BT Ditches Yahoo Mail In Favour Of Own Web Portal

BT has announced that it will switch its broadband customers’ email accounts from Yahoo to a brand new BT Mail service as part of plans to relaunch BT.Com.

The new website will combine news content, email and billing information accessible via a single login known as a BT ID, and will replace the existing BT Yahoo portal that has been in existence for more than a decade.

The portal will shut in the summer, but BT Yahoo email accounts will still be accessible via a link from BT.com. Migration to BT Mail will begin later this year, with inboxes and folders all moved to the new service.

BT Mail launch

BT will contact affected customers over the course of the next few months to inform them of the changes, but users will retain the same email address and BT Business customers are unaffected.

BT’s refreshed online offerings and the severing of ties with Yahoo represents a change in strategy to offering content to users. The company has already announced plans to offer BT Sport channels to broadband customers at no extra cost as it seeks to retain Internet subscribers.

“The new BT.com will feature breaking and exclusive news and features from a dedicated team of journalists at the Press Association covering areas such as news, entertainment and lifestyle,” explained Nick Wong, director of online for BT’s consumer division. “With BTSport.com also launching in the summer, we’ll bring customers exclusive live sports action as well.

Yahoo Mail ditched

“We will be switching customers’ email over to BT Mail, which will include the features and functions they expect from a modern email service. It will also feature in-built anti-virus and anti-spam solutions. We will be keeping our customers fully informed about what changes to expect and when they will be able to enjoy the new services.”

Yahoo has struggled in recent years but is enjoying a mini-revival under CEO Marissa Mayer, who was appointed last year. The company has overhauled its mail and mobile services and has embarked on an ambitious acquisition spending spree.

It recently bought blogging site Tumblr for $1.1 billion and is reportedly interested in acquiring the Hulu video platform. It was unsuccessful in its attempts to purchase video sharing site DailyMotion after its takeover bid was blocked by the French government.

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