New email policy

[jackmcd]

I was just notified of the new email policy. The way I read the notification, it appears that I have to log in to Verizon email regularly to keep my account active. I use my email daily but only that my safari mail. Am I going to be in danger of having my account deleted?

[Nunzio2]

I don't know how or why I missed this the first time around, but I've come to completely agree with something said much earlier by Justin. I even like his reasoning as to why they're doing this, My own reasoning all along has been a tad paranoid with anti-big business overtones. I like the earlier one better, the dead space on their servers. Makes sense. Thanks.

[SidR]

I have the same question.  I don't login to webmail.verizon.net.  I use Outlook or my smartphone.  Will my account be deleted too?  Verizon is confusing me.

[Nunzio2]

I've gotten the same ambiguous, and threatening email from Verizon. I say threatening because the consequence stated is the loss of the email address.

It's not clear what they mean. Does accessing email via Mac Mail suffice? Or is Verizon saying that if you don't use their website directly, you will lose your address(s) with them? And what about aliases?

What are they up to if not to drive more business to their site?

[somegirl]

Read. Yes, accessing with a POP3 client counts. This is stated multiple times in this thread and also in the Email Policy linked from the original email.

[pfps]

"accessing with a POP3 client" is not stated in the Verizon email policy.

What is stated in the Verizon email policy is "Log into your POP Email
client (such as Outlook Express)". This is subtly different, as some
people, such as myself, don't have our POP email clients set to
automatically access our Verizon email accounts, but yet we do something
that can be considered to be signing in to the client.

In my case, it is obvious to those of us who understand what is going on
with email clients and servers that just using my email client doesn't
count. It may not be obvious to those who do not completely understand the
distinction between email clients and servers.

For users who only read their Verizon email after it has been forwarded to
some other email server, it will be harder to see the difference between
signing in to their email client and accessing Verizon email. These users
may be unpleasantly surprised when their account is deleted, even though
they have been happily reading their Verizon email and even sending email
using their Verizon account.

[Nunzio2]

Thank you for your response. Yes I understand the difference between email client software and the server level of email. I also understand that Verizon has instructed its customer service reps to state that the portal must be accessed every 30 days. Then upon further questioniong, they will tell you that it's 180 days. Obviously Verizon is attempting to drive more business to its horrid portal. You know the one I mean, the one that can barely filter SPAM compared to a client like say Mac Mail for example. Why on earth would anyone prefer their portal for normal business on a desktop device?

I any event, accessing the portal, as far as I can tell, is merely signing in. This means that one needs to merely sign in one every 180 days and then sign out. Done!

I'm wondering if Verizon also intends to warn customers when they are dangerously close to having email accounts terminated for non-portal access??? If the answer is 'yes' to this, then it will be an even easier matter to deal with.

[Nunzio2]

I just spoke with a Verizon tech support person by telephone, actually a Verizon landline, and was told that my POP3 client (Mac Mail) would NOT count as access. In other words, VZ is trying to drive business to its website by requireing its use under threat of termination of email accounts. Does that sound like a customer friendly, warm fuzzy company, the kind they try to represent themselves as on their advertising, Twitter pages, etc.? It doesn't to me. It sound much more like a company that will do anything without concern for the consequences to its users.

[Donkster]

I also talked to a Verizon service rep via their Live Chat, and he/she told me that using a POP log in would NOT count as an official log-in.  I would have to visit Verizon.com and actually log in there - or lose my account.  

This mis-information is very aggravating on top of the threating-ish email warning.

Why couldn't they simply send the warning to people with email accounts that "haven't" been accessed in months? I feel they want to eliminate their email service like they (basically) eliminated their free customer server space.  

Unfortunately the price never decreases when they take away features that were there when we subscribed. 

[pfps]

This all reminds me of the fiasco with foreign access to Verizon email a while ago.   At least this time there was an announcement from Verizon, instead of just a cut-off of service with no notice or explanation.

It's all business  as usual for Verizon.  Send out incorrect information.  Don't bother to make up for past mistakes.  Distribute more false information. Spread FUD everywhere.  Treat the people who actually care about their services like mushrooms.

But what can we customers of Verizon do?  Most of us do not have viable alternatives - all Verizon has to do is to be the second-worst local supplier of phone, cable, or internet service.  I have reduced my dependence on Verizon email, but I'm sure that that doesn't make any difference to Verizon as I'm still paying them the same amount of money every month.

[AnaHMartinez]

I couldn't care less.  I check my email every day.  Why have an email if you're going to go six months without checking it, unless of course, you're in a comma.

[JiminMd]

I called Verizon today about this policy.  I use Gmail to access my verizon mail.  After two long conversations with two different reps, one of them sent me something that says access via "SMTP, POP or Webmail"  is okay.  The rep told me "Webmail" includes services like Yahoo  and Gmail. But she would not give me anything in writing that confirms this. So the heck with Verizon.   It's just the latest reason to drop it.  Verizon doesn't care about customers until it thinks they might leave.   

[Bill442]

Just saw the announcement that Verizon will de-activate e mail accounts if the accounts haven't been accessed once every six months.  Does access include downloading via pop accounts?  Or do we now have to actually log in to verizon.net and go to the webmail account?  If the latter, what a total pain in the neck!

[mfizzy]

Exempt from the 180 rule are: Yahoo accounts, access via a mail cleint, accounts that are forwarded or have been forwarded in the last 180 days

[viafax999]

Do we get a reduction in monthly charges for removal of the email account - I've never used in in 5 years.

[tns2]

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@viafax999 wrote:

Do we get a reduction in monthly charges for removal of the email account - I've never used in in 5 years.

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SURE,THe same discount for the amount they charged that you got for the prior retirement of the Personal Web Page service and USENET(NEWSGROUP) servers. 

All these services are considered free extras, with no obligation for them to continue them in the future.

[BritInAshburn1]

I just spoke to Verizon rep and they don't have anything other that that text so are as confused as us.... my reading is should be OK if email client is logging in but I guess seems we will not know for sure..... until 180days.

Also no mention of sub accounts used for just FiOS TV online.... so assuming OK

Lots of assumptions

[Nilsa_VZ]

Change to Verizon.net Email Policies:

The Verizon.net Email Policies have been removed from verizon.com/emailpolicy, and replaced with the notice below:

We no longer offer verizon.net email service, and have previously notified all verizon.net email customers of the need to immediately migrate their email to the AOL platform (to maintain their verizon.net email address) or a third party platform.  Please see the Frequently Asked Questions at verizon.com/email for additional information. 

All migrations must be completed before December 5, 2017. 

After this date, any remaining verizon.net email accounts will be subject to deletion and will not be accessible in any way.  This means:

• Any verizon.net email addresses not migrated to the AOL platform before December 5, 2017 will no longer be available for use
• All verizon.net email, calendar and address book content not migrated to AOL or a third party before December 5, 2017 will be deleted from our systems

Verizon.net email customers who have previously chosen Yahoo as their portal partner are not impacted by this change and may continue to maintain their verizon.net email address on the Yahoo platform, subject to their Terms of Service with Yahoo.