BT's latest rip off

Angela1234567

I have a bt internet email address but get I/net via a cheaper provider. BT are now going to charge a monthly fee for using '@ btinternet' to all emails who are not getting their internet service from BT (which is one of the expensive providers) - sharp practice or what. Below is extract from their email (I have responded telling them this is sharp practice):
Hello,
This summer, we're simplifying our email product range and we'll be closing some of our email services on 16 September 2013.

This means that your xyz bt email address will stop working after that date.
Act now if you want to keep your email address
There are three things you can do to keep your email address and all your messages and contacts. But whichever one you pick, you must do it before 16 September.
1. If you've got BT Broadband, you can keep your email address for free
Just link your address to your BT account. It's quick, easy and free. You can find out more and follow the instructions at bt blah blah (You'll need your reference number, which we've included above.)
2. If you don't have BT Broadband, sign up to keep your email address



You can sign up for BT Broadband and then link your BT email address to it. To do that: keep this email safe, you'll need it later

• sign up to one of our broadband packages - below
• once you've placed your order, come back to this email and link your email address to your new account by filling in the form at BT blah blah You'll need to put in your order and fill in the form before 16 September. You'll also need the reference number above.

3. Keep your email address by signing up for BT Premium Mail
If you haven't got BT Broadband and you don't want to sign up for it, you can still keep your email address by signing up for BT Premium Mail for £1.60 a month. Find out more at bt blah blah .

Cardew

I thought that was normal practice for many companies - didn't AOL do the same years ago?

earthstorm

well as you are not using their Broadband service, but are using their mail server so do you not think they have a right to charge you for using their services. You will find that this is how businesses survive by charging people for their services/products

VisionMan

As you are not using their Broadband service, its actually not unreasonable to now charge you for access to their mail servers.

earthstorm

You are actually lucky to still have access to your emails after you left their Broadband.

Plusnet ( BT brand) closes down email access if you leave their Broadband and they are not the only ones.

techno12

Didn't they do this years ago?

I left BT 10 years ago but wanted to keep my btinternet.com email and I've had to pay for it (£1.60 a month currently). I think they started charging me a couple of years after I left.

brewerdave

HORRANGE/Wanadoo/Freeserve just chopped my email access off about 3 montrhs after I moved away -no option to keep it!! AND no notice when it went!

DUTR

techno12 wrote: »

Didn't they do this years ago?

I left BT 10 years ago but wanted to keep my btinternet.com email and I've had to pay for it (£1.60 a month currently). I think they started charging me a couple of years after I left.

My account was on payg, perhaps those that still have them are on payg,
My brother has just rung he has a talk21 account and has recieved the same email.

macman

Cardew is correct. I fail to see why BT should bear the cost of providing a free email service for people who are no longer customers. BT has certain 'social obligations ' as a telephony provider, but certainly not for email. How this can be described as a 'rip-off' is beyond me. If you move house, do you expect the Royal Mail to provide a free mail redirection service for life?
Gmail is free, and makes you ISP-independent.

Kite2010

Not a rip-off at all, other email providers are available.

They provide email accounts to customers, you are no longer a customer, count yourself lucky you still have access as some ISPs kill off emails sharpish after you leave.

groatie_queen

Hi,

I have had one of these emails tonight but I think it may be a phishing email. If you hover your mouse over any of the links given, they do not start with bt.com, which they should do if they are really being sent by BT.

I'm phoning BT in the morning to see if this is genuine or hoax.