Spark to charge for all Xtramail accounts.

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Spark to charge for all Xtramail accounts.

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5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3204193 7-Mar-2024 17:33

Have just called Spark and was told that once an email address is terminated, it is possible for someone else to sign up and use that terminated email address - apparently this is in their terms and conditions.

Even the guy on the phone admitted this was a security issue but said anyone else 'can't see the history of the email' (not sure how that helps here).

I'm stuck wondering what to do as I certainly don't want to be paying for it, but I also don't want anyone else emailing me and it ending up in someone else's inbox.

K8Toledo

1014 posts

Uber Geek

#3204195 7-Mar-2024 17:35

morrisk:

I have been with xtra from the beginning and so my xtra email is everywhere - any advice on how you go about stopping using them in a way that allows people to know you have changed your email address and what your new email will be?

Send a bulk email to your personal contacts they update it at their end. Hi it's me - this is my new email addy.

Other contacts, update your details on the company website.

In Xtramail click the cog at top right of page, then address book, then export contacts to a CSV or vCard file on the desktop, then in gmail go to contacts, select import contacts, and choose the CSV file you exported from Xtra.

mattwnz

20163 posts

Uber Geek

#3204197 7-Mar-2024 17:45

WilliamNZ:

Have just called Spark and was told that once an email address is terminated, it is possible for someone else to sign up and use that terminated email address - apparently this is in their terms and conditions.

Even the guy on the phone admitted this was a security issue but said anyone else 'can't see the history of the email' (not sure how that helps here).

I'm stuck wondering what to do as I certainly don't want to be paying for it, but I also don't want anyone else emailing me and it ending up in someone else's inbox.

That matches my experience where I was able to get my old email address back again after re-signing up to Spark. The other thing some businesses maybe concerned about, is a competitor getting that email address if they decide to cancel it due to not wanting to pay xtra. I think based on the circumstances, they shouldn't allow them to be recycled to prevent these potential future problems. I heard that they were considering cancelling the service entirely, and that may not have been worst idea except there will be a lot of elderly people in particular who have been with them for decades who will need help. They have only given about 2 months warning for this change which isn't long for them to update up to 30 years of accounts using that email address if they choose not to pay for it.

Stu1

1769 posts

Uber Geek

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#3204212 7-Mar-2024 18:30

leaplae:
I'll be changing my parents over to Outlook.com tonight. Annoying, as they have had a xtra address for a long, long time now. They've only just got Facebook, so email is the way they communicate.

Would be good if Spark could offer free forwarding for a year or so, so people in a similar situation to mine could switch across to outlook.com/gmail etc.

I will have to do the same as well , biggest hassle will be letting companies like power ect know

mattwnz

20163 posts

Uber Geek

#3204245 7-Mar-2024 20:12

Stu1:
leaplae:

I'll be changing my parents over to Outlook.com tonight. Annoying, as they have had a xtra address for a long, long time now. They've only just got Facebook, so email is the way they communicate.

Would be good if Spark could offer free forwarding for a year or so, so people in a similar situation to mine could switch across to outlook.com/gmail etc.

I will have to do the same as well , biggest hassle will be letting companies like power ect know

Some users will have 30 years of accounts and haven't changed ISP because of the hassle and it being bundled with the service. I noticed some companies websites don't let you update the email address at all or produces errors when you try. Including some that use the email address as the username. So it is a hassle of a job. Some companies could end up with a lot of bounced emails to xtra customers in the future.

catspyjamas

188 posts

Master Geek

#3204289 7-Mar-2024 21:15

cheshirecat:

leaplae:

Would be good if Spark could offer free forwarding for a year or so, so people in a similar situation to mine could switch across to outlook.com/gmail etc.

As I understand it, they will be doing this (free forwarding of mailboxes for an unspecified length of time) but check this with them

Hmm I wonder how they will do that, when Spark have said they will allow new sign ups for old email addresses. (See here). I just know that the same people who still send mail to my xtra account (active but not actually used in many years) will probably continue to do so, & it will end up in someone else's mailbox.

WilliamNZ

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3204292 7-Mar-2024 21:23

catspyjamas:

cheshirecat:

As I understand it, they will be doing this (free forwarding of mailboxes for an unspecified length of time) but check this with them

Hmm I wonder how they will do that, when Spark have said they will allow new sign ups for old email addresses. (See here). I just know that the same people who still send mail to my xtra account (active but not actually used in many years) will probably continue to do so, & it will end up in someone else's mailbox.

According to the person I spoke to, they are not offering any free forwarding.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

snnet

1410 posts

Uber Geek

#3204298 7-Mar-2024 21:34

I still haven't been told about this officially from Spark, does that mean mine is free? :D

catspyjamas

188 posts

Master Geek

#3204306 7-Mar-2024 21:51

@WilliamNZ - thanks for confirming that. Saves me having to deal with the call centre tomorrow. By any chance did they say if they would allow sign up of terminated account names immediately, or only after a period of time? In which case, how long?

@snnet - me neither. Probably sending them out in batches to avoid their call centre getting slammed with calls. Which they could probably avoid if the email included some fundamental details like the above!

ANglEAUT

2324 posts

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#3204307 7-Mar-2024 21:56

WilliamNZ: ... I'm stuck wondering what to do as I certainly don't want to be paying for it, but I also don't want anyone else emailing me and it ending up in someone else's inbox.

Pay for at least a year & now already follow robjg63's advice available here & networkn here:

robjg63: ...

I remember talking to someone years ago and they said 'it's too hard to change'.

You create a new gmail/outlook account.
Change your obvious stuff like accounts and subscriptions
Keep an eye on your old mailbox and just change other accounts etc to the new address.
After a month or two most mail drops to nothing - If you want to be really careful, keep an eye on the old address for 12 months.

networkn: It's even easier.

We forward from xtra to gmail, and then set a rule incoming to mark anything that originated from xtra.co.nz to a different colour on arrival, so the user can email back and say change my address like I asked you to!

Please keep this GZ community vibrant by contributing in a constructive & respectful manner.

PolicyGuy

1727 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#3204308 7-Mar-2024 21:57

mattwnz:

I noticed some companies websites don't let you update the email address at all or produces errors when you try. Including some that use the email address as the username. So it is a hassle of a job.

This
I have a number of accounts that suffer from this "feature" and are still hitched to my old xtra address.

Then there are the email systems that still don't understand that second level domains (like "myaddy@somename.nz") are a thing in the .nz TLD, and refuse to send me email.

WilliamNZ

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3204310 7-Mar-2024 22:01

@catspyjamas - I didn't ask, but their terms say they will allow you to reactivate it up to 90 days after termination, so I expect it would be made available after that. Might call them again tomorrow and ask if I have the time.

catspyjamas

188 posts

Master Geek

#3204313 7-Mar-2024 22:13

WilliamNZ:

@catspyjamas - I didn't ask, but their terms say they will allow you to reactivate it up to 90 days after termination, so I expect it would be made available after that. Might call them again tomorrow and ask if I have the time.

Ah I think the terms saying up to 90 days answers the question. Well that's better than nothing, but I reckon it should be a bit longer. Thanks for that info. :)

My father had emails from ihug forwarded for a few years from memory. Slightly different situation though - ihug closed down, so no risk of new account holders.

morrisk

364 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3204333 8-Mar-2024 07:08

K8Toledo:

morrisk:

I have been with xtra from the beginning and so my xtra email is everywhere - any advice on how you go about stopping using them in a way that allows people to know you have changed your email address and what your new email will be?

Send a bulk email to your personal contacts they update it at their end. Hi it's me - this is my new email addy.

Other contacts, update your details on the company website.

In Xtramail click the cog at top right of page, then address book, then export contacts to a CSV or vCard file on the desktop, then in gmail go to contacts, select import contacts, and choose the CSV file you exported from Xtra.

Thanks for this information.

YvonneW

156 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3204355 8-Mar-2024 09:29

So I want to change. I would like a free email account. Best options please. I have a Outlook account that I never use but my husband and I share an xtra account. I have tried to register for a new Outlook acct that we can both use but the link just takes me to my acct. How do I change that address or register for a new one please?

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