximize use of their business systems and minimize their total costs.

Each Premier Support customer is assigned a Technical Account Manager (TAM) who works directly with enterprise staff to help resolve problems and make sure that Premier Support services meet the unique needs of the organization. Premier Support customers have priority access, 24 hours a day, to experienced Microsoft support engineers for personalized support services and fast resolution of technical issues. In addition, the Premier Service Desk provides access to a secure Web site with support-related information for enterprise customers.

Other Microsoft Support Resources

Microsoft offers a variety of other support resources to meet the unique needs of organizations and their users.

Microsoft Authorized Support Centers

Microsoft Authorized Support Centers (ASCs) are a select group of strategic support providers who offer high-quality, customized support services for each phase of system development, including planning, implementing, and maintaining multi-vendor environments.

Services available from ASCs include:

• On-site support

• Integration and implementation services

• Help desk services

• Hardware support

• Development resources

An ASC vendor can provide comprehensive technical support and service. ASC services can supplement an in-house help desk or Microsoft support service option that's most appropriate for in-house needs. For more information about Microsoft Authorized Support Centers, visit the Microsoft in the Enterprise Web site.

Microsoft Certified Solution Providers

Microsoft Certified Solution Providers (MCSPs) are independent organizations that provide consulting, integration, development, training, technical support, and other services for Microsoft products. The MCSP program supplies Certified Solution Providers with information, business development assistance, and tools that help create additional value for Microsoft-based software technology. For more information about the program, visit the MCSP Public Web site.

MSDN Online

The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) is the official source for comprehensive programming information, development toolkits, and testing platforms. A subscription to MSDN includes quarterly updates of information and technology. For more information about subscribing to this development resource, visit the MSDN Online Web site.

Microsoft Seminar Online

Microsoft Seminar Online delivers valuable seminar content from industry experts directly to users' desktops over the Internet. Users are in control of their learning experience. They have instant access to the hottest technical topics, which are tailored to their interests and available at a time that fits their schedule. To learn about featured seminars or to review a list of seminars by date, subject, or title, visit the Microsoft Seminar Online Web site.

Microsoft TechNet

Microsoft TechNet is the comprehensive CD-ROM information resource for evaluating, implementing, and supporting Microsoft business products. A one-year subscription to Microsoft TechNet includes two CD-ROMs every month with over 150,000 pages of up-to-date technical information. The first CD-ROM contains current technical notes, reviewers' guides, background papers, Microsoft product resource kits, the entire Microsoft Knowledge Base, and much more. The second CD-ROM contains the Microsoft Software Library with the latest drivers and service packs for Microsoft products. For more information about subscribing, visit the Microsoft TechNet Web site.

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