VMware perpetual license holders receive cease-and-desist letters from Broadcom.

According to a recent investigation by Ars Technica, the online news outlet responsible for today's referenced article, Broadcom, one of the largest U.S. telecommunications networking companies, has reportedly begun sending termination letters to all owners of VMware perpetual licenses with expired support contracts.

VMware, a virtualization and cloud computing company whose services were based on subscription, was acquired by Broadcom in 2023; its first move was to terminate sales of the company's perpetual licenses; those who owned the software could continue to use it, however, without any kind of support services. The intent of the move was to push users to purchase VMware bundle subscriptions, the cost of which equates to 300 percent more than the original single price.

Currently, in 2025, Broadcom has contacted all users in possession of VMware software, stating that they are required to discontinue use of any release of the product in question.