Plusnet Email

[#1]

Computer Active magazine Issue 620 1st December 2021 says on page 7 that Plusnet is to discontinue its email service by March 2022, which will be disastrous for me - is this true?

[#2]

https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Email-service-to-killed-off-permanently/td-p/1838960#:~:text=Re%....


Have a read through here, some useful advice.

I worry when I see so much panic over needing to change an email address. It's as simple as sending an email to your contacts to say your email is changing. You have a few months until the change over, so I'd set up a new email address (Google won't be going anywhere soon) and send all your contacts your new email address. You can also send an additional email from your new @gmail account to all your contacts as a follow up to confirm your new address.


I'd be really interested to know why the change of email address will be disastrous for you, we can help you

[#3]

WotW, thanks for getting back to me.

You answered my enquiry in a round about way that indeed Plusnet is ditching their email customers.

So, I have a few other queries: -

1. WHY is Plusnet doing this? Why the slight of hand? Where is Plusnet's announcement that they were shutting down their emails - why did we have to find out in a computer magazine? This is so un-Plusnet who have always been brilliant.

2. Is Plusnet heading for the wall - closing down completely?

3. When I joined Plusnet many years ago, no-one could have been happier than me - as Plusnet has been great, especially after an earlier bad experience for me with TalkTalk - the reason I came over to Plusnet as my ISP.

4. WHY did you recomend gmail as an alternative (run by Google), when computer magazines have been urging users to avoid Google like the plague - and Facebook - two of the planet's rogue companies that harvest our personal and private information around the world.

5. If Plusnet is finished, or soon to finish, and as Plusnet is owned by BT, can our Plusnet accounts be transferred over to BT accounts?

6. I desperately do NOT want to leave Plusnet, brilliant service, incredible helplines, great company - but so upset that they have NOT informed us directly of what they are doing.

[#4]

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@WotW wrote:
I'd be really interested to know why the change of email address will be disastrous for you, we can help you

---

Are you being serious? I have been with Plusnet since Force9 days (25 years?) and been generally very happy with them.

However, like many long-standing customers, in that time my family has created and used a lot of email addresses (100+)  which are referenced in many places, eg:

• registrations with a lot of websites (200+) - many of which do not allow a simple change of address.
• posts on newsgroups and mailing lists over many years.
• my small applications which are in use with hundreds of users.

No, it would not be disastrous for us, but it would take a great many hours of work to change as many addresses as possible, and inevitably cause problems for us and others.

And that is after the time spent in evaluating where to take my custom - and do not mention Gmail, Hotmail and their ilk.

With hindsight, our own email domain would be useful ... but they did not exist when I started using email!

Does that help explain why some of us would be most upset if Plusnet did abandon an email service?

[#5]

1. I am guessing it's because it is on the verge of being redundant, it is very rare for anyone under 50 to have an email server.

2. No, far from it. They are doing very well.  I'd be more worried if they carried on propping up a near-redundant service.

3. Plusnet is still really good, they aren't cutting off your internet.

4. Gmail is very dependable. You can opt-out of data collection, an option for all services used in the UK/EU. I opt-out.

5. No one said plusnet is nearly finished. Closing down the email side which is a lot less than 1% of their business - it means absolutely nothing to them. This is a really important point, it is infinitesimal. I know it is personally annoying.

6. Agreed, I haven't seen official word of it yet.  I would guess they will give you a year or two to switch your emails over. You only need a month.

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"Does that help explain why some of us would be most upset if Plusnet did abandon an email service?"

Yes, thank you @mavison.

I'm not sure what you have against Gmail, it is very dependable email service, it would beat @plusnet in every single consideration of what one requires of an email address - that is a fact. 25 years ago, last century (!) emails were in demand and people had to pay for the very new capability. Then, 25 years went by, and having your own email server is archaic, and for good reason.  

"and inevitably cause problems for us and others." 

There are no problems caused by this. You'll need to switch your email address/sign up again for a few sites and mailing lists. Lets be honest - 200+ sites plus...maybe it is time for a spring clean.

[#6]

I also have come across companies that offer no means of amending the email address on my account...password, yes.

With a couple of companies I was required to create a new user account, losing my transaction history.

Another 2 companies I emailed customer support without any response.

Quite a few redundant contacts were not told of the change. Swings and roundabouts.

[#7]

Why have hundreds of email addresses?

I consider my email address to be my identity on the WWW - Plusnet in one fell swoop are taking it away from me.

Whether their email service is just 1% of their operation, or even less, it was part of the service that I signed up for - that service now not to be honoured? I recall, when I came over to Plusnet, it wasn't just the broadband contract that they were offering me, it was the email service too - right from the very first telephone call - therefore, it was 'part of the contract' offered to me, which they are now reneging on. I recall I didn't 'ask' for a Plusnet email address - it was 'offered' to me by them at the time of setting up the contract.

Yes, and I agree with all comments, it is 'easy' to set up 'alternative' email addresses with different companies - very easy; but that's not the point - Plusnet are letting me down.

But I have learnt one thing from all the comments, and have to accept, that Plusnet's email service is now redundant. Thank you for making this clear.

I consider Plusnet have been incredible all the time I have been with them - a very popular company. Just sad that's all.

[#8]

Today Saturday 11th December 2021 at 0915am - I spoke with Plusnet support on their 0800 telephone number and the advisor I spoke to said no way is the email service being withdrawn and he and colleagues had not been advised of anything like this.

I quoted the computer magazine article saying Plusnet's email service was being withdrawn and he asked for the magazine's info - which is: Computer Active, Issue 620  dated: 01-14 December 2021, Page 7; where I part quote: "customers claimed they were told that it's set to close in 2022" and further: "the company's support team  said users would need to find a new service  by next March".

If the service did end I can personally see a mass exodus from Plusnet to other providers - not just because of the loss of the email service; but more because of the shoddy way Plusnet account holders have been treated with lack of direct notice and advice.

However, at the moment I am taking it as read, that the service is 'not' closing - as the advisor I spoke to indicated; as I am loathe to leave Plusnet - their personal service to me over the years has been terrific all the way and well worth all their awards and achievements.

[#9]

I put a complaint in to plusnet asking about the withdrawal  email and that it would probably be a show stopper for me. 

I got a return phone call asking where I had heard about it as it hadn't been decided and or announced if the email was going to be stopped. He was very interested in where I had found out about as it hasn't been announced!  This alone tells me it is happening!

It was stressed that the email was a free add on service and they don't offer new customers Email out of the box. 

To my mind it is not a free add on but part of my service having been with Force9 / Plusnet for over 20 years. 

As GigaClear have recently laid fiber my locality I will probably leave PLUSNET if I loose the email service. 
I will probably move the landline a mobiles away as well.

I asked him to feed my comments back into the company and he said there was no means of doing that.

I asked if they would consider providing free email forwarding forever, to which he said it would not happen, if the email service stopped,  as there would no longer be any email servers!

[#10]

The only published information I have seen is that Plusnet was reviewing the service and customers would be the first to know...

I am pretty sure they wouldn't just switch this off in March 2022. From all my time dealing with them they've been really helpful and I am sure if any decision is made then plenty of notice would be given.

Only my opinion...

[#11]

As far as I know Plusnet have not published that anything is closing. All they've said is that customers would be first to know. I wouldn't go jumping to a number of conclusions... 

[#12]

Hey all. Just to confirm. We’re reviewing the future of our email service, however at this stage a decision hasn't been made. If we make any changes, you'll be the first to know.

[#13]

Indeed, there is a deal of speculation in the outside world, but (as they say) until the fat lady sings, the show is not over.  In other words until PlusNet makes an official announcement, the decision has not been made.