The closure of beeb.net will mean that you can no longer gain access to the internet or send and receive emails via beeb.net. It also means that if you’re using beeb.net to host your website, access to your site will also cease.

The date for closure is 30th June 2008. However, you should act before then and register with another Internet Service Provider (ISP) to ensure that there is no interruption to your internet access. This is especially important if you’re using broadband because migrating to a new provider will take time.

BBC Worldwide launched beeb.net back in 1999. The purpose of the service was to provide a trusted brand and a helping hand to get onto the internet at a time when it was still an exciting, but potentially confusing, new phenomenon. Since that time, the market for internet access has changed dramatically as most people have integrated use of it into their daily lives and the bundling of internet services with pay TV, telephone and even mobile services are becoming more common.

Closing beeb.net will enable us to concentrate our efforts on our core activities of bringing value to the BBC through content distribution, sales of TV programmes overseas, production of DVDs, books and magazines , and the expansion of our other online businesses such as commercial websites (for example topgear.com and radiotimes.com) and making content available on new platforms.

• Broadband access
• Pay As You Go dial-up access
• Free web space for customers’ personal websites
• Email accounts, e.g. user_name@beeb.net

To continue to access the internet and to send and receive email, you will need to migrate to another ISP.

There are many ISPs offering a variety of different types of internet access (dial-up, broadband, cable, satellite). You can find out more at the following sites:

You should make sure that your chosen supplier offers all the services that you want. For example, if you were using beeb.net to host a personal website then make sure this facility is offered by your new chosen provider.

Normally, registration with a new supplier is simple and easy but you should check before making your commitment, especially if you want to maintain an uninterrupted service as you move from beeb.net to your new supplier.

If you want to continue to use dial-up access to the internet there are several options. You can register with an ISP for a dial up account. This may be free or may cost you a nominal amount each month. Information on providers is available on some of the websites above and in the pages of the computer press.

A dial-up internet account will usually send email to and from your email package on your computer, such as Microsoft Outlook or Mail on Apple Macs. When you view websites it will usually be through your web browser application, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.

However, you may have only used web based email access via the beeb.net website. This means that you won’t have all your email stored in your email package. These emails will be lost when beeb.net closes and so you should ensure that you forward and save any important email to your new service before 30th June 2008.

Once you’re registered with your new ISP, you should be able to access the internet, send and receive email and browse the web as normal.

If you’re a broadband user then you should contact beeb.net as soon as possible to obtain a Migration Access Code (MAC).  When you have broadband installed it takes a little time to prepare the line for connection.  So, it’s possible that if you wait until the end of June, you may have to wait for several weeks before you can access the internet again.

However, with a MAC code, you can provide this to your new supplier and they should be able to arrange for a seamless transfer from beeb.net to the new service.  MAC codes have a limited lifespan so you need to ensure you pass details to your new ISP within the time frame stated, usually 30 days.

As with dial-up, if you’ve just been using webmail for your email via the beeb.net homepage, you will need to ensure you forward and save any important emails and addresses to your new service provider because when beeb.net closes they will be lost.

If you have a website that you have been hosting with beeb.net then you will need to arrange for this to be hosted with your new supplier.

You should ensure you have saved all relevant files for your website on your computer’s hard drive and once you have activated your account with your new supplier, upload them to its servers for hosting.

Remember that URL addresses may change unless you’re using web forwarding and so you’ll need to update or inform anyone who’s been using the old site address.

Please note that when beeb.net closes you will not be able to access your email or the internet without setting up an account with a new ISP.

If you have provided your beeb.net email address to other online services, it’s important that you change this to your new email address. You won’t be able to receive emails from those companies or services once beeb.net closes.

So, if you have registered for newsletters, do your banking online or use eBay or shopping sites, iTunes or other music and video sites, social networking sites or indeed simply swapping emails with your friends or colleagues, you will need to make sure you update these accounts with the email address provided by your new ISP.

If you have any questions that are not answered by this FAQ document then you can of course speak with one of our advisors.

April 2008