Yahoo dumps Yahoo Plus service

Yahoo on Thursday said that it was discontinuing its Yahoo Plus service, a bundle of offerings including a broadband-optimized portal, extra storage for mail, photos and other data, premium video content, ad-free radio and online security services. The service, which cost $5.95 a month or $47.40 a year, will be discontinued beginning April 23, the company said in an e-mail sent to customers Wednesday.

"We are discontinuing our Yahoo Plus service as part of our ongoing commitment to focus on businesses that are core to our future growth," a company spokeswoman said in an e-mail on Thursday. "We always listen to our users and assess which businesses it makes the most sense for Yahoo to operate in and it has become clear that Plus was not an essential service for Yahoo users." Yahoo has a frequently asked questions page with more information.

[toddanthonydirect]

What?

As a loyal Yahoo! Plus user, I will miss it dearly.

Or will I? No. No, I don't think I will miss it come to think of it. I won't miss it at all. In fact, now that I've thought about it some more, I don't really understand why it was launched in the first place.

[andyengle]

Haha! (and a word about their customer disservice)

That's pretty funny.

Speaking of Yahoo, what's the deal with their customer service? It's horrible. I use their "Mail Plus" service, and a while back my account was trashed for a week. I couldn't login via the web, couldn't POP in, couldn't send, you name it. Mail that was sent to my address was bouncing and there was nothing I could do. I contacted Yahoo via their technical support contact form, which of course was useless. I don't think they read those e-mails, or they're so swamped with trouble e-mails that they don't respond.

Anyway, in my frustration I decided to call Yahoo to ask them why my *premium* account was trashed. I couldn't find their technical support number, so I had to go to the Yahoo corporate "About Us" page, call their main number, and then navigate my way through their IVR system to get to the technical support group. I finally got somebody on the phone and asked them why my account was no longer. They were friendly, but not really helpful. I was transferred to a level two technical support person who also tried to help.

A week later my account was restored. I received no word on what happened, why it happened, or how it could be prevented from happening again. Even more frustrating, I was not given any sort of refund for this "premium" mail service for which I paid. It's a good thing that I don't do business with that particular account because if I did, that would be a week of business e-mail communications lost. That would have been very costly and extremely inconvenient.

Maybe Yahoo should focus on servicing their existing customers instead of figuring out more ways they can separate more people from their money.

[mvl_groups_user]

How will this affect Verizon/Yahoo and SBC/Yahoo

Anyone know how this will impact cobrand relationships such as Verizon/Yahoo and SBC/Yahoo?

I am a Verizon Yahoo customer, and value the features Plus offered (larger mailbox, POP3 yahoo mail, more launchcast stations).

Verizon CS didn't even know of this change. Does anyone out there have more information?

[toaster5]

Yahoo pressures Plus users to switch ISP

While Yahoo's press release indicates they are cancelling the Yahoo Plus service the truth is more underhanded. In Yahoo?s message to current subscribers they indicate that the services currently provided under Yahoo Plus will continue if you switch to AT&T or Verizon for your ISP.

If I don't switch my internet service to AT&T or Verizon I will loose access to the several Gigs of high-resolution photos I have stored under my Yahoo Plus account. (I will only be able to download low resolution photos.) Given that it is impossible for me to download all my photos prior to the forced cancellation of my Yahoo Plus account, Yahoo has considerable leverage to force me to switch ISPs.

I believe this practice of forced bundling is anticompetitive and (arguably) illegal under the Sherman Act.

If you want to join me in challenging Yahoo?s actions please send me an email at [e-mail].

[netmasta]

Oops on the media

Well the day has come and past, and guess what? Just as I thought, I still have Y! plus. Two things tipped me off that this was possible a fake news story.

1. Yahoo! would let Plus users know at the same time, if not earlier that the press if they were canceling the service.

2. The "help" page on Yahoo! lookes suspicously different, IMO.


Does anyone know the real reason behind this story. Especially since, news.com PCWorld, etc. actually reported it as being a legit story?