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In a significant move not just for Amazon but for the cloud industry as a whole, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has declared that it will no longer charge customers to migrate their data away from the platform in the event that they choose another provider.

Amazon says its decision aims to give customers greater flexibility to choose their preferred cloud, on-prem, or hybrid solutions. It comes in the wake of Google Cloud making a similar move around two months ago.

The decision aligns with the European Data Act, which came into force in January 2024 and aims to enhance competition by facilitating easier cloud provider transitions.

Previously, AWS users were limited by the companys 100GB-per-month free data transfer limit, however while that still stands, those wishing to move all of their data to another provider can now do so for free.

Despite the European Data Act focusing on promoting competition specifically within Europe, AWSs policy change applies globally, as does Googles. Its unclear whether the providers agree that derestricting egress is the right thing to do or whether they anticipate similar regulations coming into force globally.

AWSs change isnt quite as simple as making a move free because customers must first contact the company in order to receive credits to cover the cost of the egress. We posited that this could be a ploy to convince customers to stay with AWS rather than switch providers, but a company spokesperson affirmed that it understands why some customers may wish to move, adding that by contacting AWS, advisors can help the process.

In a blog post introducing the change, AWS developer Sbastien Stormacq expressed hope that users will choose to stay within the AWS ecosystem despite the new ability to swap providers more freely.

Ultimately, the removal of fees is a step in the right direction, however the company, which is under the watchful eye of the UKs Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), still imposes some technical barriers that hamper interoperability.

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AWS follows Google Cloud, drops egress fees when moving all data to another cloud provider - TechRadar