Telecom charge $20 for @xtra.co.nz email account

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Telecom charge $20 for @xtra.co.nz email account

zCelicaDude

171 posts

Master Geek

#126782 19-Jul-2013 15:06

Hi All,

I'm a bit miffed by the charge of $20.00 p/month for an @xtra.co.nz email address, more so that I have a $100 + GST p/m Business Mobile plan through them...

I would have thought, that a) they would move the @xtra.co.nz account to the mobile account, b) Smart Phones these days need email, c) $20.00 is a bit over the top for a basic email service?

What do you guys think?

Scotty

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3916 posts

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#862183 19-Jul-2013 15:14

Cashing in on it I guess - can't really do much unless you have your own domain.

Speedtest 2019-10-14

ubergeeknz

3344 posts

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Vocus

#862201 19-Jul-2013 15:29

$20 a month for vanilla email is hugely inflated.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-nz/business/compare-office-365-for-business-plans-FX102918419.aspx

Office365 is only $5.10/mo per user

http://www.google.co.nz/intx/en/enterprise/apps/business/pricing.html

Google Apps is only $5/mo per user

A domain is < $30/year

Just get a domain and sign up with a proper business email provider, advise your contacts, forward for a few months, then ditch your Xtra account.

Even if you have to pay someone $100 to set it up for you, it's paid itself off in 8 months, and you have a better service and branding.

If you already have a domain for your website then you can just use that for email as well, taking the $30 a year out of the equation.

Heck if you're not worried about having a domain, gmail is free, and a much more reliable service than xtra have been offering of late.

Klipspringer

2385 posts

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Inactive user

#862206 19-Jul-2013 15:42

At the end of the day they supplying you with an email address. If you feel its too expensive then don't use it and sign up for something else

plambrechtsen

1948 posts

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Inactive user

#862216 19-Jul-2013 15:48

With a mobile plan with data I think it's included. I would check with the broadband helpdesk on 0800225598 and get them to check the situation. I could be wrong here.

Inphinity

2780 posts

Uber Geek

#862222 19-Jul-2013 15:56

Ring them up and discuss it. Depending on the plan you're on, you may get a mailbox free, or for their 'additional mailbox' fee which ,last I checked, was $2.88+GST/mo. Perhaps you're not on a qualifying plan, though I'd be surprised if it's $100+GST and isn't.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#862223 19-Jul-2013 16:02

Worth keeping in mind that even if they discount the xtra.co.nz email, if you decide to go elsewhere for your mobile plan down the track, you'll be stuck paying the $20/mo to keep that address. Worth considering.

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#862225 19-Jul-2013 16:04

Yet more reason to never tie yourself to an ISP email address when you can get your own domain so cheaply and never be tied to a single provider.

Quic Broadband

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myfullflavour

896 posts

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Full Flavour

#862226 19-Jul-2013 16:05

I've also heard it's a bit cheaper on a dedicated mobile data plan.

End of the day, Telecom own @xtra.co.nz and can charge whatever they like for services they provide relating to it. From their point of view, it's an effective way of locking customers into their service.

FYI - I suggest using the search box on GZ to answer questions in the future. This is a discussion that has come up several times before.

josephhinvest

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#862271 19-Jul-2013 16:33

Yep another vote for buying your own domain. I paid upfront for mine for 5 years and use Google Apps, and it has been smooth sailing so far. My domain is from Sao Tome and Principe (a little island off Africa, I hadn't heard of it before either). I do have a little niggling concern about the long term security of my domain, hopefully I can essentially secure it for life?

Cheers,
Joseph

old3eyes

9120 posts

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Subscriber

#862277 19-Jul-2013 16:44

Zeon: Cashing in on it I guess - can't really do much unless you have your own domain.

Or get a outlook.com email address. free no cost..

Regards,

Old3eyes

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#862284 19-Jul-2013 16:57

old3eyes:
Zeon: Cashing in on it I guess - can't really do much unless you have your own domain.

Or get a outlook.com email address. free no cost..

For now, but there is nothing stopping them charging in the future, or cancelling the service, going out of business etc. Also you can't move the email address to another provider if they have problems. Plus no personal support, eg you can't email for help if you need help or have problems.

A domain name is the best solution for an email address for life, and you can choose a provider with the support level and features you requre.

1080p

1332 posts

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#862286 19-Jul-2013 17:10

I guess use a free mail provider. They can be accessed by smart phones too.

surfisup1000

5288 posts

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#862317 19-Jul-2013 18:28

mattwnz:
old3eyes:
Zeon: Cashing in on it I guess - can't really do much unless you have your own domain.

Or get a outlook.com email address. free no cost..

For now, but there is nothing stopping them charging in the future, or cancelling the service, going out of business etc. Also you can't move the email address to another provider if they have problems. Plus no personal support, eg you can't email for help if you need help or have problems.

A domain name is the best solution for an email address for life, and you can choose a provider with the support level and features you requre.

I think outlook.com will outlive most people today. Just as many people have been outlived by their hotmail accounts which must have been running for 20 odd years or so by now.

Gmail.com will probably also have similar longevity.

old3eyes

9120 posts

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#862340 19-Jul-2013 19:06

mattwnz:
old3eyes:
Zeon: Cashing in on it I guess - can't really do much unless you have your own domain.

Or get a outlook.com email address. free no cost..

For now, but there is nothing stopping them charging in the future, or cancelling the service, going out of business etc. Also you can't move the email address to another provider if they have problems. Plus no personal support, eg you can't email for help if you need help or have problems.

A domain name is the best solution for an email address for life, and you can choose a provider with the support level and features you requre.

Nothing stopping someone else like the FBI or the like from taking your domain name and closing it down or another company that likes the name doing a hostile take over..

Regards,

Old3eyes

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#862344 19-Jul-2013 19:10

old3eyes:
mattwnz:
old3eyes:
Zeon: Cashing in on it I guess - can't really do much unless you have your own domain.

Or get a outlook.com email address. free no cost..

For now, but there is nothing stopping them charging in the future, or cancelling the service, going out of business etc. Also you can't move the email address to another provider if they have problems. Plus no personal support, eg you can't email for help if you need help or have problems.

A domain name is the best solution for an email address for life, and you can choose a provider with the support level and features you requre.

Nothing stopping someone else like the FBI or the like from taking your domain name and closing it down or another company that likes the name doing a hostile take over..

Thats why you have to be careful that you choose the right one, and do trademark and company searches. Also why .nz domain is probably the best extension for nzers, as there is a proper disputes procedure to nz laws. Domain disputes are very rare anyway, & the main ones are over company names and trademarks.

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