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OptusNet email isn’t closing, but Optus has changed the rules. Here’s what the free basic plan covers, why some accounts get closed and how to keep your Optus webmail working.
By MCG Team | 5 minute read | Lead image: Kaitlyn Baker / Unsplash
Key points
- Optus says it is not shutting down OptusNet email.
- Since May 2025, the OptusNet Basic plan costs nothing for customers with an eligible Optus service and includes 500MB of storage.
- New OptusNet addresses can’t be created, and unused accounts may be closed.
- Older email programs such as Outlook 2010 no longer work with OptusNet. Webmail still does.
If you’ve heard that OptusNet email is shutting down, you’re not alone. Optus answers the question directly on its email support page: “No, we’re not shutting down our OptusNet service.”
What has changed is how the service is supplied, who gets it free, and which email programs still work with it.
What changed in 2025
From February 2025, Optus wrote to OptusNet Email customers about changes to the service. From May 2025, it began supplying OptusNet email under set plans.
The main plan, OptusNet Basic, costs $0 a month and includes 500MB of storage, provided you have an eligible Optus service. Optus lists these as eligible:
- NBN, 4G Home Internet and 5G Home Internet
- Mobile broadband
- Postpaid mobile plans
- Fetch and connected devices
Optus Sport and prepaid mobile don’t count. If you don’t have an eligible service, Optus says it will contact you to discuss your options, and that it will notify you before any charges apply.
Where to log in to Optus webmail
Optus webmail is at webmail.optusnet.com.au. Optus says you can keep using your existing login as you always have.
Why your Optus email might stop working
Your account hasn’t been used for a while
Optus says that if you haven’t used your OptusNet email in a while, it may have been closed. Signing in regularly is the simplest protection.
Your mailbox is full
500MB is small by today’s standards. A few years of photos and attachments can fill it, and a full mailbox can stop new mail arriving. Deleting large old emails, or saving them to your computer, frees up space.
Your email program is too old
Optus says older third-party email programs, such as Outlook 2010, are no longer supported. A current version of Outlook, Apple Mail or the mail app on your phone should work, and webmail works in any browser.
You’ve left Optus
The free basic plan is linked to an eligible Optus service. If you cancel your Optus internet or mobile, check what happens to your email before you go.
Should you move to a new email address?
You don’t have to. But an address tied to your internet provider makes it harder to switch providers later, a point consumer group Choice has made about telco email.
Free options include Outlook.com and Gmail. For a business, your own domain, such as you@yourbusiness.com.au, with Microsoft 365 looks more professional and stays yours whoever supplies your internet.
If you decide to move, do it in this order:
- Set up the new address first, so nothing gets lost in between.
- Copy your old emails, contacts and calendar across.
- Update the logins that use your old address, starting with your bank, myGov, the ATO, utilities and health providers.
- Tell family and friends, and set an automatic reply on the old address pointing to the new one.
- Keep the old account active for a few months to catch anything you missed.
How Mobile Computer Geeks can help
Our Geeks sort out email problems every week, onsite or remotely, across Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay and Redland Bay. We can get your email working again on your computer and phone, clear space in a full mailbox, or move everything to a new address without losing a message. One-hour tech support is $160 including GST, then $40 per 15 minutes, with no call-out fee.
Call 07 3063 7616 or book online. You can also read more about our email help service.
Frequently asked questions
Is Optus shutting down OptusNet email?
No. Optus says it is not shutting down OptusNet and continues to invest in the service.
Is OptusNet email free?
The OptusNet Basic plan is $0 a month with 500MB of storage if you have an eligible Optus service, such as NBN, home internet or postpaid mobile.
Can I still create a new OptusNet email address?
No. Optus says new OptusNet email sign-ups aren’t available.
What is the Optus webmail address?
webmail.optusnet.com.au. Always type it in yourself rather than following a link.
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