Through a notice posted on the official website of MSN Direct, Microsoft informs the users that MSN Direct will discontinue its services from January 1st 2012. Thus, the users of certain satellite navigation devices can no longer receive traffic updates, weather reports and other real time information from 2012 January.

MSN Direct service employs FM radio frequencies to deliver data. The availability of alternatives to broadcast data including Wi-Fi, cellular, FM RDS and other digital networks, and the subsequent reduction for the demand of MSN Direct is reported to be the chief reason behind this decision to discontinue FM based MSN service. Intrinsically, Microsoft has planned to focus on these existing and popular network connections in US and Canada, and discontinue MSN Direct service.

MSN was initially launched in 2004. Currently, GPS makers like Garmin and Pioneer sell units that can receive MSN Direct. Their comment on the same are not available till now.

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