Ramifications of changing email address

[Wayne02]

My ISP verizon has sold out to another company and my very long established email address is apparently going to change.

This comes at the same time I'm preparing to discontinue my home phone in favor of using the cell phone only.

I didn't think this would that big of deal until I started realizing just how embedded the email addy and phone number were in everyday life. It's easy enough to send a blanket email to everyone on my email contact list I suppose. However, I'm finding many other things that I will need to change as the email and phone number are used on all sorts of other things such as financial outfits, all the usual bills, credit cards, medical offices, banking bill pay, etc.

Anybody go through this process and get tripped up somewhere along the line because the contact info was not changed?

Thanks

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

No, because the first time my employer (the provider of my first e-mail address) talked about outsourcing, I got a Hotmail account. I have had several internet service providers since, but the Hotmail address is the one I tell people about.

I realize that this doesn't answer your present predicament, but it does tell you how to avoid a repetition.

 

[oldman45]

I will say this. People working for credit reporting agenices have told me that those using cell phones for home service loses points on their credit score since cell phone numbers are more difficult for a creditor to obtain.

Being involved with law enforcement, I have had to go to a residence often after an off site emergency took place simply because the resident had a cell phone in place of a hard wire phone. When a family member suffers an accident and there is no hard wire phone number available to law enforcement, it may be hours later before the relatives learn of the accident. This could be critical if the injured is unconscious, needs parental consent for treatment or medical personnel needs medical history.

Then many areas do not get adequate cell reception. I live within five miles of a major city and less than a mile from an interstate but there are rooms in my home where a cell phone will not work well. While I carry three cell phones, they are often useless in many places.

I feel having a cell phone in place of a hard wire phone is risky business and not worth the savings.

 

[don95sml]

With regard to the e-mail address, I recommend my practice of almost never giving it to anyone except trusted friends. If necessary, I even lie and indicate that I don't have an e-mail address. This forestalls a lot of problems.

 

[diamonback68]

I recently did it twice in a short period of time. Once because of a hacker, then I had to switch ISPs because of bad service a month later. It really wasn't such a big deal. Takes a little time informing everyone, including this forum, but that's about all. Smartest thing I ever did, now I have uncluttered speedy service.

 

[LVSteve]

I found that changing my ISP got rid of nearly all my Spammers. I have always been pretty circumspect with my email address so the number of folk I needed to inform was pretty small. I do not do any e-banking or any similar BS as I know that no matter how good they tell you the encryption might be, one clever/lucky hacker can cause you a world of hurt. Neither do I maintain a Windows email address book to avoid any issues with hacks, my computer being zombied and other similar issues. I do this out of respect for my friends that I do email. I am frequently asked for my email when making purchases and I simply reply that they do not need it. Some of the looks I get are, shall we say, interesting. For your own good, do not make life easy for the data miners.

 

[PDL]

Got to agree with one of the posters above, I use a generic email for most of my contact. Some folks, won't allow you to join their board if you have a generic email (can't guess who). So for those you use what your ISP provides. Most all of them have some simple facility to notify your contacts of a change in email addresses.

 

[bobelk99]

After many moves and changes, I have to endorse Gmail for email and land line for phone.

Land line for phone in addition to cell is a good investment, as oldman said.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I also switched accounts before. Kind of a pain but worth it.

I now have two email accounts. One I give out freely and the other not so freely.

 

[goldenlight]

When most people ask me for my E-mail address, I just refuse to give it to them.

If I REALLY don't like them, I give them an invalid E-mail address.

Then their E-mails either bounce, or simply go unanswered.

People seem to think they have some sort of 'right' to my E-mail address, home and cell phone numbers.

They DON"T.

 

[Grog]

If you want to keep the landline number, port the number to a $10 prepaid phone and make sure everyone important has your cell number. You can keep a prepaid phone active for less than $10 a month (I do it for $30 a year). That way you'll have a phone log to show how many people still try to reach you at home.


Oh, I have used web-based e-mail since 2001 so I'm not loosing my address. I also have had around 30 over the years, for different things. If I deal with a new company, I have made up a new yahoo address to see if that place sells my info. I also use different spellings of my name to see if I get more real junk mail.

 

[rcnixon]

Why would changing owners of the ISP change your e-mail address? The new owner will simply take over the old owner's domain name. Your address should stay the same. My e-mail address has not changed in twelve years and it is a business asset since I an a contractor (IT, oddly enough). In fact, my original ISP was taken over and nothing changed. Spam? What spam. Get a good spam filter, a good firewall and a good anti-virus program. This very computer is ten years old and it has not been re-imaged in over eight years; that was due to an HD failure. Decent performance and no "odd" occurrances from virii or rootkits.

Don't drop the landline phone. The whole wired phone network runs on batteries. When the crap hit the fan, that cell network will go down but unless the underground plant is disrupted, the dialtone continues. I have never designed a phone installation that did not include at least one independent telco phone service line, just for emergencies when the IP phone system goes down or a disaster renders the cell network useless.

Russ

 

[oldman45]

Don't drop the landline phone. The whole wired phone network runs on batteries. When the crap hit the fan, that cell network will go down but unless the underground plant is disrupted, the dialtone continues. I have never designed a phone installation that did not include at least one independent telco phone service line, just for emergencies when the IP phone system goes down or a disaster renders the cell network useless.

Russ

I had forgotten about that. That is correct as I understand. In fact, the current administration has asked for the power to shut down cellular and internet communication during times of threat to the US according to what I have read.

Yet some with cell phones will be regretting thier decision when they have a relative pass away at a hospital as people search for a phone number or address. I have seen it happen too many times. I will give up my cell phone before I give up my hard wire phone.

 

[customizedcreationz]

Phone number because of the business line was a pain because one provider wouldn't "give" the other provider the #.

Royal pain, took almost a month and a half to get someone ( Vonage ) to get the number installed in the new shop.

I got rid of my cell phone years ago. I just hated everyone being able to get ahold of me all the time. Its nice to have one, but not necessary. I am either at the shop ( 80% of the time ) or at home. When we are out, my wife has a phone. So no need for me to have one.

But I never found it to be a pain when I got new numbers for phones or emails , just a little time consuming.

Good luck !

 

[Wayne02]

Why would changing owners of the ISP change your e-mail address?
Russ

Frontier has bought out Verizon in my area and have made it plain as day that the email addresses are changing to @frontierdotcom at the end of the month.

I'm not overly concerned with notifying friends and family of the new address as that is a relatively small group. It's all the other stuff that I've used that long held email for that worries me a bit because I will miss something.

I have had a gmail address for the last several years but the verizon email was in use for many years before I started using the gmail one.

Two items I thought of this morning is my paypal and ebay accounts are long established and will need the email address changed. If they accept a gmail address I'll change them to that.