Keeping email address when changing ISP? Help a newbie!

ajdj

Hi everyone,

A newbie on MSE but have been a 'silent saver' for the last few weeks. This site has given me loads of ideas but wondering if anyone can help....

I am currently spending £15.99/month on dial up with Bt Yahoo Anytime (btopenworld when i signed up about 3 years ago).

Anyway- i'm fed up with the slow speed of dial up, know that i can get broadband for the same price every month but want to keep my btopenworld.com email address as i have everything registered through this address and don't want to have to change all my details across the sites.

The email is web based or via outlook. Does anybody know if my email account will remain open if i change ISP? I'm thinking it probably won't but wondered if anyone had any advice?

Thanks!

ffym

When I went to Broadband I kept my old ISP as a PAYG dial up service. You need to make a call to it every few months to keep it active but can keep the e-mail address. Don't see why you couldn't do that with BT Yahoo if they have a PAYG dial up service.

ajdj

Thanks ffym,

Have just checked and they do- no monthly cost just pay for the time you are online- 1p/min min 5p charge. If you pay for the email service its £1.50/month so if u can keep my btopenworld.com addie with PAYG then i could get it for 5p/month! Think i'll have to ring them when i get chance....

Browntoa

you can keep it on dial up, i had to do that for ages

think you just need to dial in once every 60-90 days

JohalaReewi

Shouldn't be a problem. Your email client should still be able to collect your btopenworld over the broadband connection via your new ISP. In addition, you will have a new email account (or two!) with your new ISP. You can also send mail via your new ISP using your old email address. In a nutshell, all your email comes and goes via the broadband connection. Just use the dial up for a couple of minutes a month (or two) to keep your BT account active.

gavinp

Longer term, you may want to consider using a hosting company for your email service:

http://order.1and1.co.uk/xml/order/MailInstantMail

I use 1&1 (along with a fair number of other people I know) and for £12 a year, it gives you complete freedom from any ISP so you can move to anyone you like.

Thanks

Gavin

ajdj

Thanks for your help everyone, but i think i have now answered my own question.

Having logged on and viewing 'my account' details there is the option to change 'product' online. I can change to a basic mail account where there is NO monthly charge and retain my current email address. This will cancel my current dial up package and i can hunt for broadband elsewhere.

The storage space is still 2GB although i don't get anywhere near that.

Now just got to trawl through all the broadband reviews!

thyme_2

Thanks ffym and others for that info - as I am looking at options at the moment as I seem to be spending hours on the net and I am still on PYG! probably not the best thing to be doing when I am supposed to be watching the budget. lol!

HonestJohn

Downgrade your BT account to payg to keep your email address then dial in once every 3 months to keep the account alive. They even email you after it hasn't been used for 60 days to remind you. You will have to use your new ISP's smtp server to send your emails as BT only allow it if you are connected to them, I guess to stop spammers.