Hotmail to offer 250MB of free storage

[sajid]

Microsoft said Wednesday that it will boost storage limits in its Hotmail Web e-mail service, a move intended to counter similar steps taken by rivals Google and Yahoo.

The upgrade will increase Hotmail's free e-mail storage limits from 2 megabytes to 250MB and its paid e-mail service, which costs $19.95 a year, from 10MB to 2 gigabytes. The changes will begin in early July.

"With these new offers, storage will not be an issue for MSN Hotmail customers," Blake Irving, corporate vice president of communication services for MSN, said in a statement.

The storage follows similar announcements from Google and Yahoo. The storage boost started when Google announced in April that it plans to launch a new e-mail service called Gmail that will give people 1GB of storage for free. The service has attracted some controversy, because it will serve advertisements based on keywords found in the text of peoples' e-mail messages.

Indeed, Google's initial steps into storage increases countered the industry's trend to charge extra for more memory. Over the past few years, Yahoo and Hotmail have both taken steps to decrease memory in hopes of convincing free users to become paying subscribers.

Earlier this month, Yahoo launched its own upgrade to 100MB for free users and 2GB for its paid users. The company said the changes would make e-mail storage a "nonissue."

"We'll remain focused on what e-mailers want and need, and people can expect to see a number of new enhancements to Yahoo Mail in the coming months," Yahoo spokeswoman Mary Osako said in response to the Microsoft announcement.

Ask Jeeves also plans to grant its e-mail subscribers more storage room. Earlier this year, the search company acquired Internet Search Holdings, including My Way, The Excite Network and iWon.com, which all serve Web surfers with free e-mail. Ask Jeeves plans to give each of the sites' e-mail subscribers 125MB of free storage, up from an allottment of 3MB to 6MB previously.

Separately, Microsoft said it will offer free antivirus software to scan e-mails before they appear in a user's in-box.

http://news.com.com/Hotmail+to+offer+250MB+of+free+storage/2100-1032_3-5245523.html?tag=nefd.top

[.: Anna :.]

excellent :D
might not even need 2 bother gettin a g mail :p

[Pak4Ever]

I think Yahoo are offering 1000mb already -

point is none of them would have bothered updating if it wasent for the increased competition they face from Google gang :D

[KB1]

true...show how they been rippen people off...maybe google should now claim <i say claim..as they have cleavry diverted their commpitors attention away from search engine building to email space while not doing so themselves! hahaha>

nyway..where was i

yes they should claim to start to sell cars at near production cost prices in the UK and then all the other car sellers will lower their prices to normal prices..then we will see how they where rippen us off!

spymac already give you 1GB...goto spymac.com

[Bilal2]

Also, head to gawab.com (http://gawab.com/) for free 1 gigabyte email...

[kaphirgoyim]

They want bigger mailboxes for one reason. Spam.

[truepath]

Dear Member,

Thank you for contacting to Hotmail Technical Support.

I understand your concern regarding the storage space in your Hotmail account.

As you know, MSN is upgrading storage limits for customers. With over 170 million Hotmail users we are in the process of upgrading, this is going to take some time. I can inform you generally when your account will upgraded:

• Initial markets (US, UK, JP, CA, AU, DE, FR, and ES): Yes, later this year MSN will be increasing the storage limits on Hotmail to 250MB. However, this change has not yet happened and the current storage limits on Hotmail is 2MB.

• Remaining World Wide Markets: We are in trial in other markets with increased free storage today to ensure a great user experience before we launch broadly. We will communicate to you once the 250MB is available in your market.

Thank you very much for your patience and I assure you that we will promptly investigate your inquiry as soon as we receive the information from you.

Sincerely,

Abhilekha
MSN Hotmail Technical Support Representative




--- Original Message ---
From: @hotmail.com
To: support_x@css.one.microsoft.com
Sent: Wed Aug 18 15:20:58 PDT 2004
Subject: Comment / CurrentHM / Neg


Date: Wed Aug 18 23:20:58 2004

Operating System: windows XP
Connection Type: cellular/wireless modem
Browser Type: ie 6+

It says on website that free hotmail account capacity has been upgraded from 2mb to 250mb. Still my account is limited to 2mb mailbox capacity only. Will this error be fixed ?


In the last line of her reply, what information is she talking bout that she wants (from me)?