Microsoft Beach Mail was launched as a service for Cal State Long Beach students Dec. 1, but the transition period from the old Web Mail provider has been extended until May 31, according to the CSULB Technology Help Desk website.
E-mails were sent to students with information about setting up a Beach Mail account.
“Within 24 hours of the system launch, we had over 3,000 students activate their accounts, which exceeded our expectations,” Associate Vice President of information technology services Janet Foster said via e-mail.
Beach Mail was provided as part of a five-year contract with CSULB after being voted on by an evaluation committee. It provides 10 gigabytes of storage, has an application for use on mobile devices and offers access to students with disabilities.
Approximately 6,000 students were using the old Web Mail service, including those who forwarded e-mails to a primary account. The new service can be used to forward e-mails, but it also keeps the messages in the Beach Mail inbox.
“I did activate my new account but haven’t checked it,” junior liberal studies major Lindsey Booth said. “I just have those e-mails automatically forwarded to my [primary] account so I don’t have to check.”
Old messages and contacts are not transferred over to the new e-mail accounts.
Web Mail allowed up to eight characters with an “@csulb.edu” address, but Beach Mail is formatted as “[email protected].”
Student accounts remain active up to four months following graduation.
“I knew that [the new system launched], but I haven’t activated it and don’t plan to because I graduate in May,” senior marketing major Jackie Darkoski said.
Faculty and staff will continue to use the Web Mail system, although there has been discussion about switching service providers.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.