Internet Provider Email: Where Your Old Address Lives Now
Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum (Roadrunner), Cox, Verizon, CenturyLink, Frontier, EarthLink, Optimum and Windstream email — where each signs in now, which moved to Yahoo or AOL, and the rules that delete unused mailboxes.
If your email address ends in something like @comcast.net, @att.net, @rr.com or @cox.net, it came from your internet provider. Many of those services have since changed hands — some now run on Yahoo or AOL, some changed their sign-in, and some have rules that delete unused mailboxes. This page shows where each one lives now, taken from each provider’s own help pages, with a full guide for every one.
Where to sign in now
| Provider | Addresses ending in | Sign in at | Guides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity (Comcast) | comcast.net | connect.xfinity.com, with your Xfinity ID | Login · Settings · Password |
| AT&T | att.net, sbcglobal.net, bellsouth.net, pacbell.net and 8 more | AT&T Mail, with your AT&T ID | Login · Settings · Password |
| Spectrum (Charter, Time Warner, Roadrunner, Bright House) | spectrum.net, charter.net, twc.com, roadrunner.com, .rr.com, brighthouse.com | Spectrum.net, then the Email link | Login · Settings · Password |
| Cox | cox.net | mail.yahoo.com — moved to Yahoo Mail | Login · Settings · Password |
| Verizon | verizon.net | mail.aol.com (or verizon.yahoo.com) — Verizon retired its email | Login · Settings |
| CenturyLink | centurylink.net, centurytel.net, embarqmail.com, qwest.net and 12 more | The CenturyLink.net sign-in page | Login · Settings · Password |
| Frontier | frontier.com, frontiernet.net, citilink.net, epix.net, gvni.com, newnorth.net | login.frontier.com/webmail — now Frontier Yahoo Mail | Login · Settings · Password |
| EarthLink | earthlink.net, mindspring.com, peoplepc.com | webmail.earthlink.net | Login · Settings · Password |
| Optimum (and Suddenlink) | optimum.net, suddenlink.net | optimum.net, then Internet › Email, with your Optimum ID | Login · Settings · Password |
| Windstream (Kinetic) | windstream.net, plus older addresses such as alltel.net | webmail.windstream.net | Login · Settings · Password |
Don’t know your settings? The Email Settings Finder recognises all of these domains — including every regional .rr.com address — and fills in the right servers.
Email that moved to another company
- Cox → Yahoo. Cox says its move to Yahoo Mail was complete in early 2025. You keep your cox.net address, and Yahoo now handles support.
- Verizon → AOL (or Yahoo). Verizon has retired its email service. Kept verizon.net addresses live at AOL Mail; mail that wasn’t moved before December 15, 2017 was deleted.
- Frontier → Frontier Yahoo Mail. Same address, on a service powered by Yahoo, at no extra charge.
- CenturyLink → a new email service in October 2022, with new server settings for email apps.
The practical upshot: sign-in pages, passwords and app settings change when email moves. If an old app stopped working, it’s usually the settings.
Use it or lose it
Several providers deactivate or delete mailboxes nobody signs in to:
| Provider | What their help says |
|---|---|
| EarthLink | 90 days without signing in: the mailbox goes “stale” and rejects new mail |
| Windstream (Kinetic) | 180 days with no Webmail, POP or IMAP activity: account becomes inactive |
| AT&T | Inactive after 12 months |
| CenturyLink | Not signed in for more than a year: deactivated and contents deleted |
| Xfinity | 24 months without signing in: inactive, then closed after a 90-day notice |
Read mail only in a phone app? For Windstream, app activity over POP or IMAP counts; for the others, sign in on the web now and then to be safe.
Email apps need special passwords
- AT&T: apps that don’t use OAuth need a 16-character secure mail key.
- Xfinity: turn on Third Party Access Security before apps can connect.
- Cox: a Yahoo app password — your normal password won’t work.
- Verizon: an app that supports OAuth2, or an AOL app password.
- Frontier: an OAuth-compliant app; on iPhone, add it as a Yahoo account.
You can’t get a new one
Several providers no longer hand out new addresses: Cox stopped in August 2019 and Optimum in May 2021. If you need a new address, see how to create a free email account — or get one on your own domain so it never depends on your internet provider (email on your own domain).
Switching internet provider?
- Frontier says your Frontier email is yours for life, even outside its service area.
- Cox says your cox.net address stays accessible after you leave Cox, once you’ve completed the move to Yahoo.
- For the others, check that provider’s guide before cancelling, and move important accounts to an address you control.
Beware fake “email support” numbers
ISP email is one of the most common targets for tech-support scams: search results are full of look-alike help pages pushing phone numbers. Every guide linked here uses the provider’s own pages and never lists phone numbers. Never give a password or verification code to someone who contacted you — see the email security hub.
How this guide was checked · October 2026
Verified against 10 official sources
Every step, setting and limit in this guide was checked against the provider’s own documentation on xfinity.com, att.com, spectrum.net and 7 more. Anything we couldn’t confirm was left out.
- 01 Xfinity: Email client programs with Xfinity Email xfinity.com
- 02 AT&T: Email server settings (KM1010523) att.com
- 03 Spectrum: Spectrum Email Server Settings spectrum.net
- 04 Cox: Cox.net Email Transitioning to Yahoo cox.com
- 05 Verizon: Email Retirement FAQs verizon.com
- 06 CenturyLink: Email migration help centurylink.com
- 07 Frontier: Use Frontier Yahoo Mail frontier.com
- 08 EarthLink: Email Inactivity Policy help.earthlink.net
- 09 Optimum FAQ: How do I check my Optimum email? optimum.net
- 10 Kinetic: How do I recover or reset my email password? gokinetic.com
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where do I log in to Cox email now?
At mail.yahoo.com. Cox moved cox.net email to Yahoo Mail; use your full @cox.net address.
Where is my verizon.net email?
Verizon retired its email service. Kept verizon.net addresses sign in at mail.aol.com, or verizon.yahoo.com for some customers.
Is Roadrunner email still working?
Yes — Roadrunner (rr.com) and Time Warner addresses are part of Spectrum Email. Sign in at Spectrum.net and select Email.
Can my ISP delete my email account if I don’t use it?
Several do: EarthLink after 90 days, Windstream after 180 days, AT&T after 12 months and CenturyLink after a year without use.
Related guides
Keep reading
Optimum Email Password Reset
How to Reset Your Optimum Email Password (Optimum ID)
Reset or change the Optimum ID password that signs you in to Optimum email — and what to do about locked IDs and forgotten security answers.
2 min read
Optimum Email Login
Optimum Email Login: How to Sign In (and the New Verification Code)
Sign in to Optimum or Suddenlink email with your Optimum ID — including the verification-code step added in October 2026.
3 min read
Cox Email Password Reset
How to Reset Your Cox Email Password (cox.net on Yahoo)
Since cox.net email moved to Yahoo, password recovery is Yahoo’s. Here’s where to reset it and what to update afterwards.
2 min read
Cox Email Login
Cox Email Login: Sign In to cox.net on Yahoo Mail
cox.net email now runs on Yahoo Mail. Here’s where to sign in, what changed, and who to ask for help.
3 min read
Spectrum Email Password Reset
How to Reset Your Spectrum Email Password
Reset or change your Spectrum password — and recover a forgotten username — with Spectrum’s verification-code steps.
2 min read
Spectrum Email Login
Spectrum Email Login: How to Sign In (Charter & Roadrunner)
Sign in to Spectrum email on the web — including old Charter, Time Warner and Roadrunner addresses — and avoid the full-mailbox problems that stop mail.
3 min read