Seattle, Oct 01: Microsoft Corp. said on Tuesday it would pay $10.5 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit brought by US customers who claimed the No. 1 software maker used its monopoly power to overcharge them for direct purchases of software. Under the settlement, consumers and businesses who bought Microsoft's software directly from the company's Web site or direct marketing campaigns agreed to drop their charges.
Microsoft, which admitted no wrongdoing, said it will pay each purchaser a portion of the price paid for software bought up until April 30, 2003.

Microsoft and the plaintiff's lawyers estimated that the total value of the payout would amount to $10.5 million.
The settlement, which is pending in the US District Court in Maryland, must be approved by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz.
"Microsoft is pleased to have reached a mutually satisfactory settlement with these plaintiffs, and believes that resolution of this case is another step in our effort to resolve these issues so we can focus on the future," Tom Burt, Microsoft's deputy general counsel for litigation, said in a statement. Bureau Report