topic Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible? in Email

Email Forwarding - is it possible?

ckuk — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 16:02:06 GMT

Hello

I've just wasted 30 minutes of my day on hold to Plusnet to speak to someone who didn't understand what I was asking and refused to let me speak to someone else because he was reading it off the Plusnet website so it must be correct.

My question - I need to forward my current Plusnet email address onto a Gmail address. Is this possible or is the Plusnet email system so antiquated that it just won't allow this?

Thanks, Chris.

Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible?

jab1 — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 16:07:53 GMT

@ckuk Unfortunately, the PN system does not have a 'forwarding' facility, BUT I understand you can get Gmail to 'pull' mail from other systems.

Sorry I can't tell you how, as I don't use Gmail.

Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible?

ckuk — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 16:10:54 GMT

Hello

Thank you for confirming.

I had no confidence in what I was being told from the support person.

Chris.

Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible?

Mav — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 16:30:10 GMT

Moderator's note(s):

Moved from ADSL Broadband to Email.

Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible?

Mav — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 16:34:30 GMT

@ckuk If you go to https://www.plus.net/my.html?action=configure2&do=showRedirects&my=EfEcq6QIwQOvA%2BKKxcHT1g%3D%3D (log in required) you can set up redirects.

Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible?

Townman — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 17:03:11 GMT

@jab1 wrote:

@ckuk Unfortunately, the PN system does not have a 'forwarding' facility, BUT I understand you can get Gmail to 'pull' mail from other systems.

Sorry I can't tell you how, as I don't use Gmail.

We need to be careful in how we articulate things in this space and to understand the context of what the user seeks to achieve. "Forwarding" and "Redirect" are often used interchangeably and incorrectly.

Forwarding is an action taken IN ADDITION to receiving an email and placing it in the addressed to mailbox - It is something often used as a temporary event, as in when out of the office and forwarding mail to someone else
Redirecting is an action which in effect says that the email address is not "here" but is somewhere else and is a permanent re-routing of email generally used where the user has moved email service providers** - in effect it is a "I know this address but I am not responsible for storing emails for this address"

Plusnet email does not support forwarding, but it does support redirection. Where an email address existed as a mailbox on Plusnet, which the user now wishes to redirect, the MAILBOX must be deleted and the ADDRESS recreated as a redirect.

If the purpose of doing all of this is associated with migrating a broadband service away from Plusnet, then it is IMPERATIVE that the user advises Plusnet that they wish to RETAIN the account as an EMAIL ONLY account. Failure to do so will result in the email service (and all of the associated email addresses) being terminated.

**Note that the default mailbox (address) cannot be changed to a redirect - a different email mailbox will need to be created first and made the default email address.

As John hints, any email client (which is what Gmail is in the context described) can act as either an IMAP or POP3 'reader' for Plusnet emails, thereby negating the need to do anything in respect of the Plusnet email configuration. However the original request does not indicate the context of the question - just does Plusnet email support forwarding.

"is the Plusnet email system so antiquated that it just won't allow this"

Sounds like a loaded statement - for various good reasons many email services support neither forwarding nor redirection. Indeed depending on the configuration of the email SOURCE (that is the original sender) some RECEIVING email services will refuse email which has been forwarded or redirected. For example, email sent for @yahooh to an email address which forwards to another @yahooh address will not be accepted by the yahoo email system. Forwarding and Redirection can create a lot of complications for services having stringent anti-spam measures.

Re: Email Forwarding - is it possible?

jab1 — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 17:07:56 GMT

@Townman Thanks for that clarification and useful information - I shall see if there is room in my brain to file it for future reference.😉

I was responding on the assumption that the OP wanted to keep the email address, but possibly consolidate it into his preferred client. As you say, if it was in preparation for a move away from PN, then there is more to consider.