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07 Feb 2006
AOL has announced that it will start charging to send emails in an attempt to cut down on spam.
The company will now define two forms of email: AOL 'certified' and AOL 'normal'. Companies that pay for certified mail will be able to bypass spam filters, at a cost of $3 to $4 per 1,000 emails.
AOL will still send 'normal' emails but these could fall prey to spam filters if they contain URLs or attachments.
"We are creating this new class of email so that recipients can be assured that they're receiving secure emails from legitimate senders," said Richard Gingras, chairman of Goodmail Systems, which is supplying the charging technology to AOL.
Gingras explained that Yahoo will also be installing the technology to charge for emails. Between them AOL and Yahoo carry 50 per cent of private emails in the US.
"We believe this new layer of protection will widen the gap between the amount of good email we want our users to get and the dwindling amount of bad email they might get," said Barry Appelman, senior vice president and chief web strategist at AOL.
"Spam on the AOL service has now declined by over 85 per cent since its peak in 2003, but more work needs to be done."
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Do you agree?
Why charge?
If its only 15% why do they have to charge? They already been coming out with new features to make aol mail better and not one announcement was made about charging us for those. So why should they start now? Only two outcomes will happen. Either users will stop using AOL or the users will remain on the "NORMAL" aol mail. Besides, most of aol users only use aol for the instant messenger. And you don't need aol software for that. You can just download "AIM". So my question to them is what's the point?
Posted by: Vaughn 11 Jul 2008
Good Idea.
Anything that cuts down on spam is to be welcomed.
Posted by: Steve Goodey 26 Apr 2007
Outrageous to charge for email...
This is totally outrageous to have to pay for emails. AOL and YAHOO are going to make it so only the rich people can communicate with their friends and family, or to meet new people! There are a lot of people who are not able to afford this extra cost. I just ignore the spam and delete it and go on. I will have to start looking for another provider then...
Posted by: Sandra 09 Mar 2006
AOL Charge for email
If AOL charge for email I will change ISP. I want to shop on line and I want to receive email confimation of my purchase. If I cannot be sure I will get the email I want then there is no point in staying with AOL
Posted by: Chris Lozetsky 16 Feb 2006
What about the legimate URLs?
I regularly send mail to my family and friend's for advice about internet security, downloads and other information, with appropriate URLs. I also receive many newsletters with links to a website article. I have used my yahoo account because of its virus and spam filtering - will I have to change my email provider? I think charging for emails is just an excuse, the mass mailers can be identified and charged or blocked accordingly: there is no need to charge the home user or legimate business.
Posted by: A Karhunen 10 Feb 2006
Charge away!
Nothing is free - and in this case giving away the ability to send emails is killing email as a communication tool. There was a time where you could send a somone in a business a well-targeted email and get a response. I wouldn't even try to do that now, as it is extremely unlikely to get through - and I don't want my company to end up on a list of spammers! Start charging people to send email and we might actually be able to reclaim email as a business tool
Posted by: Peter Dunkley 09 Feb 2006
E-MAIL RUINED
I receive and send a large amount of e-mail, purely fun, around 100 daily. If no let's be realistic when aol and yahoo start charging I'm gonna have to change providers. AOL stopped the (un)help free phone numbers & then moved the call centre to India where the staff repeat the same script over & over or hang up with no explanation. Does anyone know of an isp that isn't going to do this? Perhaps B.T ?
Posted by: Mandi 09 Feb 2006
shame
GREED strikes again. I am ashamed of AOL and Yahoo. I long ago stopped using AOL and may stop using Yahoo. Greed always has to ruin a good thing. Apparently that is the theme for this nation nowdays.
Posted by: gentry 07 Feb 2006
85% and going down
if spam on AOL is only 15% of 2003 level and apparently going down why the charge
Posted by: REG DIXON 07 Feb 2006