I have been a member of Which? for more than 50 years and a supporter of its campaigns for fairness on behalf of consumers in the UK.
Since the mid-90s, when the firm provided a “dial-up” internet service to people looking to get online, it has been offering a free email service to subscribers. But the Consumers’ Association – the body behind it – has decided to close it with only a few weeks’ notice affecting more than 5,000 account holders, many of whom are elderly and who will lose their Which.net email address. At the time of writing, no subscribers had been officially notified.
Many, who have used their Which? email addresses as the basis for what could be a substantial portion of their digital existence, will have only a matter of days to retrieve that information before the plug is pulled.
IM, Colwyn Bay, Conway
The service is ending because, Which? says, it is outdated and that it is not the only provider to terminate this free facility.
Which.net email addresses are a legacy of its old dial-up internet service, and while it hasn’t offered internet access for years there are, indeed, about 5,000 people still using the free email.
Which? says it has “taken the really tough decision to close this service because it no longer provides the high quality people need and there are more providers and better services”. It is providing free tech support online and by phone to “help users migrate to a new provider and save all their files and contacts before the service closes on 24 May”.
Readers should also note that, similarly, Tesco has warned anyone with a Tesco.net email address that they have until 27 June to switch provider. After that date the email address will no longer receive email, but users can set up a forwarding service, which will remain in effect until October. Free webmail such as Outlook or Gmail, is the best option for most people like you who are now forced to find a new service.
We welcome letters but cannot answer individually. Email us at consumer.champions@theguardian.com or write to Consumer Champions, Money, the Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a daytime phone number. Submission and publication of all letters is subject to terms and conditions at http://gu.com/letters-terms
