Are Microsoft about to start charging for Windows Live Mobile?

neilm · 09-01-2008, 12:55 PM

Following on from a thread on Modaco it appears that anyone logging into Windows Live Mobile from WM or Symbian devices is being presented with a '30 day trial' warning message, and advice that after the trial, a further 30 day access period can be purchased.

This suggests that MS have decided to make WLM a subscription service, which will upset a lot of users, especially those whose mobile operators dropped their own services in favour of WLM.

I can confirm that my attempt to log in to Windows Live today via my Orange device gave the warning

cyclist · 09-01-2008, 01:19 PM

Seems a bit short-sighted - surely offering this free for customers of all operators helps sell PPC's?

hotrodbx · 09-01-2008, 01:34 PM

I got the same message as well. this sucks BIG TIME.

I hope Yahoo! take advantage of this and include mesenger with Yahoo Go! 3.0!!

dmr54 · 09-01-2008, 02:35 PM

Now that's a shame, one less app that will be on my device that's for sure, I don't use it enough to warrent paying for it.

Alsicole · 09-01-2008, 03:13 PM

Similar for me. I use it occasionally, but as I already have an extra data cost with Web&Walk Plus so I can tether to my laptop and use Messenger, the idea of paying an extra extra fee is not very welcome.

dmr54 · 09-01-2008, 03:20 PM

Hadn't thought of that which is stupid of me as when I renewed my contract sometime ago I also paid the extra to have that function but for some stupid reason have never actually used it DOH

boz · 09-01-2008, 10:42 PM

Microsoft + Money = Grrrrrrr

fowljr · 09-01-2008, 11:13 PM

I've been playing with Palringo for messenger on the Ameo, it works pretty well. Just don't let it auto-login!

I like to control when I sign into messenger.

irblinx · 10-01-2008, 06:48 AM

Odd, I don't often use it but just happened to log on last night and didn't get any message

windows · 10-01-2008, 07:22 AM

Evidently MS have stated:

Microsoft confirms that these 30-day trial messages were pushed out, but it claims that this wasn't supposed to happen on Windows Mobile devices. The messages were only intended for the Symbian-based Nokia S60 smartphone.

"This week we rolled out a direct-to-consumer billing service for the Windows Live client on Nokia S60 in the UK and Sweden," reads a statement from Matt Champagne, director of Windows Live mobile services. "Although we are considering doing the same at a future time for Windows Mobile, this has not been implemented – however, something happened and many of you saw a trial message on Windows Mobile devices. Windows Mobile customers shouldn’t have received any notifications of a 30-day trial and we are working as quickly as possible to correct this."

"As you may know, we offer Messenger services through mobile operators on lots of handsets, not just Windows Mobile. Traditionally, customers have been billed by their mobile operators for many of these services, either directly or through their data package."