Email only account - stopped offering in May?

[#1]

Like many posts over the past few years, after many years of faithful service with PlusNet I find myself in the unfortunate position of having to leave - because FTTP is not offered in my locale by BT, but by an alternate provider...

I phoned today to cancel the (out of contract) Broadband package and request downgrade to "Email only".

The call handler admitted that she was pretty new and was not familiar with what I was asking, and asked a Manager.

She says that the manager confirmed that you no longer offer this as a downgrade option... 

Because of the set-up of my Domain, I am presently "dependent" on using my Plusnet Mailbox for sending outgoing emails with the many aliases I have on my own domain... And after reading the many success stories hereabouts I anticipated that I would, at least for a few months, rely on this service offering...

Please could any of the PlusNet support people here confirm or deny whether this downgrade IS possible, and the magic incantations required for your support staff to instigate that - BEFORE I cancel the broadband package?

Regards,

Sean.

[#2]

Gandalf confirms that new email only accounts are no longer available in this message https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Conversion-to-email-only-account/m-p/1878506#M40089 

[#3]

Sorry to be the bearer of unwelcome news but this topic confirms that Plusnet no longer offer email only accounts.

Edit: @SpendLessTime types faster than me 😁

[#4]

Thanks. I guess I didn't do quite enough research. I will PAY for such a service as I depend on it - BUT unlike every other provider I've tried talking to; I will NOT pay "per alias" == "per mailbox"... Just to send emails from my Domain... 

Oh well - Looks like I'll have to see about moving my entire Domain hosting to Google or elsewhere; or temporarily hosting my own SMTP server which I wanted to avoid (BTDTGTTS!)... 

Anybody else know of any decent options? (I use GMAIL as my mail client, and have everything forwarded from my domain provider 123-reg. I have MANY aliases that I use and "reply as" the recipient of that mail address (or filter on rules for many "Spambound" throw-away mail addresses 😉 )... Presently all of those aliases are configured to use plusnet SMTP with my "single mailbox" login- ideal set-up and convenient...

Alternative for now - what is the CHEAPEST offering that PlusNet has - to allow me to retain my mailbox (even for short term!?)... 

[#5]

@SeanP  i use https://www.ecohosting.co.uk/email.html for one of my domains email. The Business email option ( £15/yr ) includes unlimited aliases(forwarders) , not sure about the personal single mailbox account but I think it does.

I'm also trialling https://www.mythic-beasts.com/hosting (£20/yr) on another domain at the moment. That also allows for unlimted aliases and also supports multiple domains, so I plan to move both domains to mythic in the future.

You will obviously need to move your domain registration away from Plusnet, its probably simpler to move to the email provider but neither of the above insist on that.

[#6]

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@SeanP wrote:

Alternative for now - what is the CHEAPEST offering that PlusNet has - to allow me to retain my mailbox (even for short term!?)... 

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Any cheap broadband option would be tied into a long term contract so it wouldn't be cheap in the long run. Otherwise you are paying out of contract which isn't cheap.

Best to get your email sorted and then move ISP. I use Apple for my email now with my custom domain from uk-cheapest but as I don't use/need aliases it is cost effective for me.

[#7]

I've found Zoho Mail offers a SMTP service; and appears to be free - all working OK for my Aliases to date... Thus I'm free to fully cancel my Plusnet Service.

[#8]

I didnt think the Zoho free service allowed for IMAP/POP access for receiving mail ?

[#9]

For me, this does not matter - as I forward all emails from my Registrar...

As it happens - I found out that (despite I am sure I tested it), that Zoho also will not allow me to relay my domain aliases using the "singlar" account login and does demand a "mailbox" per Alias... Making it a paid for service, and awkward configuration (different login credentials per alias)... Discovered after I started getting SMTP Relay errors whilst remapping the remainder of my aliases... 😞
After much Googling I tried smtp.gmail.com again - and realised the "deeper" error in the authentication is simply because I one cannot use one's Gmail account password - because Multi-factor authentication is required...

Simple solution - create an "App specific" password on my Gmail account - and now that is working for ALL of my aliases sweet as a nut! (Just like PlusNet SMTP used to work!)... Now I have the emails sorted! 🙂 

[#10]

Hi SeanP, I'm glad you've got that working for you and please do shout up if there's anything else we can help with on our side at all.