<p>Microsoft is planning to force existing Windows Live Messengers users to upgrade to Skype from April 8th. In an effort to phase out its Messenger service, Windows Live Messenger clients will be restricted from signing into the service gradually starting in early April. Microsoft will be migrating users depending on their language, starting with English first and ending with Portuguese no sooner than April 30th.</p><p>Forced Skype upgrade starts for English users first</p><p>Contrary to Microsoft's confusing email to some Windows Live Messenger users, and other reports, Windows Live Messenger will not cease functioning on March 15th for everyone. Microsoft has been testing its migration plans with a test cell, so a very small number will move over on March 15th, but 99 percent of users will start shifting across from April 8th onwards. "The upgrade process itself has been going really well, we've had millions of customers move over," says Skype's Parri Munsell.</p><p>Existing Windows Live Messenger users will be greeted with an upgrade notification from April 8th onwards that will prevent them from signing into the service. Microsoft is pre-caching the Skype installer to existing machines to allow users to simply accept the notification and switch over to Skype, while the installer removes Windows Live Messenger.</p><p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/15/3991370/windows-live-messenger-skype-upgrade-april-onwards">Keep reading...</a></p>