Email address charges branded 'daylight robbery'

[W130SN]

Ofcom is writing to broadband companies to ask why some people are having to pay to keep old email addresses.

Who charges what?

• BT: £7.50 a month to maintain normal access (although users can retain their BT email addresses for nothing with limitations, including only being able to log on using a browser and having to log on regularly)
• TalkTalk: £5 a month (or £50 for an entire year if paid in advance)
• Virgin: Account deleted 90 days after disconnection
• Sky: Users can keep old email address free after switching provider

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51571275

[Gondola]

Hi @W130SN 

Interesting to see the TalkTalk response under the heading 'Fairer Mail For Everyone'. Or, given that mail services are not a core service whether the possibility of either charging everyone or ceasing TalkTalk Mail will cause Ofcom to back off.

The key Ofcom issue is whether the Mail Plus charges stifle broadband switching or adversely influence customers getting a fairer broadband deal. I'd expect TalkTalk to argue that it already provides 'Fairer Broadband for Everyone'.

I hope TalkTalk make their response to Ofcom public.

[W130SN]

Thankfully I have only ever used my ISP email accounts as throwaways for less important stuff. I usually change ISP every 12-36 months and leave those emails addresses dormant. Use AOL and GMAIL for my main accounts, GMX, MSN, HOTMAIL, YAHOO and iCLOUD as secondary accounts.

list of free email providers

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=list+of+free+email+providers&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Gondola]

Hi W130SN 

Like you I also use a non ISP mail service with disposable email addresses as a security guard against website hijacking. However, I don't ever leave mail addresses dormant as those could get compromised without my knowledge and impair my security.

The ever present Google means I also link the range of useful Google apps to a gMail mailbox. 

So, in summary, we utilise email in similar ways and we have non ISP mail accounts that work as backup mailboxes and we're free of the ties to ISP Mail that Ofcom are getting concerned about.