Leaving Orange - still access emails??

Im looking to switch my parents broadband from Orange to o2. They are all for it except for the situation with emails. They have had the same email address since Orange was Freeserve (many years ago) and dont want to lose it - is there anyway to keep the email address live once the switch to o2 is complete?

Make sure Orange downgrade the a/c to PAYG dial-up, when you leave (they might even do this auto.). Then you can use its email for ever as long as you re-activate it about every 9 months at Your Account on their website.

Thanks for your reply!

So the best method is

- Phone Orange - request MAC to transfer broadband to o2, but also mention to transfer to PAYG dial up (i take it there is no charge for this? Initial or monthly?)
- Give o2 the MAC code from Orange to transfer broadband over.
- Make sure i re-activate the PAYG dial up every 9 months - is this easy to do and do Orange actually endorse this method to retain an email address?

Thanks again for your help

Yes, when you phone up to request the MAC, also confirm with them that they will downgrade it to PAYG after you migrate.

Yes, they endorse this method so much that they send you a reminder email just before it is due to be deactivated. My wife does it all the time, so as to have a separate email addy from my BB one. You just need to login here: https://membercentre.orange.co.uk/MCPres/login.do

Thanks very much, i have now passed this information on my parents and hopefully they will begin this process today, so will report back with results.

Thanks again for all your help with this

In reply to a post by neenyrules:

Im looking to switch my parents broadband from Orange to o2. They are all for it except for the situation with emails. They have had the same email address since Orange was Freeserve (many years ago) and dont want to lose it - is there anyway to keep the email address live once the switch to o2 is complete?

I've been with 02 since Jan. of this year (from Orange), and I've still got access to my (Orange) e-mail a/c.

I didn't mention anything when I left them (except for the MAC).

That's promising, but it's worth making sure by confirming with them.

I worked for orange/wanadoo/freeserve for over 6 years and can 100% guarantee that you can still use your email address, there's no need to ask them to do anything, their account will automatically go into a PAYG dial-up status. There's a way to disable suspension of your account (so you don't ever have to re-activate it) but it's via an old system that not many still have admin rights on.The first time it will go off will be after 270 days, then after that every 90 days. It's just their way of deleting unused email addresses that are clogging up their servers with spam.

In reply to a post by booyakasha:

The first time it will go off will be after 270 days, then after that every 90 days

No, such a/c's are suspended every 219 days; you are sent an email to remind you and you have further 40 days to reactivate it before it is cancelled completely. My wife has done this at least 4 times about every 7 months.

I think years ago it was only 90 days.