Microsoft to end MSN Messenger in China by October

London: Microsoft will be switching off its Windows Live Messenger service in China from October.

The move will bring an end to the 15-year-old service.

According to the BBC, originally known as MSN Messenger, it was launched in 1999 but was switched off for most users in 2013, after Microsoft bought rival Skype.

The Chinese who continued to use the old service will now be transferred to Skype by 31 October.

Until 2009, Windows Live had a record 330 million users.

The numbers went down later, while users of Skype rose to nearly 300 million by 2012, the report said.