http://www.yourname.btinternet.co.uk

All new BTinternet customers can use this format of URL for their home page.

Existing customers can still use the old format of URL http://www.btinternet.com/~yourname.

While old format URLs will continue to work, we believe you will find the new format URL much easier to use and remember.

Virtual E-mail Addresses

Virtual e-mail names, based on the new URL format have also been implemented. Any e-mail addressed to anyname@username.btinternet.co.uk will be delivered to the mail box for username@btinternet.com. Hence you will not have to reconfigure your e-mail client to receive mail.

Using your new format URL

Existing customers can start using their new format URL right away.

For example, if your e-mail name is smith.family and you previously used URL http://www.btinternet.com/~smith.family then your new format URL will be:

http://www.smith.family.btinternet.co.uk

Your existing pages, including counters and guestbooks, will be unaffected.

First ever upload, or changing your URL ?

There are two situations where your new format URL may not be available for a little while (several hours at most).

• After you upload your web pages and start using a URL for the very first time.
• After you change your URL to use one of your other e-mail names, perhaps john.smith instead of smith.family. Few customers do this.

This does not present a problem - simply use the equivalent old format URL in the short intervening period.

For example, if you decide to use e-mail name john.smith instead of smith.family, simply use http://www.btinternet.com/~john.smith for the short period until http://www.john.smith.btinternet.co.uk is available.

The short delay arises as a consequence of supporting both formats of URL.

Note:

The underscore character ( _ ) cannot be supported in domain names and e-mail names.

Most browsers display the URL of whatever page they are currently accessing. When accessing your web pages via your new format URL, you may notice that your browser will occasionally display what appears to be an old format URL or a hybrid new/old format URL. This is a harmless consequence of supporting both formats of URL.

It can manifest itself when, for example, hyperlinking from your guestbook thank you page back to your home page.