Cancelling PN But would like to keep email acounts

[#1]

Hi,

After many years with PlusNet it's time for me to move providers ( The whole PSTN phone line magically disappearing 🪄 only to re-apear as 'Digital Voice' with some providers ) That and a need for a static IP address leave very few options....

Anyhow... Back to the main point which is that I've found an alternative provider and I've signed up with them, and in the cancel period with PN. But.... Is it possible to retain the PN email accounts..? I read in earlier posts in this forum that it is ( or at least was an option ) Is this still available...?

Thanks 🤞🤞🤞

[#2]

It used to be an option to retain email accounts but now the rules have changed.

When you leave Plusnet your email access is no longer available, all accounts close.

Sorry

Evan

[#3]

@FishyJ 

To expand on this, be aware that if you use the IMAP protocol to access your emails then all your past messages, both sent and received, reside on the Plusnet email servers. Unless you download these to your own PC storage, they will all be immediately automatically deleted when you leave.

[#4]

Ah, okay. That’s disappointing, but understandable. I hadn’t originally thought it a possibility until I stumbled on posts in this forum and mentioned beyond. On well. 🤷

[#5]

@FishyJ 

Probably too late now but you could have transferred your PN connection onto a SAGEA line and then ported your phone number to an independent VOIP provider like A&A.

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/

Brian

[#6]

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@FishyJ wrote:
Ah, okay. That’s disappointing, but understandable. I hadn’t originally thought it a possibility until I stumbled on posts in this forum and mentioned beyond. On well. 🤷

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The rules / options on retaining email after departing changed.  It used to be possible, it is no longer.

[#7]

Thanks @bmc ,

That's a good point. But, as you suggest too late in may case.

I think I'll be happy with the move. Always a bit unnerving when moving providers/suppliers  😜

Cheers

🐠J

[#8]

@FishyJ  wishing you a trouble free move ! 

I'm guessing that you're off to Zen ?

.

[#9]

I terminated one of my Plusnet lines yesterday morning and the router stopped authenticating later in the day though email and the Member centre were still normal.

Today the Member centre is still useable though does say my account is closing down and I can't change anything. Sensible.

My email just evaporated overnight as expected. Whilst I knew this would happen, and I am in no way dependent on it, it still just feels wrong. 😖

I think the way Plusnet deal with emails on account closure is fundamentally flawed and at the very least disrespectful to customers. It certainly makes like difficult for some. Plusnet should at least offer a free transition period, ideally an extended service (at a fair price) or assistance with migration to an alternative/preferred service. But I guess it's too late now....... 😢

PS I've still got a (heavily-restricted but useable) free Tiscali email account and I can't even remember when I was with them or what for!

[#10]

@HPsauce 

Running these services does cost money ... and Plusnet does not have the billing system capability to bill for them.  This is why when the new billing system came in, paid for mailbox retention became a zero charge item.

The real issue however is that most of the product strategy is now directed by BT Consumer Division young enough to know it alls who are from a generation where loyalty (in both directions) is not an understood concept.  They flit from provider to provider driven by price.  They think that @gmail.com is the answer to every email problem / requirement and no one needs a landline.  They probably do not migrate their mobile number when they change mobile providers - every thing is disposable.

From a business perspective I suggest that Plusnet's position is not entirely unreasonable: You stay loyal to us and we will continue to provide your 'free' email service; choose to move your paid subscription elsewhere, then sorry you'll lose your 'free' email service.  Users wanting to flit around from a unified service provider to point providers need to do their own planning for change and should in the case of email make those plans at least 3 months ahead of deciding to move to a different ISP.

Are any ISPs still offering bundled ('free') email services?  It used to be a real sweetener to keep users loyal ... but that has become a deprecated concept.

[#11]

Are any ISPs still offering bundled ('free') email services?  It used to be a real sweetener to keep users loyal ... but that has become a deprecated concept.

@Townman Zen still do - I think, but I do know they are/were considering making it a 'paid for' extra when I discussed it with them last year sometime

[#12]

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@Townman wrote:

Are any ISPs still offering bundled ('free') email services?

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But right there is the issue that Plusnet is getting wrong, you are saying the ONLY options are "free" or "nothing".

Wouldn't it be an income opportunity if Plusnet offered an email account for a small monthly fee, to existing and leaving customers.  If necessary the fee could be proportional to the number of mailboxes, storage size, messages per month, etc.

Even the supposedly "too expensive" A&A  offer an email account  for just £1(+vat)/month !

If Plusnet offered a similar service (effectively as an "ADD-ON"), that would resolve the "cost to provide" argument, and they would be able to keep their low base price for JUST providing very low cost broadband services.

[#13]

I see what you mean, @Anonymous , but, and I may be wrong, it appears that the Plusnet brand is seen at Consumer Division as a purely basic 'Internet Provider' with zero added bells and whistles. That is the impression I get, anyway.

[#14]

Thanks @Anonymous Me too 😁

Yep, I'm off to give Zen a spin. Hope they are as good as their reputation suggests 🤞

Also hope the move to fibre from copper is smooth.

Thanks,

 FishyJ

[#15]

Hi @Townman ,

Yep, I understand about running email server is a cost to them, and for this reason I was surprised there ( used to be ) a way to keep the email access after moving to a different provider.

I have been one of those 'loyal' customers for around 20 years. But despite this loyalty PN feel it's justified to charge above inflation rates of increase when the existing loyal client is much less likely to need support. That practice ( and it's not just by PN ) just wrankles me.

Had there been the option to pay a small fee to keep the email accounts I'd likely have gone for it. But the option isn't offered, so there we have it.

The driver for my move was that copper lines are marked for decommissioning so driving the move to fibre. Unfortunately PN doesn't offer a fibre phone service. I realise I could use a 3rd party, but ( perhaps I'm old fashioned ) I'd prefer to keep the broadband and phone as one account.

Oh well..

All the best,

FishyJ