Microsoft Kills Equipt Subscription Offering

After offering it only since July, Microsoft is discontinuing its Equipt package of software and services.

The move follows the company's decision to also kill off OneCare, the security software that was included in the Equipt package, but it may also be related to Circuit City's demise. The retailer, currently in liquidation, was the only outlet to sell the Equipt package in the U.S.

Equipt is a package that includes Office Home and Student 2007, OneCare, Office Live Workspaces, Windows Live Mail, Live Messenger and Live Photo. Users paid US$70 a year for it.

Microsoft began selling Equipt in Circuit City stores on July 15. Late last year, Equipt went on sale in the U.K. also.

Microsoft decided to discontinue Equipt after it announced in November that it is developing a no-cost anti-malware product, Morro, to replace OneCare. "As a result of this new offering and the discontinuation of OneCare, Microsoft Equipt, which includes a subscription to OneCare, will be discontinued after April 30, 2009," the Equipt Web site says.

Equipt users are eligible for a prorated refund for unused months of their subscription and a free copy of Office Home and Student 2007. Users can fill out a form on the Equipt site to receive those benefits.