BulletVPN Shuts Down, Killing Lifetime Members' Subscriptions
(Monday July 14, 2025 @11:20AM (msmash)
from the how-about-that dept.)
- Reference: 0178374566
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/07/14/1420257/bulletvpn-shuts-down-killing-lifetime-members-subscriptions
- Source link:
VPN provider BulletVPN has [1]shut down its servers with immediate effect, [2]leaving subscribers without service regardless of their subscription terms. The company announced the closure on its website, citing "shifts in market demand, evolving technology requirements, and sustainability of operations."
Users with active subscriptions can receive a free six-month subscription to competitor Windscribe, "along with discounted long-term plans." Windscribe clarified it has not acquired BulletVPN or assumed control of its operations, and no user data including email addresses or account information was shared between the companies.
[1] https://www.bulletvpn.com/
[2] https://www.pcgamesn.com/vpn/bulletvpn-shuts-down
Users with active subscriptions can receive a free six-month subscription to competitor Windscribe, "along with discounted long-term plans." Windscribe clarified it has not acquired BulletVPN or assumed control of its operations, and no user data including email addresses or account information was shared between the companies.
[1] https://www.bulletvpn.com/
[2] https://www.pcgamesn.com/vpn/bulletvpn-shuts-down
Meaning of "lifetime" miss-understood by many (Score:2)
by LeadGeek ( 3018497 )
The term "lifetime" in a lifetime subscription or warranty always refers to the lifetime of the company issuing it, not the lifetime of the customer.
Entirely unsurprising (Score:2)
by TWX ( 665546 )
When I had to drive to a particular part of town every now and then I'd use the carwash near my destination since they did a decent job and weren't overpriced. They always offered lifetime car washes as a rather expensive package.
Last time I was there they were still offering those expensive lifetime packages. Next time after that I was in that part of town, perhaps three weeks later, the carwash was fenced-off with rental chain-link fencing. When I drove past a month later the carwash wasn't only torn-d
Lifetime has a special meaning (Score:3)
Clearly, lifetime plans only mean the company's lifetime; even then with bankruptcy and restructuring the company may live on while the lifetime plans die...
Re:Lifetime has a special meaning (Score:4, Insightful)
Not even that, it means 'whatever we want it to mean'. Many many years ago I purchased a 'lifetime' VPN via SlashDot Deals. Come to find out 'lifetime' was defined (unwritten) by the VPN company as 5 years. The dollar value was low enough that the 5 years worked out to a trivial amount per year so I didn't come out feeling outright swindled, but I was disappointed in the marketing gymnastics just the same. The company still lives on today.
Re: (Score:2)
Name 'em