Budget UK ISP TalkTalk to Charge Ex-Customers £50 for Email

Former customers of TalkTalk’s broadband service (going as far back as Tiscali) who continue to use their old email accounts may be displeased to learn that the ISP is going to “start charging” them from £5 a month or £50 per year for access (more than a dedicated email host). Plus the ISP will delete accounts that don’t pay.

As a general rule we always advise our readers never to rely upon the email services provided by an ISP (i.e. it’s far better to sign-up with one of the many free email providers), not least because it can make it harder for you to switch broadband providers and you could also run the risk of losing access to your address.

Despite this some ISPs have continued to maintain old addresses, even after customers have switched away, although others have scrapped them and a few have forced such users to start paying. Sadly it looks like TalkTalk has now done the latter, although in somewhat of an insult they appear to be charging more for the privilege then some dedicated email hosts (many hosts charge from 33p and up to £3 a month).

The policy change was first spotted by The Register and they in turn appear to have extracted it from the budget broadband provider’s own Community Forum, where some angry gripes can be found. The letter now being sent to affected customers is as follows. The choice is simple, sign-up for broadband to get it free or pay the piper. Failing that, you’ll lose it.

TalkTalk’s Letter on Legacy Email Addresses

Join us and keep your TalkTalk Mail free

If you’re not a TalkTalk customer, you can join us and continue to enjoy TalkTalk Mail for free. Call us on 0800 990 3635 to learn more about our great Fixed Low Price Plans and offers. All our plans include TalkTalk Mail at no extra cost.

If you want to just keep your email address, we’re happy to keep providing it to you, but you’ll need to sign up to TalkTalk Mail Plus for £5 a month or £50 a year.

Sign up for TalkTalk Mail Plus now

Unfortunately, if you choose not to sign up for TalkTalk Mail Plus, from 21/11/2019 you’ll lose the vast majority of TalkTalk Mail features. For example, you’ll only be able to sign in at www.talktalk.co.uk/mail to check your emails.

A few months after 21/11/2019, we will start closing down mailboxes that aren’t registered to a TalkTalk Broadband account or signed up for TalkTalk Mail Plus.