Host1free, a brand of Host1Plus, just ceased its free VPS business.
Timeline: With no sign at all, on June 8, 2013, days before the SolusVM breach, Host1free sent off an e-mail to most of the free VPS users:
`Dear Host1Free User [Username],
We would like to announce that due to changes in our network infrastructure we will be changing current IP address of your free VPS server 5.175.217.*** to the new one 5.231.18.***.
In order to allow you to prepare for this event we added IP address 5.175.217.*** as main IP address and old 5.231.18.*** IP left as additional to your free VPS server. Next Wednesday (2013-06-13) old IP address will be removed.
Please make sure to update your servers settings, DNS settings and etc. accordingly to avoid any inconience after old IP(5.231.18.***) address removal at Wednesday."
Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
Regards, Host1Free adminsitrators team`
As this doesn't usually happen in the industry, this IP change has marked the sign of their consideration of ceasing the free VPS service.
Days later, on June 16 SolusVM breach happened, and this is never a better chance for them to cease the business:
Regarding the Recent SolusVM Security Breach http://www.host1free.com/blog/regarding-the-recent-solusvm-security-breach/
Sounds normal? But whilst they disconnected the control panel, all free VPSes seemed to be shut down, and users discovered that both their old and new IPs are appointed to other websites.
If you are still using one of the free VPS providers, DO remember to perform intense backup on your data. As these are free services, no one will credit to the safety of your data.
I am not trolling on Host1free, however, I believe they had put much effort into this service, kept it up for long time (one or two years I think). But the result did not meet their aim - to guide costumers to their expensive paid VPSes. So eventually, this free service will die.