I just learned Telus is migrating webmail to Gmail!

[FuzzyLogic]

I suspect this is related to email issues Telus had in August but that's speculation on my part. I was trying to modify my Junk mail settings for Webmail and can't seem to find the settings to change it. In the process I discovered this:

Webmail to Gmail migration: What you need to know Starting March 2020, we will begin migrating all TELUS Webmail accounts to Gmail, the Google email platform

If this was publicized I seem to have missed it. More information here:

https://www.telus.com/en/bc/support/article/telus-email-transition-general-information

Here's hoping this transition goes smoothly. I'm curious what the privacy implications are as that's why I've stayed away from Gmail.

[Nighthawk]

This could be interesting. I didn't previously hear about the change to Gmail.

[LynnB]

I got what looked like a bogus email last night saying my email account is being cancelled unless I click on their link. It did not come from Telus, so I just deleted it. Then this morning I received a very official email from Telus telling me they're migrating to GMail. I spent an hour on the phone to confirm and sure's heck, that's what's happening.  I too have serious privacy and security concerns. Have we learned nothing from COVID19? Do we want all our communications eggs in somebody else's basket?

Servers are not that expensive. Maintaining them is more costly. Surely Telus can afford it. But after the big failure a year ago, I guess it's easier to point a finger in the future at Google. I'm truly not happy about this. And if I was a business I'd be positively outraged.

The timing also sucks. Are there going to be enough staff available to walk me through changing all my settings on 3rd party apps, or am I going to be SOL?

If I wanted GMail I'd use GMail. I choose to use Telus because I trust Telus to guard my privacy and security. I do not trust Google at all.

What can we do about this?

[polecat]

@LynnB  I WOULD SAY THIS IS ALL FAKE . No emails notices on my email. Used telus emails for years never failed me. Email trouble last year only down 8 hours. But webmail is the only email i use. I googled around no news of this that i found. Polecat

[polecat]

@LynnB  I stand corrected finally found the mail issue on telus site. Not happy about it. There is something to be said about a proper mail out so people can voice opinion or move on to where ever. To many people get left out by email  notifications etc. Polecat

[FuzzyLogic]

I can understand why Telus is doing this. Email is not their primary business and it makes sense for them to use someone who does. There are many benefits to this but you also lose some control. There have been many issues with Telus email over the years and I suspect most of them will go away once the migration to gmail is complete. I believe both the U of A and City of Edmonton now use Google for email. Sadly it appears that our data will be subject to the whims of Google. Here is the U of A's terms of service:

https://myccid.ualberta.ca/terms/google

Here is why it's concerning:

https://www.wired.com/story/google-tracks-you-privacy/

I have yet to receive notification that my account will be migrated but I'm curious to see what Telus will say regarding this.

[Nighthawk]

Almost all ISPs are using cloud based systems for their email now. Doing it that way is far cheaper than owning and maintaining servers directly.

Telus likely won't make any statement about Google and Privacy. They'll likely provide a link to the terms they have with Google.

The big thing is even if you don't use Gmail, Google tracks every single thing you do online even if you don't have a Google account. They run one of the largest advertising platforms in existence that is known to heavily track users and it spans a massive number of websites. If you are in the 2/3 of people that use Chrome, they are tracking everything you do. Facebook also tracks people online relentlessly whether you have an account with them or not. Twitter also but to a more limited extent. Microsoft is also quite invasive. If you have Windows 10, Microsoft even keeps track of how many times you open a program or even a specific file on your own computer. Their new Edge browser has major privacy issues too.

[polecat]

@Nighthawk @FuzzyLogic @LynnB     Do you think format for web mail will be the same or something like gmail.

[Nighthawk]

It will be the Gmail interface since the link from original post says you can access your telus.net account by going to mail.google.com. I suspect the interface will be customized with Telus logos and information.

[LynnB]

The format is the Gmail format. Not just like Gmail, it IS Gmail.

[jackrabbit000]

x2. Gmail with a Telus.net ending.

[juwest]

The gmail format is useless.  The telus webmail format was superior and useable.

[LynnB]

Well, I've just gone through the migration and WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU ONLY MAKES YOU MADDER!

I did my best to educate myself ahead of time. I went through their website and got a little more confused on some things and less on others. Then I spent over an hour on the phone asking questions and was reassured at every turn that they would be there through it all.

Then I got an email saying that I would be migrated on May 5. I'm not at home. I'm 12 hours away and I'm not going home soon. I don't have internet where I am, except through my cell phone. So I spent the evening on the phone with a very kind, nice patient agent in the Philippines who again assured me that everything should work including my server settings. Am I allowed to say "BULL**bleep**!" on here?

My email migrated some time shortly after midnight today. I was awakened by alarms saying my telus email login failed on my cell phone. Sure enough! I spent  ALL DAY on my cell and laptop trying to figure it out. If you don't want to use the Gmail app on your phone or webmail on your other devices, you are well and truly screwed and pretty much on your own. Darren Entwistle should have put together a proper transition team of experts in both email and cell apps just to handle this project. But instead, half the support folk I spoke with had no idea what I was talking about when I said "Gmail migration".

I use the Samsung email app on my phone and Thunderbird on my laptop. My telus email was set up on the first Samsung when I got it from telus and continued on subsequent phones. Now they say it's not theirs and they don't support it. I can't get it off my phone, so....? I already have another Gmail account and I HATE  the Gmail app. Because I have had telus email since the beginning, it was originally [email protected] but at some point it became xx@telus with the xx@telusplanet as an alias. Again, not something I requested, something telus chose. Both apps were configured with the telusplanet extension, but of course Gmail was set up for me by telus as [email protected]. The server names absolutely have to be changed in both apps. the POP setting in Gmail with Thunderbird insists on putting your sent emails out on the Gmail webmail, so when I do download I will have doubles. In order to download emails sent from the cell via POP I have to go into the Gmail web settings, make a change, save and then get messages. Feels kinda like grabbing a chisel, pounding into stone.

The Samsung app won't allow you to edit the email information, so you have to add a new account and have the guts to delete the old one even though it warns you that it will delete all emails, contacts, etc. if you do. So first I disabled permissions and then deleted the old one.

The last agent I spoke with told me that telus has already learned a few lessons and now lets you choose which will be your primary email address.  they apparently also let you choose when to migrate instead of just dumping it on you. Apparently the first ones like me are former employees (I'm a retiree). I've had telus email for 28 years. Nice. 

[FuzzyLogic]

I don't envy the people involved in this migration. Unfortunately they are planned by technical people and communication isn't always their strongest point. Given the impact of the migration hopefully that will improve.

Making front line staff and customers aware of the issues/changes goes a long way to alleviating frustrations many people are likely to experience.

[LynnB]

Reply to @FuzzyLogic 

Even better would be to TEST prior to implementation. It's gone from bad to worse. Now I'm getting attachments x6 on my cell. (Send me 5 attachments and I get 30). I have been so loyal to telus for so long. What a total fool I've been!

Telus should make T-shirts for all employees and customers with their new service motto:

IF THERE'S A HARDER, STUPIDER, MORE CONVOLUTED WAY TO DO IT - WE'LL FIND IT!

(Unofficial motto of the former Soviet Union)

[rjstephan]

Help!  I've made the transition from Telus webmail to a new Gmail account.  Unfortunately, my contacts have not followed me!

[juwest]

In preparation before my telus webmail gets transferred to Google gmail, I have spent hour and half writing down every email address in my present Contacts list.  Looks like we may have to revert to hard copy for info, in this ridiculous "transition". 

[Dar11]

OMG it's been the day from hell with this migration. I have been an outlook user for years set up my new gmail with my existing telus email. No contacts came over and no saved folder emails. I held on chat for over an hour to be told I had to speak to technical support no transfer went through or no estimated time frame. Must say I'm not impressed!  

[SmoresGuy]

Hi @Dar11 

Any content that is stored locally on your computer/Outlook should still be there. Because this content is stored on your PC and is not stored on the TELUS servers, it cannot not migrated. You should be able to still access it on your PC though.  

[juwest]

My emails from Telus customer service assures that all contacts, saved folders, etc.  However, it does not appear that this is actually happening. 

[BA2020]

To Dar11
Can you tell me if you were ever. finally able to get into your offline/local emails? We are having a horrible time with this. Can’t get into any folders either nor any business contacts plus absolutely NO help from Telus or Google! OMG. On top of that No Tech support will come to the house due to COVID!