Trend Micro router security pricing descends into farce

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 20 Feb 2009 at 12:25

Trend Micro has once again dropped the price of its router security software - two days after we exposed its rip-off Britain pricing.

The company launched its Home Network Defender on Wednesday, which claims to protect the entire home network by installing security software on the router.

Trend Micro initially announced the software would cost £64.95 in the UK, despite only costing $60 in the US - about £42 at current exchange rates.

Yesterday, however, the firm announced it had made an "error" in the initial press release, and that the software would actually cost £49.95 in Britain.

Today, it's gone a step further and dropped the price to £39.95, claiming that yesterday's correction was indeed an error in itself.

"It was actually caused by pound to euro transposition," a Trend Micro spokesperson claims. "I have now received confirmation that the UK pricing is actually £39.95 and 49.95 Euros [in Europe].

"The £64.95 figure was one of the early proposed Euros pricings but was never set at that amount. A miscommunication between parties caused it to be left in the press release," the spokesperson adds.

Ironically, the software is now marginally cheaper for British buyers than it is for our American counterparts.

We can't wait until Monday, when we expect Trend Micro to announce Home Network Defender is actually freeware.