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1. What is the TechNet Online Chat?

   Online Chat is a one-to-one Web-based chat service for TechNet subscribers, that can be used for finding technical documentation, product information, or information on how to use your subscription benefits.

   The Online Chat does not provide answers to TechNet subscription queries. For assistance on questions specific to managing subscriptions, or to make changes to your subscription by phone, online, or email, please contact customer service.

2. When is the TechNet Online Chat service available?

   TechNet Online Chat is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in English. It is also available in Japanese during Japanese business hours.

Post your technical questions in TechNet Forums to receive a response from a Microsoft support professional within 2 business days if the community hasn't answered your question.

• Access TechNet Forums

3. Is there a limit to the number of posts I can place?

   There is no limit to the number of postings that you can make to the Forums.

4. How do I access the priority based support in TechNet Forums?

   To access TechNet Forums, sign in to My Account. To ensure you receive a response within 2 business days, you must post using the Windows Live ID associated with your subscription.

5. When will I get a response to questions I have posted on the Forums?

   You will receive a response within two (2) business days (English only) by a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) or one of your peers. A Microsoft support professional will review responses for accuracy and post a response if needed.

6. Is anyone ensuring that responses are accurate?

   There are two ways we ensure that responses are accurate: First, Forum members tend to do a good job of guiding discussions and challenging answers that are suspect. Second, Microsoft support professionals review queries posted by registered TechNet Forums users to ensure that the community's responses are correct, and will respond if the community provides an incorrect or incomplete answer.

7. I posted a question to TechNet Forums and someone in the community responded, but I’m not satisfied with the response. Do I have to post the question again to get help from a Microsoft support professional?

   If an answer from the community does not resolve your issue and you require further assistance, you do not need to repost your question, but you do need to reply to the thread and state that your issue is not resolved to your satisfaction.

   Note: Microsoft support professionals review all responses to TechNet Subscribers. A Microsoft support professional will correct erroneous replies to a question, but may not directly respond if the community has correctly answered the question.

8. What's the difference between TechNet Forum support and the Professional support calls benefit?

   With TechNet Forums, TechNet subscribers enjoy unlimited, complimentary support as opposed to the limited number of professional support calls. Complex break/fix issues that involve extensive research time, issues involving custom-environment or server down situations are not recommended for the Forums. Issues of this nature are best handled working with a Microsoft support professional using one of your support calls.

As a TechNet Professional subscriber, you are entitled to receive two (2) complimentary support calls and a 20 percent discount¹ on any additional support calls you purchase. TechNet Standard subscribers do not receive Technical Support.

• Contact Microsoft Technical Support

9. What types of technical issues can I use the complimentary professional support calls included in my subscription for?

   Professional support calls included with a TechNet Professional subscription are Microsoft Problem Resolutions Services, and are designed to assist with problems with specific symptoms encountered while using a Microsoft product, where there is a reasonable expectation that the problem is caused by the Microsoft product. These support services can be used online or via phone and are delivered on a call basis. A call is defined as a single support issue and the reasonable effort needed to resolve it. A single support call is a problem that cannot be broken down into subordinate issues. If a problem consists of subordinate issues, each shall be considered a separate call. If a problem is determined by Microsoft to be the result of a defect in a Microsoft product, the customer will not be charged for that call. Professional support calls included with TechNet do not include Advisory Services.

10. How can I activate my professional support calls?

    You must Sign in and click the professional support calls link to redeem your complimentary support calls or purchase additional discounted support calls. You must first create a support contract and get an Access ID. Support contract can take up to 3 business days to be created.

    To set up your contract, please select the phone number in your region from the Professional Support Phone Numbers. Please have your Subscriber ID Number (Benefit Access Number) available. You can find your Subscriber ID on My Account. After the support contract is created, you can use your professional support calls by phone or online. Contact information is available on the Microsoft Online Assisted Support page.

    These support calls can be used to resolve technical break-fix issues and are the equivalent of paid professional support calls. You can use a support call to find a solution to a production issue if you can replicate that issue in a non-production environment.

11. Can I purchase additional professional support calls?

    Additional support calls can be purchased at a 20% discount¹ any time during your active subscription period. This offer only applies to pay-per-incident Professional Support and cannot be used for 5-incident packs, Premier Support, or Essential Support.

    ¹Discounts on pay-per-incident support are available only in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Austria, Ireland, Finland, France, South Africa, Greece, Liechtenstein, Faeroe Islands, Gibraltar, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Australia, and New Zealand.

12. Can unused support incidents be carried over when I renew?

    Unused support incidents cannot be carried over when renewing your subscription. If you renew your TechNet Professional, you are entitled to new incidents.

If you are a TechNet Volume License Administrator, for information on TechNet benefits administration using the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) site, please visit Volume Licensing section. If you don’t find what you are looking for, please contact us.

Software Assurance Benefit recipients: To manage your subscription, contact your benefits administrator, or find details in Subscriptions and Licenses.

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