Legacy email and domain - transfer out before Greenby migration

[#1]

After many years of uninterrupted service, I had to move my broadband away from Plus four years ago as they couldn't provide FTTP service at my new address, but I retained my email service (using the free domain Plusnet provided to and hosted for many of us in the early days) as I use my domain for email and it seemed easier (and cheaper) to leave it with Plus as it wasn't broken. Now I think I should probably move it before Greenby break it.

Reading some of the advice here, Mythic Beasts appeared to be a good option, but reading their step by step migration guide highlights a few issues I need to resolve.

First issue is that many of the steps require me to changes settings in my Plus DNS control panel. I don't appear to have the access to manage any DNS or domain settings and wonder if that is because I am no longer a broadband customer? If so, how do I get around that? Nothing appropriate seems to show in my account.

The other issue is that the final step of 15 in the MB migration guide is " transfer the domain registration itself. We recommend doing this last, because your old provider may stop providing nameservers for your domain after you transfer the registration away." But I vaguely remember reading here that transferring the domain registration should be done earlier in the process as it might be impossible to transfer it from a closed account.

My priorities are maintaining a seamless email service and retaining my domain for email purposes. I'd happily pay for someone to do the transfer for me but I don't think that's a service any company offers. Can anyone advise on my best options and/or how to get around the issues I've encountered?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@Uncle_Tupelo 

Reading some of the advice here, Mythic Beasts appeared to be a good option, but reading their step by step migration guide highlights a few issues I need to resolve.

First issue is that many of the steps require me to changes settings in my Plus DNS control panel. I don't appear to have the access to manage any DNS or domain settings and wonder if that is because I am no longer a broadband customer? If so, how do I get around that? Nothing appropriate seems to show in my account.

Its not possible to perform the MB 'no downtime' process, the Plusnet DNS control just does not have the functionality.

The best you can do is to is to setup the MB account with the domain initially as a 'third party' domain, create the mailboxes etc and then request transfer of the domain from Plusnet. As soon as the domain transfer completes, switch the nameservers to MB. There will be a delay of up to 48hrs whilst the NS change propagates. During this time some mail will go to the MB account and some will go to Plusnet . Since the native <account>.plus.com account is still accessible (and the mailboxes are common to the hosted domain), you will be able to copy any email that goes to Plusnet during the propagation period.

[#3]

Yeah, I couldn't see a way to do the "no downtime" transfer process either, so I just initiated the domain transfer with Plusnet and then set up the new mail and webspace on Mythic Beasts as soon as possible.

The options for the domain came up in Mythic Beasts a couple of hours after Plusnet raised a ticket to do the transfer, and the DNS all ended up re-pointing about 48 hours later. Fairly painless, but I didn't really have anything critical to worry about.

[#4]

Sorry John, just saw this - thanks. Did you phone Plusnet to raise the domain transfer ticket?

[#5]

@Uncle_Tupelo I posted a message on the Everything Else forum ( https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/bd-p/Everything ) just because I noticed others doing the same. Plusnet responded pretty quickly.

[#6]

@MisterW Struggling with setting up my domain as a third party domain with MB. I don't seem to have any access to my Plus domain control panel - it doesn't appear when I log into my Plus account, so I am unable to add the MB nameservers. Perhaps this may be because I am an email only customer? Any advice?

[#7]

@Uncle_Tupelo as I said above, there's no way to change the nameservers on the Plusnet DNS control. Having done the basiic mailbox setup on the MB account, you need to request that Plusnet transfer the domain to MB.

[#8]

Ah, sorry, didn't pick that up the first time.

[#9]

As soon as the domain has transferred, change the nameserver to the Mythic beasts ones. Your domain will then be fully hosted by MB. There will be a period of up to 48 hrs while the nameserver change propagates, during this period some mail may still go to the Plusnet servers. Since on the Plusnet system, mailboxes are common between the native account and hosted domains, you can simply copy any email that is received during this period by the PLusnet servers to the MB mailboxes

[#10]

It's not going brilliantly. I'm set up with Mythic-Beasts, but despite the ticket to transfer the domain being raised last Friday (12.06pm #253736860) stating the domain should be transferred within 5 days, it is still sitting registered to Plusnet. I cannot seem to comment on the ticket so I've PM'd customer support but all I've got back is that  it has been "chased this with our support team and they are working on it and will give us an update as soon as they can". [sigh]

[#11]

Issue now resolved. In case anyone else with a free Plus email only account experiences this, it appears the problem may have been a mismatch of addresses between Plus and Mythic Beasts.

I moved address after switching broadband away from Plus and there is no way of updating an address on an email only account - Plus had my old address and Mythic Beasts my new one. When I pointed out that this might be the issue, the domain transfer went through quickly.

If anyone is thinking of moving email provider, I've found Mythic Beasts' customer support and hand-holding to be second to none. Very prompt, patient and helpful. Highly recommended.