Free E-Mail Addresses

Introduction

A free e-mail address is what you need to be independent of your current internet service provider, job, or school. If you travel a lot, web based e-mail is your choice. Maybe you share your internet access with other family members, then get everyone his own e-mail address.

Based on the different access methods we have categorized all free e-mail address services into three types.

Categories

POP3 Accounts

A POP3 account (Post Office Protocol 3) is just the same type of e-mail account as the one you got from your ISP. To access your mail you need an e-mail client such as, e.g., Netscape Messenger (included in Netscape Communicator), Microsoft Outlook (included in Microsoft Office), Microsoft Outlook Express (included in Microsoft Internet Explorer), or Pine.

Forwarding Accounts

Forwarding accounts are the most widely used type of free e-mail accounts. When someone sends a mail to your address it automatically gets forwarded to an existing address such as the one you received from your provider.

Web-Based Accounts

A web-based account is what you need if you don't always use the same computer to access your mailbox. Instead of a mail client you use a browser to read your e-mail. This has the obvious advantage that it reduces the configuration time needed to virtually zero. Just access the e-mail account provider's web site, enter your password and user name, and there you are.