Should Isps Recycle Your Old Email Address?

Broadband providers have hit the headlines once again

, this time for the wrong reasons after further concerns were raised regarding the security of its email system.

The issue has arisen because of the manner in which one provider recycles email addresses used by former customers and allowing new customers to take them on.

A UK based consumer finance website said that if a new customer who receives a recycled address from the broadband giant then attempts to register for a website which the former customer also used, then they would be able to gain access to that former customer's account.

Not a very likely scenario admittedly but nonetheless it does beg the question: what should be done with old email addresses?

Virgin Media say that in line with practices used in other broadband deals, former customers are told that they will lose their email address and are given three months to make any necessary alterations to online accounts linked to that address.

It is then a further three months before the address is reallocated.

An Information Commissioner's spokesman erred on the side of leaning by saying that, 'The [Data Protection] Act requires that personal information should be kept secure and processed fairly'.

This could be quoted to providers of home or mobile broadband deals if this issue arises.

The lack of helpful guidance from the Information Commissioners' Office is contributing to the problem say some experts.

Some experts think that whilst it was the consumers role to switch over their email address after moving broadband, there is also an obligation on companies to make sure that a customer's personal data doesn't unnecessarily fall into the wrong hands.

If consumers are switching broadband provider, they say, then it's of paramount importance that they change all accounts and websites with which their former email address was related.

Broadband providers have had a few email problems in the past, in July this year a customer complained after receiving an email telling him that Virgin Mobile was now part of Virgin Media.

Despite customers opting out Virgin Media claimed it was not a marketing email, despite the inclusion of famous non-marketing lines such as, " ... you can get your hands on even more exclusive deals."

Surprisingly, Virgin Media lost the case.

It's a blow to the companies reputation which leads consumers to ask questions such as 'is plusnet any good?'

In 2009 broadband providers finally got sick being plagued by email problems, mostly the result of having to look after a variety of email platforms inherited from NTL, Telewest et al.

Many provider's emails are now run on the Google Apps for business platform.

by: Neil Hawkins

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