Gmail Alternatives ...

Hi,

Used Gmail for some time, but never too happy about them for mails to and from Banks etc.

There are quiet a few other free email providers out there, but as some say, they have to get their money from somewhere to provide such a service, which can mean selling your data.

Seems there are several paid for services, most for the larger user, but some do offer a low cost service , for light users like us eg ******* about £1 a month,

Any suggestion/experience of such alternative providers ?

 

My son uses Protonmail as he's trying steer clear of anything produced by Google.

 

Hi @Sheal,

Yes, likewise trying to limit Googles presence.

Did you son find any problems when moving to Protonmail , like when receiving emails from banks etc. or did it run as smoothly as he had hoped for.

 

We started with Virgin media but their email service was very poor, sometimes being unable to access any for several days at a time, thats why we moved to Gmail.
Though its email works well, its the privacy issues we do not like, alway getting their messages about we need you to agree to this that and the other, perhaps the young ones know all about it, but we don't !

 

Hi,

Its more what google do with the data, as you know they scan every mail for key words and put that to use for advertising etc , plus its if the actual data get hacked or into the wrong hands.

It was years ago when VM had email problems , more so with us old NTL customers who they absorbed.

Moving from VM to Gmail. or Outlook or other free email providers means you are not restricted to your ISP so can switch ISP sevices whenever.

Paid for services like Proton mail have two levels of encryption, one is the actual transmission across the networks that is the same or better (hopefully) than the free ones, and then there is the encryption of the actual email message that needs the sends invokes and the recipient needs to be able to decode it, which we assume would not be used when dealing with normal banks.

Its all sounds complex, but we just want something we feel happier with and less suspicious of all googles many tentacles.

 

Hi John. Like you, I've been with what is now known as Virgin Media from the start. Prior to that, on joining the digital world. I was connected to. various setups. I think Vidiotron became Virgin. Anyway, all seemed OK. All I wanted was. A landline phone, and access to the internet. All went well. Then come BILL TIME. My monthly bill began to rise. Eventually I questioned this. Well Mr Allen. Your package does include, and the inclusions were endless. So Mike was paying for virgin Television and uncle Tom cobblies and all. I must admit. On the whole the service is good. I draw the line at honesty and trading practices.
Here. I liken the practices to be much the same as HM Gov and all it's departments. Well Sir. There are benefits available to you, but you have to ask for them. In other words, skillfully these points are left out of the small print. My bill continued to rise. Finally I called a halt to it. Vodaphone had an offer. So I went for it. Everything was set up. Sadly Vidiotron and talk talk etc use BT overhead cables. So a guy calls from BT. Times past. I had the overhead cables, the suddenly these were removed. The BT bloke really was a pregnant fish. I am about 50 yds from the telegraph pole. Where and how to connect. My internal wiring was up and running. No need for this clown to enter the loft and connect. On the outside wall was a connection box. simples. No I sent him on his way. At the end of the day. We must foget the niceities and be aware. Out there is a very hungry and unloving businness world. So treat them with. Like for like.

 

I don't think my bank ever sends me anything that could be of use to anyone else via e email.

 

@ricky101 my son lives in Ohio, although I doubt it would make any difference to the service from Protonmail. I've copied and pasted this quote from him below.....

"I haven't had any issues with them at all. They do a free service but they also do a tiered paid service if you need more storage for your email. They are based in Switzerland and emails are end to end encrypted making it very secure. A guy at work uses Protonmail too and they are always at the top of lists for best secure email providers. I wouldn't go back to Gmail personally."

There is another one called Tutanota that has a similar set up to Protonmail but neither my son or I know anything about it. It seems to come up quite a bit as an alternative to GMail.

 

Hi @Sheal ,

Many thanks for that helpful info, will be giving them a good look over, seems to take a lot longer for these things to sink in these days, oh for the fast brains of a 21 years old !

 

You're welcome Ricky.

You and me both!