A method and Subscription Service Host Server that support a presence service receives multiple subscription requests associated with multiple of subscribers, wherein each subscription request of the multiple subscription requests comprises a request to subscribe to presence information of a status publication source. In response to receiving the multiple subscription requests, a subscription is created for each subscriber of the multiple subscribers. A system condition is monitored and, based on the monitored system condition, a determination is made to suspend a subscription of a subscriber of the multiple subscribers. The subscription of the subscriber is placed into a suspended state to produce a suspended subscription, wherein the Server suspends the subscription without receiving, from the subscriber, a request to suspend the subscription. Subsequent to placing the subscription into a suspended state, a determination is made to one of reactivate and terminate the suspended subscription.