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About Free E-mail Services
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Why are these e-mail services free?

  • Some Web sites offer free e-mail service to increase "traffic," attract repeat visitors, and publicize their name in users' e-mail addresses.

  • The services may display advertisements.

What are the different types of free e-mail services?
The most common types are:

  • Web-based accounts
    Use from any computer with Internet access and a browser to send and receive e-mail.

  • POP3 accounts
    You can use an e-mail software product (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Netscape Communicator, or Eudora) to send and receive e-mail. These software products generally offer more features than Web-based accounts for filtering and organizing your messages.

    POP is an acronym for Post Office Protocol, a method designed for a server to function as an electronic "post office," receiving and storing incoming e-mail messages until they are retrieved.

  • E-mail readers
    Use a Web browser to access your POP3 account.

For more detailed information on these and other types of free e-mail services, see the excellent explanation at the Free E-mail Providers Guide.


How can I find a free E-mail service?
You can find evaluations and links at various sites, such as:

 
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Last Modified: Monday, February 27, 2006