So I'll be losing my virgin.net e-mail address ...

bsod

if you want to keep existing messages, use an email client like portable thunderbird, download the lot to your pc, then stop using the address. if you aren't a customer, you should assume that one day, which could be tomorrow, the emails will stop working, and that includes any forwarding rules. Instructions on how to setup an email client can be found by googling - pop3 virgin

The move away from google mail is likely to hasten that scenario, so don't rely on the 90 day idea, you've already had well over 90 days.

the talk talk guidance you found related to adsl customers forced to move to TT in the spring, nothing to do with dial-up customers from the distant past.

Roger1

Thanks, bsod. This looks very useful.

I tried POP3 settings many times with Thunderbird and Outlook 2007 but without success. I suspect this was to do with the GMail system 'managed' by virgin.net not giving me access not being an administrator.

Anyway, I used IMAP settings for both and they both look OK. I'll compare them. At the moment Thunderbird is ahead because it shows recipients for sent messages and Outlook show senders (i.e. me).

ETA: A couple of clicks later and I now see recipients in Outlook sent messages.