Help with TechNet Plus Direct Subscription

[MrBear5587]

Hey.

I've just ordered a subscription for TectNet Plus Direct, paid for it etc.

I was under the impression that TN Plus Direct is the service where I can just download Office/Vista whereas TechNet Plus is more expensive but I receive stuff through the post etc.

Anyway, on the order status page, it says:

Item Submitted: 1 TechNet Plus Direct New Subscription ?283.00

Status as of (Pacific Time, GMT-8): 27/11/2006 10:32:00 Estimated Delivery Date 11/12/2006>

What I'm wondering, is what is there to be delivered? I wouldn have thought nothing.

I went on the TechNet homepage and clicked:

First time user?

? Associate your subscription with your Passport and you will be able to manage your benefits online.

However to do this, I need to enter a Benefit Access Number, Subscriber ID, or MSPP Partner ID, I don't have any of these.

How do I go about activating the subscription so I can basically login the technet site with my MS Passport and see my CD Keys/downloads etc.

Thanks!

[freeza]

how long does the subscription last?

[MrBear5587]

1 Year AFAIK, but all stuff downloaded from there you can continue to use and it's not time restricted.

Also, the licenses for Windows/Office allow you to activate on 10 different PCs, and unlimited times on the same PCs :p

Cheap way to get legit Vista Ultimate/Office 2007 Pro :p

[gill]

You can add your subscription ID that you received with your subscription... You should have received that :)

Edited November 27, 2006 by gill

[MrBear5587]

Hmm, only thing I've received so far is this email:

Microsoft has received your order, and it is being processed (please note that if you have not paid by credit card your order will be held until full payment has been received).

Ordered From: Microsoft TechNet

Order Number: <Snip>

Order Date: November 27, 2006

Ship to:

<Snip>

Sold to:

<Snip>

Following is a list of the items in your order:

Part Number: <Snip>

Product Name: TechNet Plus Direct New Subscription

Qty: 1

Unit Price: 283.00

Item Total: 283.00

Estimated Delivery Date (if order has been paid for upfront): December 11, 2006

Subtotal: 283.00

Total: 283.00 GBP

(GBP = UK Pound)

[gillcleeren]

Have you done the payment by credit card?

What happens when you fill in your order ID?

Could be that the order is still being processed...

Maybe contact your local help number? They are listed on Technet.

Keep me posted! I'm gonna order it too in a few days...

[tazzeh]

I may just consider signing up to Technet Plus Direct if it offers Vista Ultimate and Office 2k7.

"A 12 month TechNet Plus Direct subscription includes:

* Full-version Microsoft software licensed for evaluation purpose"

Thats whats mentioned on the subscription page.

Do they come with full proper CD keys to use, or just evaluation stuff? Have looked around the technet site and am confused about that bit.

[JustGeorge]

Do you get to legally continue "evaluating" the software after the sub ends? Might have to do this meself :)

Edited November 29, 2006 by denzilla

[Huy]

Yes, you can continue to use it even without a current subscription.

If you buy Direct, you don't get media shipments, only download access to the ISOs. You get proper CD keys to use.

[josh1014]

So is there any downside to getting your copy of Vista Ultimate through technet direct, aside from not getting a retail DVD and all the pretty packaging?

[Huy]

It is meant for evaluation purposes only.

There is a FAQ explaining the EULA here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/ms772427.aspx

[MrBear5587]

There are plenty of upsides.

Activating Windows TechNet Version on the same PC does not decrement the count, you can install the same software (using the same key) on 10 different machines.

Hopefully I'll receive my Benefit access number soon then I can post more info, but atm the order status still says "Submitted", as it has for about 3 days so hopefully it should be processed soon ^^

[EcPercy]

You are waiting on the welcome letter. That is what will be "shipped". If I remember correctly though. I got a hard copy of the welcome letter and an e-mail with the letter as well. My sub is the Technet Plus, but I can use the download site as well.

The subscription is 12 months for those that were asking. It has also been mentioned, but you can continue to use the software after the sub runs out.

[Zyphrax]

I heard that it takes 72 hours for your request to be processed.

[gill]

Why don't you give Microsoft a call?

Have you already tried this site: https://microsoft.na.subservices.com/technet/default.aspx ? Here you can ask to send your ID by mail.

[josh1014]

Have you gotten your Benefit number yet? I just ordered over the phone and I have an order ID and she also gave me a subscriber ID that she said probably wouldn't work until Monday. Where is this order status page? I can't seem to find it.

[nautiqueskier]

k, having TechNet Direct myself I can confirm the following:

1. What "Ships" is a cute little Microsoft Technet card for your wallet with your name and subscriber #.

2. It took me 2 days before the subscription became active and working.

3. The software is licensed for evaluation use but works for an unlimited amount of time. You can activate 10 times for each key (technically you could get 10 Ultimates, 10 Business, etc.). Reactivations on the same harder don't deduct from this limit.

4. You can request additional activations provided you have a good reason

5. You technically are only allowed to use this for one person and not in a working environment.

[josh1014]

Was there an email confirming that your subscription is active, or did you just keep trying until it worked?

[nautiqueskier]

Was there an email confirming that your subscription is active, or did you just keep trying until it worked?

I got a "Welcome to TechNet Plus!" email when my subscription was activated.

[josh1014]

That was quick... activated and downloading vista...

[AltecXP]

Hey congrats, after bad networking and spending last night w/ lockups i gave up on it for now.

[gill]

I ordered my subscription late last Friday, so I hope this week it will be activated... Have ordered online and payed by Visa...

I'll keep you updated.

[gillcleeren]

Have you already received yours...? I'm still waiting :(

[MrBear5587]

Hey all.

Here's an update.

27-Nov-2006 18:35 - Ordered TechNet Plus Direct Subscription, received confirmation email. -- Could not access benefits.

30-Nov-2006 21:26 - Received an email notifying me payment was successful. -- Could not access benefits.

01-Dec-2006 16:05 - Received an email titled "TechNet Order Confirmation". Contained within was my "TechNet Subscription No."

I entered this on the benefits page, tied it to my passport and now have full access to the downloads/product keys.

Haven't recevied anything through the post as of yet, expect I will during this week but I have everything I need anyway.

So basically the whole process took about 4 days.

There's a hell of a lot of stuff available on there also, all with 10 activations on different hardware possible.

To name just a few:

Windows Vista (Home B/Home P/Business/Ultimate)

Office 2007 (Pro/Pro Plus/Ultimate)

Office 2003 Pro

Windows XP Pro

Windows MCE/Tablet PC

Windows Server 2003

Which are mainly the things I signed up for, but it's nice to have access to other stuff too.

[stametis]

Received an email titled "TechNet Order Confirmation". Contained within was my "TechNet Subscription No."

I entered this on the benefits page, tied it to my passport and now have full access to the downloads/product keys.

I have this e-mail, and it will allow me to sign into the subscriber services area, however when I goto the passport page (which you need to get product keys) I get the following error:

TechNet Registration

Unrecognized Subscription Data

The data that you have provided could not be located in our system.

You can try to:

Reenter the data, making sure that all information provided is typed accurately.

Contact Support

Reference Id: <REMOVED>

This error has been logged with the reference number noted above. Please use this reference number if you contact support.