change ISP - keep or lose your email address?

Uthur

hi folks!

i am about to switch from vodafone to upc. i still have an old @iol.ie email
address that i use for a lot of things (vodafone own this domain now).

does anyone know whether VF would likely kill this email address off when i leave?
i'd hate to lose it as i've been using it since the 90s

any thoughts?

fat-tony

They might stop you sending mail through their SMTP server once you migrate off their network. I found eircom to be quite reasonable though, as after I moved to BT (subsequently Vodafone), eircom allowed me to maintain an email address and afterwards updated me to their webmail service. I suppose it all boils down to whether they might want you back as a customer at some point in the future!

Uthur

thanks that is reassuring hopefully they will anticipate i might do business with them again some day.

fat-tony

Uthur wrote: »

thanks that is reassuring hopefully they will anticipate i might do business with them again some day.

You can but ask them:)

FSL

I still have a live email address from a provider I used when in a different country and it still works. The only thing you need to remember is if you are using an email client then all your outgoing emails must be sent through your ISP's SMTP server not the SMTP server of the provider of the email address.

_CreeD_

Left Ireland 12 years ago....still have a working eircom.net email address

michaelotoole

I stopped using Eircom for so many years I can't remember but my modem at the time was 1200 baud... Never lost my email addy though...
I'm now back with them and it's been active and working for all of that time... Go Eircom...

Now if only they'd move my line to the closer cabined

Zascar

Am I the only one that finds it amazing that people are still using iol and eircom email addresses?

Seriously - www.gmail.com

Alun

I know I certainly wouldn't be wanting to rely on the goodwill of an ex-ISP to continue supplying me with email services I'm not paying for any more. They would be perfectly within their rights to cut you off without so much of nanosecond's notice, so why take the risk?

long_b

You've all seen this thread, about UTV charging, yeah ?

michaelotoole

Zascar wrote: »

Am I the only one that finds it amazing that people are still using iol and eircom email addresses?

Seriously - www.gmail.com

If you've been using an email address for years it's knida hard to give it up, even if you have a gmail account...

fat-tony

Yes, it's useful to have some redundancy in email accounts. Don't want Google spying on all your mail;) (just leave that to NSA,GCHQ etc.)

davidod1

Further to the above:

My service provider is UTV and I have just had a phone call from them advising me that they are ceasing to host all email on the 30th June. There will not even be an option to continue by paying a service charge.

From my point of view I do have an alternative GMail account but my main address was with UTV and some companies will not accept a cloud provided email address they do require an ISP type of address.

Zascar

davidod1 wrote: »

From my point of view I do have an alternative GMail account but my main address was with UTV and some companies will not accept a cloud provided email address they do require an ISP type of address.

Like who? Gmail is the most used email address in the world. I have never had a problem, or heard of anyone having a problem because they have a gmail address. I would not worry about it.

Are utv forwarding your emails or will they just bounce?

davidod1

I have seen sites advising "No Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail email addresses accepted" - When completing a recent financial form I was also advised that a GMail address would not be acceptable.

I have asked UTV about forwarding emails and as yet they have not decided on that. I think they will have to do that though.

Zascar

I think I remember seeing that once years ago but in the 6 years I've had a gmail address I've never had a problem

Best to buy your own domain and manage your own email. Search for Email Hosting, all the major providers do it, its not very expensive

Johnboy1951

Zascar wrote: »

Am I the only one that finds it amazing that people are still using iol and eircom email addresses?

Seriously - www.gmail.com

I don't find it amazing at all ....... Google are one of the most invasive companies on the planet!

Zascar

There are alternatives to Gmail if you don't like Google. Gmail is a fantastic web based email client though. You could also go for a fully secure email account like hushmail - but you may have to pay a bit.

Seriously though what are you scared of? I doubt Google cares about your emails to your mum with cat pictures. Use Adblock if you dont want to see the targeted advertising.

Johnboy1951

Zascar wrote: »

There are alternatives to Gmail if you don't like Google. Gmail is a fantastic web based email client though. You could also go for a fully secure email account like hushmail - but you may have to pay a bit.

Seriously though what are you scared of? I doubt Google cares about your emails to your mum with cat pictures. Use Adblock if you dont want to see the targeted advertising.

Scared? How did you come up with that one?

Privacy is not about protecting secrets ..... it is about the right not to be observed, spied upon etc etc. without legal process.

When recommending Gmail to others you might want to think about also telling them what Google is like regarding their privacy.

davidod1

Best to buy your own domain and manage your own email. Search for Email Hosting, all the major providers do it, its not very expensive

I haven't looked in to using my own domain. I assume you are talking about getting someone to host it for you. I did think of of Topmail.ie and they are charging €2.50 p/m. Would that be a more simple option in your opinion?

Johnboy1951

Get your own domain name ...... can get a free service where emails addressed to your domain are passed to any email address or addresses you specify and not stored by the service.

You keep the email@domain.name and change the receiving email addresses as you fancy.

garyegt

FYI op, I really wouldn't rely on this mail server. it's still owned and manned by BT, Vodafone didn't take it over. I've heard about the condition of the actual server, it's an ancient machine basically under someone's desk. If its kicked over "accidentally" it ain't being repaired