Many people don't know that you can change your Internet Service Provider without having to change your e-mail address

We're providing some simple instructions here in case you have been thinking of changing.

There are lots of reasons why you might want to change; a cheaper provider, your existing provider has been taken over by another (usually foreign) company, your current provider imposes lots of limitations, your current provider has adverse effects on other applications on your computer, you want a new (perhaps more meaningful) e-mail address, you are getting lots of unwanted mail, and so on.

Once you've decided on a new supplier, you can either run the CD they supply to set up your PC with the new data or change the data manually from the information they provide. When you've done that -

If you use Outlook Express for your e-mail

Go to the 'Tools' menu and select 'Accounts'

Select your existing/old e-mail account and click 'Properties'

Select the 'Servers' tab at the top

Change the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) box to the new address supplied by your new ISP. This will be in a document or e-mail they have sent you and will be identified as SMTP server address or outgoing mail address etc.

Do not change anything else

Click 'OK' and then 'Close'

If you use Microsoft Outlook for your e-mail

Go to the 'Tools' menu and select 'E-Mail Accounts'

Select 'E-Mail - View or change existing e-mail accounts', Click 'Next'

Select 'POP3', click 'Next'

Select your existing/old e-mail account and click 'Change'

Change the Outgoing mail server (SMTP) box to the new address supplied by your new ISP. This will be in a document or e-mail they have sent you and will be identified as SMTP server address or outgoing mail address etc.

Do not change anything else

Click 'Next' and then 'Finish

If you use another e-mail application the changes you need to make will be along the same lines.

You will now be able to receive and send e-mails using your existing/old address. Your new ISP will provide you with a new e-mail address or addresses. You may decide to use this for outgoing mail or as your main address. You only need to inform people as you contact them because your old address is still active and you'll continue to receive the mail they send you.

Utility Warehouse provide Internet Services via Go-plus