Windows

No More Free Outlook Connection For Hotmail – Spammers To Blame

Posted by on Sep 28, 2004 | 7 Comments

Microsoft has announced that it will no longer be offering its service that allows users to connect to their Hotmail and MSN accounts using Outlook and Outlook Express for free. Citing exploitation by spammers, Microsoft will begin charging those who want to use the WebDAV technology to connect using Outlook products.

New users will find that they must pay to use the WebDAV service as soon as this coming Monday, October 4th, 2004. Existing Hotmail and MSN users will be able to continue using the service for free until March or April of this coming year. [...]

  • Amer

    I have a problem, I have an old hotmail account and was using outlook express normally until last month. now when I try to log in to retrieve my mail I get the following message:
    “Unable to poll for new messages on your HTTP server. Account: ‘Hotmail’,Server: ‘http://services.msn.com/svcs/hotmail/httpmail.asp', Protocol: HTTPMail, Server Response: ‘Authorization Required’, Port: 0, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 401, Socket Error: 122, Error Number: 0x800CCC32″
    does this problem have anything to do with .NET accounts settings on the computer?
    please help

  • http://golfhabitgmail.com daxx

    You must have a paid hotmail or msn account to access through outlook or outlook express now…MS forced this change for more traffic at the hotmail/msn sites for advertising revenue

  • John

    yeah, what he said.

  • John Barta

    Probably jut an error, temporary, or not. My Hotmail account was set up in 2002; it still works in Outlook Express or the new Windows Live Mail. I have, on occasion seen a similar error. It’s generally short lived. So far as I know, old accounts are still grandfathered, until such time as you change your E-mail address, or set up a new account, then, you’ll have to pay to use Outlook Express, etc.

    John

  • ira m trager

    how come your article about outlook and outlook express and hotmail is 3 years old.

  • B.DeForde

    Oct 4 2004??? Whats with this date? I STILL use my hotmail account and have never been asked to pay for it.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/scribblepinch/ Robert Glen Fogarty

    Ira: Because that’s when this article was published… I’m not sure I understand what’s weird about that. Lockergnome’s been around for more than ten years, so you’ll find a lot of articles (such as this one) in the archives.