E-mail Transfer to Greenby - pros and cons

[#1]

OK,

I've thought about this transfer of the Plusnet e-mail service to Greenby.

First thing, the transfer will cost us nothing for the service for a year after transfer, but after that it will cost us money ON TOP OF ANY BROADBAND COST.  So, Plusnet will be reducing it it's service to us in the next year, but will the price of our broadband go down to compensate for the additional cost of the email service?  I strongly guess (can one strongly guess?) that the answer is no!  So, this is shrink-flation by Plusnet - reduce what you provide, but keep the cost the same.

Secondly, who knows how much Greenby will charge for their service?  I have no idea, but we may be tied into a contract when this happens.

Finally, I was about to leave Plusnet about a year ago, but I stayed just to keep my e-mail address because I hadn't managed to move all my accounts to ggogle mail in time to be sure that everything would be OK.  I got a quarter decent deal on negotiation, but the annual 10% increase every April is disgusting.

Is there a silver lining to all this?  Yes, After the e-mail transfer we are all free to shop around for broadband without the worry about e-mail address loss / movement.  I think that PlusNet have mucked up this time and unwittingly signed their own death-warrant.  I say unwittingly, but maybe BT signed the death-warrant.  Dealing with management it's always a toss-up between conspiricy and [-Censored-]-up - inevitably, it's [-Censored-]-up.  So maybe [-Censored-]-up by PN management, but conspiricy by BT.  Who knows?  Who cares?

I just dispair with the way PN think that 'they' think that 'they' can treat us badly (close the mobile service and move us to EE which costs twice as much as the PN contract for the same service; remove the e-mail service, so give us less, but charge us the same OR MORE) and we will stay and be grateful for their service.  Queue northern accent to sound like their salt of the earth.

End of rant - theraputic wasn't it?  Well it was for me anyway - sorry.

Laters .......

[#2]

Moderator's note(s):

Thread moved from Email toPlusnrt Feedback.

[#3]

I agree with most of what you say, I’ve long thought that one morning Plusnet customers will awake to find they’ve become BT or more likely EE customers. Plusnet seems to be going through some kind of asset stripping exercise. Alongside this their customer service seems to consist of this forum, even their support advisors, when you can get through, refer customers to this forum! The quality of their first line advisors seems to have diminished, there are several instances where Superusers have remarked on the rubbish customers have been told. A far cry from the ‘golden years’ of Plusnet.

As for email, I was advised many years ago to avoid email services attached to an ISP for the very reason you state.  Actually, I believe the Greenby service is free for 2 years, curious since most Plusnet contracts are 2 years, no doubt the thinking is customers can’t terminate without early termination charges since the email service hasn’t actually been taken away!

Much the same thing applies to telephone service. In my case I have internet, email and VOIP all from different suppliers – much more flexible and easy to move any of them independently.

It seems the government are taking a greater interest the annual price rise   (Here) which Ofgem have made very unfair on lower price contracts.

The question is though is the service any better anywhere else, particularly if Openreach is your only (fixed) option for a network supplier?

And then there’s the accounts dept – no no no don’t go there.

Well, there’s my rant – admittedly not as good as yours!

[#4]

It’s a few years now since BT announced that Plusnet was being made part of the BT Retail, alongside the BT and EE  brands. Plusnet was to be the basic ‘broadband only, no frills supplier to compete with other budget suppliers offering the same service. If you wanted extra bells and whistles then BT/EE  brands were available.

So here we are today with this clear plan being implemented. This seems to have caused a shock/horror reaction with asset stripping accusations and suggestions that Plusnet management (NB BT Retail management are setting policy) haven’t thought through the implications.

The decision was taken to allow customers and ex customers to keep their email addresses, be it chargeable at some point, by transferring them to Greenby. The decision could have been to simply give notice of the closure of the service, when all email addresses would be deleted. Instead, as well as the option to close the email service before the transfer, once transferred to Greenby, the choices of whether to keep addresses or move on without time restraints is available. 

So the email options are:

1. Opt out or cancel Greenby and use an alternative free email service.

2. Pay for your own personal domain and use a professional hosting company. This can cost less than £30 per annum.

3. Pay Greenby for the use of the Plusnet email address.

Options 1 and 2 require you to change your email addresses.

[#5]

I would agree that there are only three alternatives.
However, I think that the second option needs a little explanatory note adding.:
Most of the main providers of domains have low initial costs but be warned they  hike them up the longer you use them. I speak from experience ; my initial domain (started about nine years ago)  cost £1 per month.... when I finally got fed up and abandoned it it was up to £11.99 per month. So, as Offcom has now realised, telecomms providers rely on the annual increase of x% plus inflation to keep the funds rolling in. I hope they do something about it but I'm not holding my breath

@Baldrick1 wrote:

It’s a few years now since....

So the email options are:

1. Opt out or cancel Greenby and use an alternative free email service.

2. Pay for your own personal domain and use a professional hosting company. This can cost less than £30 per annum.

3. Pay Greenby for the use of the Plusnet email address.

Options 1 and 2 require you to change your email addresses.

---

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Quote fixed.

[#6]

@JayMoly 

The massive point that you seem to have missed is that personal domains are fully portable so you can move your domain registrar and/or your hosting company to whoever you like without any risk of losing your email addresses. Domain names can be registered for a single fee for up to 10 years.

[#7]

What you say may be true; however I can only quote my own experience. I was never informed of the ability to transfer only to terminate. 

[#8]

@JayMoly 

Unfortunately experience doesn’t come cheap. It’s a pity that you did not seek advice on this forum. There a several active members who have moved these services between companies without any issues. I moved my email hosting a couple of years ago without any problems. I have recently renewed this account and if was the same price as last year.