Can I keep my email address if I change to Gmail?

Can I keep my email address that I have had for years if I were to change to Gmail from my present service provider?
Brenda

Brenda, you write to me from a Road Runner address, so I assume they are your present email service providers. Now if you were to get a Gmail email address, nothing will happen to the present one and you can continue using it. Thus, you can keep the email address from Road Runner as long as you do not cancel their subscription.

The two email addresses – the Road Runner account you are using at present and the new one from Gmail – are distinct and are not dependent on each other in any way. So you can have as many emails as you want – the only limiting factor is “time”. Please note, maintaining two email addresses is not problematic… you’ll just end up spending a little more time because you now have to check two accounts. But I have a small tip that will help you manage these efficiently.

Link Road Runner to Gmail and still keep the email address

I suppose you are familiar and comfortable with the way things are right now. You would be checking the Road Runner account either via the online interface using a web browser or downloading the email to your computer with the help of a program such as Outlook Express, Windows Mail etc.

If you employ the latter method, you are in luck because, just like Road Runner, Gmail too has free POP access which lets you download the messages using your favourite email client. Thus, you can keep using the old email address and also add the new one from Gmail in your chosen email program.

However, if you use the Road Runner’s web-based interface you can save a little time and still keep the email address by forwarding all messages from it to the Gmail account. This means all your messages are now available at one place – Gmail server – and can be done by adding the Road Runner email account via the “Settings -> “Accounts and Import section. You would need to Road Runner incoming and outgoing server information – refer that for details.

The Gmail web interface may seem a little ‘strange’ at first (all new things do), but I am sure you’ll get used to it.