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Shorter Email Address

Recently, VSNL announced a new mail forwarding system which will let a users have email addresses like guide@vsnl.com instead of i4u@bom2.vsnl.net.in.

i4u@bom2.vsnl.net.in --> guide@vsnl.com

Now it's possible to have

yourname@vsnl.com

The beauty of this all is that now VSNL users can have email addresses that are simple and easy to remember. No need for that hotmail account, perhaps! It also means that you can choose any new username that you wish! We thought guide was particularly suiting for this site.

Important: Note that this is a forwarding address, which means that mail send to the @vsnl.com address will be automatically forwarded to your normal VSNL account.

How do I register my name?

To get a short Email address, all you have to do is fill up the form at http://mail.vsnl.com and get a new shorter and appealing email address. It is currently available for a number of servers, including all major cities.

The new username can be anything you wish, provided it has not been taken by somebody else already. So hurry and get your new address right away!

VSNL Warns...
Please be careful about choosing the new email ID, as the ID will not be changed after subscription.

Please make sure that the new email id has not more than 20 alphanumeric characters including "." and "_" and the new id must start with an alphabet. Besides this all the alphabets must be in lower case.

For example:

Let's take Dr. Raj Mehta for an example. Currently, his email address is i4u@bom2.vsnl.net.in. Now, he would like to create the shorter email address guide@vsnl.com

This is how he would fill in the form:
Your Full Name: Dr. Raj Mehta
Hostname: [bom2.vsnl.net.in]
Login Name: i4u
Password: **********
New email ID desired: guide

What Does it Mean?

Very simply it means that your email address is easier to remember.

Configuration for TCP/IP and Shell Users

Here are the changes you might want to make to your TCP/IP Email Software or to your shell account configuration.

For a TCP/IP User

The only change you have to make is the change in the return or reply-to address. Fill in your new @vsnl.com email address as your reply-to address and you'll be all set. That is the ONLY change that needs to be made.

If you use Netscape Communicator for email, go into Edit --> Preferences --> Mail & Newsgroups --> Identify and fill in your new email address under: Reply-to address

If you are using MS Outlook 98, click the Tools menu, select Accounts, Select the email account you have, choose Properties and under General Properties fill in your new email under Reply address (See a screenshot)

The SMTP and POP3 configurations must remain the same as it is now so that the email software will pick up your mail as usual. Remember, this is a forwarding address. Your email at @vsnl.com will be forwarded to your normal VSNL account.

For a SHELL/Terminal Account User

If you're a shell account user, you probably use Pine for email. In that case, go into Pine and at the main menu, choose option S for setup:
?     HELP               -  Get help using Pine

C     COMPOSE MESSAGE    -  Compose and send a message

I     MESSAGE INDEX      -  View messages in current
                            folder 

L     FOLDER LIST        -  Select a folder to view

A     ADDRESS BOOK       -  Update address book

S     SETUP              -  Configure Pine Options

Q     QUIT               -  Leave the Pine program
Choose option C: Config from the choices at the bottom of the screen

Then you will be presented with a formidable list. Scroll down all the way and make the following changes:

customized-hdrs  = Reply-To:your_new_name@vsnl.com
       
Save and quit.

Test it out with a test email

Now, finally, before telling all of your friends about your new email address @vsnl.com, you ought to test things out and make sure they work. The easiest way this can be done is by sending a test message to yourself and make sure that you receive it.

Directions

  • Open your email program and send an email

    To: yournewname@vsnl.com
    Subject: Testing out my new email address
    This message should arrive my in my old mailbox, but it should say it's from me@vsnl.com

  • Wait a few minutes...

  • Get your email on your regular account (remember, this is where the @vsnl.com mail should end up. The @vsnl.com is a forwarding service - not a new POP3 mailbox)

  • You should have mail which reads something similar to this:

    From: Your Name <You@host.vsnl.net.in>
    Reply-To: Your name <newname@vsnl.com>
    Subject: Testing out my new email address
    ...

    ... OR ...

    From: Your Name <newname@vsnl.com>
    Subject:Testing out my new email address
    ...

Experienced any problems?

If you are experiencing any problems, let us know about it.



Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998 Dr. Raj Mehta. All rights reserved.