Can you leave AT&T and keep your old email account?

If you’re reading this, chances are good that you’re a long-time AT&T home Internet or Wi-Fi customer and have an email address that you don’t want to lose if you decide to switch providers. In the early days of the Internet, it was common for families to use email addresses provided by their ISPs and even some cell phone providers, as these were considered more legitimate than free online accounts. That is no longer the case. These days, we’re too reliant on email to risk losing access if we switch providers.

So can you leave AT&T Wireless and keep your old email account? In short, yes. You may cancel AT&T service and retain access to your @att.net or even older @sbcglobal.net email address without any action required on your part. However, if you do not keep the same phone number, we recommend that you update your replacement phone number and email information before canceling with AT&T in case you need to restore your account later.

Why do you no longer need a paid AT&T account to access your email?

Simply put, AT&T outsourced its email services to Yahoo a few years ago. Now AT&T email addresses work the same as free @yahoo.com accounts. They are not directly affiliated with AT&T’s services beyond the name, so it doesn’t matter if you are still an AT&T customer. In fact, even people who are not AT&T customers can create an @att.net email address directly from AT&T’s website.

We definitely recommend switching email providers if possible

We understand how difficult it can be to switch email providers. It is often necessary to contact many companies directly, visit countless websites, and do many other things. When my own mother went through the same process with her local ISP, we began a slow migration, initially only transferring essential contacts, about 30 days before she was scheduled to discontinue service. This gave her time to see what other types of emails (newsletters, things related to her streaming services, etc.) were coming in to make sure nothing important was left behind.

Switching email providers comes with many hurdles, but the risk of using a Gmail or even a direct Yahoo Mail account instead of @att.net is far lower. For example, what if AT&T and Yahoo terminated their agreement? Although you may be given a warning period if something like this ever happens, it is always best to act before it has to happen.

Leaving AT&T but not sure where to go next?

If you’re leaving AT&T as your ISP, we recommend checking local options. If you’re switching to another carrier and considering prepaid, here are three top options:

• US Cellular: With the flexibility to switch between all three major wireless carriers and some of the lowest unlimited prices in the US, there’s a lot to like about US Mobile. Register now!
• Mint Mobile: If you pay in advance, you can get significant savings with Mint Mobile while the device is operated and owned by T-Mobile. Register now!
• Visible: This Verizon-owned service offers truly unlimited data in a no-frills package that focuses on self-service and online support. Register now!