How To Transfere E-Mail Account?!?!?

[ayabrea38]

Just had an e mail from Virgin saying that it looks like my ntl e mail account has slipped through the net and should not be connected any longer as I am no longer a Virgin customer (I left Virgin about 6 years ago,so that must be some hole they have in their net!)

This e mail account is the one I use for everything,it was my first account and just stuck there,I have had it for about 10 years so you can imagine the amount of people that have this address that I might not speak to now,but might want to contact me,etc.

Virgin say to set up a new account (already have many more) and to 'transfer my contacts' That is my problem.Is there any way of keeping this address so that anyone who tries to contact me can just be transferred to my new address.I do not have a list of contacts,I don't contact many people via e mail,but there are a lot of e mails that I would like to keep as well.

I hope I have explained things clearly,but I will reply to any questions,but please be patient,I come and go,so to speak.

Thanks for your time,and hopefully answers :)

Aya

[Buenchico]

Before we can go very far with an answer, we need to know how you access your emails. Do you use an email client (such as Outlook Express, Windows Live Mail, or Thunderbird) or do you access your mail via Virgin's website (using a browser such as Internet Explorer, Chrome or Firefox)? If you're using an email client your old emails will be stored on your computer, so they'll still be there when your account is closed. However if you're using web-based access your emails are stored on Virgin's server, so they'll disappear into cyberspace as soon as your account is closed.

Setting up email forwarding (to send mail from one valid email address to another one) is usually fairly easy but forwarding won't work if the address used by the sender ceases to be valid. It looks as if you'll have to send an email to everyone in your address book, notifying them of your new address. (I STRONGLY advise using an email address which is NOT linked to an ISP, so that you'll be able to change ISPs in future without encountering the same problem. My recommendation is to use GMX http://www.gmx.co.uk/ )

[ayabrea38]

Thanks Chris,
I access my mail using Firefox and the Virgin website,but when I have tried Outlook they where there also.I'm not sure exactly what this means,will they be gone or not?

My main worry now is if I where using a website (ie theanswerbank) and I forgot my password,and the website kindly offered to send my password to my e mail address,I would be in trouble wouldn't I?Can anything be done about that?

I have set up a gmx account and it is set to collect from my old address (thanks very much for that recommendation)but I suppose all that will stop when Virgin close my old account?

Thank you very much for all your help :)


Aya

[ayabrea38]

oops,sorry,just one more question,I take it all the e mails 'grabbed' by gmx will be safe,my in box has some vouchers that I have been saving and don't want to lose them?

Thanks again!

Aya

[Buenchico]

>>> I take it all the e mails 'grabbed' by gmx will be safe

There about as safe as it's possible to be. GMX is run by the United Internet Group. They also trade as '1&1, managing over 10 million internet domains, including those of many multinational companies. They're very much 'in the big league' when it comes to email providers (although, surprisingly, not that well known in the UK). All of your data should be safe with them.


>>> when I have tried Outlook they where there also.I'm not sure exactly what this means,will they be gone or not?

The original way that email clients (such as Outlook) worked was to connect to your email provider's server and download all of your mail onto your computer. By default that mail was then erased from the provider's server (but you could change the settings in the email client to tell it to leave a copy on the server if you wanted to). That was a using protocol known as 'POP' (or 'POP3').

However many email services now offer IMAP access to your mail (either as well as, or instead of POP). With that system your mail is stored on email provider's server but accessed through your email client. (Think of it as a sort of advanced webmail service). However it should be possible to change the client's settings to keep a copy locally.

So, depending upon whether you've been accessing your email with Outlook via POP or IMAP (and possibly also upon the settings within Outlook) your mail might be on your computer or on Virgin's server. The simplest way to check is to disconnect your computer from the internet and see whether your mail is still available through Outlook. (If it is, it must be stored on your computer. If it isn't, it must only be on Virgin's server).


>>>My main worry now is if I where using a website (ie theanswerbank) and I forgot my password,and the website kindly offered to send my password to my e mail address,I would be in trouble wouldn't I?Can anything be done about that?

You can, of course, change your registered email address with each website you use. (On AB you go to 'My Profile' and then to 'Edit my Profile'). However, as someone recently pointed out on the radio, the chances of someone breaking into your house and stealing the notebook that you've written all of your passwords down in (and then going on to use them maliciously) is actually incredibly low. Simply writing them down somewhere is often the best way to go.

[ayabrea38]

Chris,you must be one of the most patient people in the world!
Even I understood those answers they where explained so clearly.Hopefully GMX will be one of those companies that will become more of a household name,and cos you recommended them and I didn't just pluck them out of cyberspace I feel in safe hands :)

I do feel that Virgin are being a bit mean,not giving me the chance to stay with them,I was considering changing back to them,but not any more,I have had that e mail address all my cyber life and will miss it loads (I know it sounds daft,but hey I want stability)

I am glad that I began writing passwords down (funnily enough,my AB password is the first on the tattered list)sometimes you cannot beat good old pen and paper.Must say though,it sometimes are the people in the house that I fear getting their hands on the password more than the outside world.I know my kids would of loved my eBay password years ago,thankfully they have their own now :)

Seriously though,thanks loads for your help Chris,you have been the balm to my sore!!

Aya