iiNet scraps email service

Perth-founded internet service provider iiNet is shutting down its email address service in a move that is expected to impact thousands of businesses and individuals.

iiNet announced it had made the decision to stop providing email services across its iiNet and subsidiary brands from November to focus on its core products, internet and mobile.

TPG Telecom-owned iiNet's email users have been told they have the option to transfer their email addresses to The Messaging Company email platform, which is an Australian email services provider owned by Brisbane-based Atmail.

But after 12-months, iiNet customers have been told they will be asked to pay a fee to continue using their email addresses with The Messaging Company otherwise the domains will be deleted, according to iiNet.

If iiNet email users don't opt to transfer their email addresses, the domains will be deleted by November. 

Business News understands the fee amount has not yet been disclosed or the timeframe in which customers can keep their email addresses with The Messaging Company. 

iiNet also stopped issuing email addresses to customers in June.

The internet services provider was founded by two Perth university students Michael Malone and Michael O’Reilly in 1993, according to iiNet.

Two years later the company moved into the QV1 building on St Georges Terrace and in 1998 the company was listed on the ASX, before delisting in 2015.

In September 2015, iiNet was acquired by TPG Telecom through a $1.56 billion merger deal that created Australia’s second biggest internet services provider behind Telstra.

TPG also owns several other Australian companies, namely Vodaphone, Internode and Lebara.