Aol Email Problem

[Scarlett]

I use AOL 9 software on my PC. I set up my main + 6 other screen names years ago. I have just realised that I can't send email to those screen names, or send email from them, although I can sign into the email accounts of those screen names. For some reason the screen names have stopped working. I have emailed AOL but they probably won't reply as I don't pay a subscription to them anymore, just use their software disc cos all my email is on there.
Any thoughts what I can do?!

[Buenchico]

ISPs normally restrict the use of their email services to their subscribers. If you switch to a different ISP you lose access to their service. (Their POP3 and SMTP servers, which handle incoming and outgoing mail respectively, check to see whether you're a subscriber when you try to access them, whereas the web server you seem to be using to view old mail doesn't do so).

Some ISPs cut off both incoming and outgoing services at the moment you leave them. Others allow a 'grace period' (which might be anywhere from a few days to several months), with a few allowing incoming (but not outgoing) mail indefinitely.

Forget about AOL (which was never a good idea in the first place!). Get yourself a decent free email account with GMX (which will remain active however many times you change your ISP):
http://www.gmx.co.uk/

You can access your GMX account using webmail (i.e. by going to their website) or, if you prefer, by using a dedicated email client (such as Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail). Probably the best non-Microsoft client (and certainly the best-known) is Thunderbird:
https://www.mozilla.org/EN/thunderbird/

Chris

[Scarlett]

I really do need to keep my AOL address though as its tied up with many years worth of work like my phone number. Is it possible to get an email which aol is forwarded to- like when you forward mail in real life when you move house?

[Buenchico]

>>>Is it possible to get an email which aol is forwarded to

GMX (above) can have mail from any functioning email account forwarded to it. (It's extremely easy to set up). However it has to access the server of that account to retrieve the mail. Since no new mail for you is arriving on the AOL server, GMX won't be able to get hold of it.

The same will be true for any other email service you might consider. Email can only be redirected AFTER it's arrived at it's intended destination, NOT en route to it. Since the 'intended destination' for any mail sent to your old AOL address is a closed account, it can't be forwarded.

However there's just a possibility that your old account can be reactivated because, unlike the vast majority of ISPs, AOL now offers free email to anyone (irrespective of whether you get your internet access through them). Forget about emailing them (because emails are easily ignored). PHONE them on 0844 499 5555 to see if they can help.

Chris

PS: If you do get the account reactivated, I still recommend setting up a GMX account and then diverting mail from your old address to it.