Michael Rawding, Vice-President of Microsoft Corporation, addresses at the launching ceremony of Microsoft's new service for China, May 26, 2005. [Photo/IC]

Microsoft will close its Windows Live Messenger (MSN) service on the Chinese mainland by October 31, the Beijing Morning Post reported.

Skype, the real-time Internet communication service provided by Microsoft, has emailed Chinese MSN users about the change, suggesting they move to the VoIP (Voice-over-internet Protocol) service.

Except for the Chinese mainland, Microsoft pulled the plug on the MSN service globally on April 8, 2013. But users here have been experiencing difficulties with the service since the move.

MSN once attracted over 20 million users in China. The number has dropped sharply due to the rapid development of mobile communication technology and challenges from domestic rivals such as QQ, WeChat and Sina Weibo.

The Windows 8 system, another service provided by Microsoft, is also struggling in the Chinese market. Analysts said the operation system's underperformance is the main reason.

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