Microsoft confirms to turn off its Windows Live Messenger service globally (except for China where Messenger will continue to be available, because it is run under licence there. ) on15 March 2013 and users have to shift to Skype. The service switch is a consequence of Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype in October 2011 for $8.5bn (£5.3bn). The Redmond, Washington-based technology giant announced in November that it was shutting down Messenger in favour of merging users into Skype. The transition began late last year with the release of Skype 6.0 software that lets people sign in to the online communication service using Microsoft accounts.
To help people migrate before 15 March, Microsoft has been sending e-mails to its Messenger users, asking them to upgrade to Skype as soon as possible, along with a thorough set of instructions to do the same. The text of the mail says-” It’s time to Update Messenger to Skype. On 15 March the service will get expired and all your Messenger contacts will be Transferred to your Skype account.” Here is a snapshot of the original message being sent by Live team:
Email also contains some important things as they follow:
- So, what’s happening between now and 15th March?
Messenger will continue to work as you know it today. If you are signed in with Messenger on your desktop you will see a banner notification to upgrade. When you click on the banner, an installer window will open with the request to upgrade. This will take you through our installer flow to install Skype and automatically uninstall Messenger. - So, what’s happening after 15th March?
Messenger users on desktops will not be able to sign in and will only be able to upgrade to Skype. If you attempt to sign in, a notification will appear, and if you continue, you will be taken through our installer flow to install Skype and automatically uninstall Messenger at the same time. - Can I update to Skype on my mobile?
Yes! Skype is available on iPhone, Android and soon on Windows Phone 8. We encourage you to download the latest Skype app on your mobile and then uninstall Messenger. You will be able to sign in to Skype on your iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 8 mobile apps with your Microsoft Account over the next few weeks. If you use another phone with Messenger on it, it will continue to work for a while. - Where can I learn more?
For more help on updating to Skype, please visit the Skype Support site.
The Windows Live Messenger instant messaging program was known as MSN Messenger when it first launched in 1999. The service is believed to be used by about 300 million people every month.
