I want to change provider but keep my email address?

nandrews

I am wanting to move from Virgin Media (have been for some time), but what stops me in the main is that I believe I will have to change my email address.
I suppose it is like moving house and eventually (after redirecting for a while) I'd have to tell everyone I know of my new house address.
Somehow with email it seems more daunting a prospect. My email is known by far more people than my house address!
Is there any way to keep an email address and either transfer it to a new provider or to have it redirect it permanently?

Thanks
Nigel

espresso

Only an idiot uses e-mail accounts provided by ISP's when there are so many alternatives to choose from. Why don't you simply start using an ISP independent e-mail account now and then switch?

terryw

espresso wrote: »

Only an idiot uses e-mail accounts provided by ISP's when there are so many alternatives to choose from. Why don't you simply start using an ISP independent e-mail account now and then switch?

Perhaps a little harsh.

I always prefer to see a BT or Virgin email rather than Hotmail or whatever. This shows some permanence rather than a possible scammer. Certainly, I would not deal with any commercial organisation operating with Hotmail etc.

Apart from anything else, my email with Virgin shows my full name. I prefer this to be being terryw870 with Hotmail.

Out of curiosity I hope the OP gets a possible solution to his concern.

spike7451

No,once your VM account is closed off,you're access to the VM email will be to.

espresso

terryw wrote: »

Perhaps a little harsh.

I always prefer to see a BT or Virgin email rather than Hotmail or whatever. This shows some permanence rather than a possible scammer. Certainly, I would not deal with any commercial organisation operating with Hotmail etc.

Apart from anything else, my email with Virgin shows my full name. I prefer this to be being terryw870 with Hotmail.

That is where we disagree then because the OP is currently locked into Virgin, due to using their ISP's e-mail - why do you think that ISP's offer free email?

I have never had an e-mail address showing my full name and would never choose to do that, as it is rather silly and an open invitation to spambots e.g. send to all addresses including 'terry' in the address.

BT or Virgin e-mail addresses have no special kudos - much better to use your own domain for an unlimited number of personal e-mail addresses.

macman

How can sending a group bcc email to every contact in your address book be a 'daunting prospect'? It takes 5 minutes or less.
The log into your online accounts and change the contact details-maybe an hour at most?
It's like saying that you could never move house because you'd have to tell everyone your new street address-would that deter you from moving?
The alternative is to stick with VM forever.

nandrews

Phew! I am smarting from the attack!
Well of course it is not only those people on my contact list that have my email address. I have used it with many organisations, some of which will require more even than an email for me to change it, some will require a regular letter. My banks will no doubt want a form filled in and signed!
There are those whom I have given my email address, but have not contacted that way. No doubt there are others who have it and I want them to be able to contact me. I can't think of all of them and that is the point, I shouldn't have to!
Perhaps in future, like changing energy supplies, we will be able to move freely between our choice of provider without being 'chained'.
Thanks (to those that at least sympathised!)
Nigel

custardy

nandrews wrote: »

Phew! I am smarting from the attack!
Well of course it is not only those people on my contact list that have my email address. I have used it with many organisations, some of which will require more even than an email for me to change it, some will require a regular letter. My banks will no doubt want a form filled in and signed!
There are those whom I have given my email address, but have not contacted that way. No doubt there are others who have it and I want them to be able to contact me. I can't think of all of them and that is the point, I shouldn't have to!
Perhaps in future, like changing energy supplies, we will be able to move freely between our choice of provider without being 'chained'.
Thanks (to those that at least sympathised!)
Nigel

To be fair,nobody is chained to their ISP emails
I use my VM emails on some stuff,but am aware of the issue of losing access on leaving VM

macman

You can move entirely freely if you don't use an ISP-linked address.
Setting up a GMail account takes a few minutes only.

dodger148

Bit of joke and pain really, wanting to use ISP addresses instead of the free ones.

BT email is run by Yahoo!
Sky email is run by Google (GMail)

could go on

yangptangkipperbang

Get your own domain.

nandrews.co.uk - nandrews.com - nandrews.eu ??

You can then keep your email address(es). You can also have as many addresses as you want - which is a very good spam catcher as well.

I just have changed from O2 to BT for my BB. All I had to do was change the incoming/outgoing server details in my email client.