BlueJeans closing down as it admits defeat in the video conferencing wars

BlueJeans will be given the axe this month as parent company Verizon looks to optimize costs.

The news comes just three years after the telecoms giant acquired the video conferencing after a year-long decision-making process that was based on the hope that BlueJeans could take on the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

In an email to customers on August 8 seen by 9to5Google, the company said: “We want to share that we have made the difficult decision to sunset our suite of BlueJeans products.”

BlueJeans video conferencing app no longer available

The email describes the app as an “award-winning product” which was clearly more geared towards businesses and enterprises than individuals, with customers including Facebook, Adobe, and Dolby.

The company only recently added in the free tier, which it calls Basic, in order to support small teams with calls capable of handling up to 25 participants. Otherwise, customers had the choice of opting for Pro ($17.49 monthly or $13.99 when paid annually) or Enterprise ($19.99 monthly or $16.66 when paid annually).

In the email, BlueJeans explains: “In light of this, BlueJeans Basic and free trial offerings will be discontinued effective August 31, 2023, and your access to the services will be removed. However, you can continue to use these services until that time.”

The communication also advises customers to download any saved recordings before August 31 before it gets deleted for good.

A distinct lack of information regarding the two paid plans leaves the majority of customers clueless about their service, however it’s possible that those customers will have slightly more time. The company did not immediately respond to TechRadar Pro’s request for further information.

Either way, all BlueJeans customers are being urged to find a suitable alternative before time runs out.

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