Microsoft has handed the Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) contract to Westcoast and Ingram Micro, The Channel can reveal.

Ten disties responded to last month's Request for Proposal from Microsoft as Redmond overhauls the go-to-market model that saw five large account resellers holding exclusive distribution rights to SPLA.

Under the new look set-up, Microsoft has employed the two broadliners to push its software licences to hosting firms and independent software vendors.

The absence of distribution may have been a factor in SPLA's limited adoption, say sources, and some larger resellers claimed to feel more comfortable about buying the licences from wholesalers rather than competitors.

"We'll compete more aggressively in the SPLA space now because we can go head-to-head with the previous incumbents. This should level the playing field," said a reseller source.

However Microsoft previously told The Channel the five large account resellers that had had master rights to sell SPLA - HP, Bytes Software Services, Comparex, Insight and Softcat - would still be able to buy directly from the vendor.

Microsoft UK hosting boss Simon Aldous did not reply to a call for comment and Ingram and Westcoast were unavailable to discuss the matter at the time of writing. ®