Dyn, Domain-name service provider, has announced that it will discontinue its free services, effective May 7.
DynDNS, a free dynamic DNS service and also the first offering from the company, allowed users to associate dynamic IP addresses with hostnames.
Dyn CEO Jeremy Hitchcock, in a blog post, announcing the removal of free service also explained the reason for this sudden move.
“For the last 15 years, all of us at Dyn have taken pride in offering a free version of our Dynamic DNS Pro product. What was originally a product built for a small group of users has blossomed into an exciting technology used around the world,” Hitchcock wrote.
“That is why with mixed emotions we announced the end of that free hostname program today, officially turning down on May 7th.”
Hitchcock stated that the free service was a kind of increasingly heavy burden for the company due the abuse of service by spammers and botnets that affected paid customers also. He added that the company felt closing the DynDNS free tier was the “most responsible action.”
Hitchcock said that the money saved by shuttering the free service will be invested in improving Dyn’s platform for its paid services.
Hitchcock also announced that the early users who had donated a small fee to the company in exchange for free lifetime service, will remain unaffected.
The first backers were emailed stating “because you believed in us and supported this company through your donations, we are continuing to fulfill our promise to you: your service is still free for life.”
“Without you, there would be no us, a company that has grown to nearly 300 employees around the world and that supports thousands and thousands of customers of all sizes.”
Hitchcock also noted that the company will be offering significant discounts to their free users, claiming them to be an important part of the company’s success.