I am changing ISP. This means a new email address. Luckily my old ISP allows ex-users to keep their email account for 90 days, so I have some wriggle room, and Mailwasher Pro gives instant indication of which account inbound mail comes through.
The problem arises with websites which use your email address as your logon id. Pretty well every news site I frequent does this, and there are quite a few of them. I have had problems with every one of these, no exceptions. So you log in with the old address, go to account details, change the email address, log off, log in with the new address. Even if this seems successful pretty well every one of them continues to send emails to the old address, resulting in either multiple phone calls to helpdesk people who don't understand what you are talking about or a string of emails to same.
Yes, I know about GMail. But I have a GMail account for the chaff which I want to keep separate, and I don't much like IMAP anyway.
General conclusion. Using an email address as a logon id is a REALLY STUPID idea.
#1. "RE: Not a question, just a complaint." In response to Paul D (Reply # 0) Fri Apr-07-17 06:01 PM by KJT
Yes, I've gone through that twice already. Not much you can do about it, I guess. One of the old ISP's would have allowed me to keep my old address indefinitely -for a substantial monthly fee.-
Years back I had the same issue with phone numbers when changing cell phone carriers - but then the right to take your number with you was legislated. I doubt anything like that could ever be imposed for email addresses but it sure would be nice.
Jim.
Edit: Might it not be easier just to create a new account- at least with the news sources - and not bother to change the old addresses? It would still be an ordeal but a lesser one.
#2. "RE: Not a question, just a complaint." In response to KJT (Reply # 1)
Two of the news sources are paid subscriptions. Creating new accounts there entails time either way - either on the phone or at the keyboard. With some others creating new accounts would mean losing some historical information.
I have switched a couple of less important ones to GMail and just plain unsubscribed or ignored a couple.
I get 90 days overlap for free. Thankful for small mercies.
#3. "RE: Not a question, just a complaint." In response to Paul D (Reply # 2)
Paul,
I suffered the same process years back when still using ISP email addresses. I finally, about 8 or 10 years ago, bit the bullet and created a Gmail account for perpetual use. I only give this one out to sites I care about, and have a couple of other throw-away Gmail accounts to use when an email address is demanded but I don't trust the source. I have had zero problems with this method, and haven't used an ISP address since. I change ISPs every few years, but have no hiccups due to the stable and constant Gmail account for my main use. Highly recommended.
QUOTE: I finally, about 8 or 10 years ago, bit the bullet and created a Gmail account for perpetual use. I only give this one out to sites I care about, and have a couple of other throw-away Gmail accounts to use when an email address is demanded but I don't trust the source.
I did the same thing way back when gmail first came outr.
#6. "RE: Not a question, just a complaint." In response to Paul D (Reply # 0)
OK, I'm an old fossil. I use Outlook 93 as an email client, and I don't much like the way it handles IMAP accounts like GMail.
The email problem pales into insignificance beside our landline phone number, which hasn't changed in 40 years. It was supposed to be ported across to the new provider, but between these two incompetent, inert behemoths of industry it has disappeared into the etehr, and of course each blames the other. We can't receive calls, but we can call out. Interestingly the new provider which says we can't have the number is having no problems charging us for calls made from it.
