Yahoo closing free web hosting service

Yahoo has announced it is closing down its free web hosting service later this year.

The firm is shutting its GeoCities free service from October 26th and putting its entire range of options for consumers out of service.

Launched in 1994, GeoCities was the one of the first places many website creators went for their pages to be hosted.

It was designed to be a place where amateur web designers could have their sites hosted so long as adverts were displayed on the pages.

The company has now warned that existing users will no longer be able to access their accounts of files after the date it is shutting down the free hosting site.

"If you would like to move your web site, or save the images and other files you have uploaded online, then please act now by downloading your files," said Yahoo.

Carrie Hill, director of search strategies at US firm Blizzard Internet Marketing, recently wrote on Search Engine Watch that dedicated servers should be used by people or organisations which run multiple websites.

Written by Chris Ball