Lumos Email Transition to Paid Emails: How to Keep Mail Free
All Lumos Fiber or NorthState Internet customers, beware that a Lumos email transition is scheduled for 2026.
Starting August 1st, Advernology officially takes over the email service management role and makes all email activity paid.
So if you want to continue using your @lumos.net, @northstate.net, or @ntelos.net email account, you will be charged a separate annual fee. This will be in addition to the ISP subscription.
One way to bypass this blatant money grab is to move all emails to a free alternative like Gmail, Yahoo, etc., instead.
However, truth be told, manually shifting thousands of email messages is not easy and carries a significant data loss risk. Especially for someone who is not aware of the technical intricacies.
That is why I have here the complete guide on how to make the change possible in record time. Before that, let us first do a deep dive into what exactly the official announcement says about the changes.
Forced Lumos Email Transition Nobody Asked For
Lumos/NorthState/Ntelos is not a new service spread through the entirety of the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States. It has a significantly sized loyal customer base that has been built over the decades. However, the recent changes have put this loyalty to the test, which has only accelerated ever since Lumos and its subsidiaries were sold to T-Mobile in April of 2025.
Under T-Mobile, the responsibility to handle all email went over to a third-party, Advernology, a leader in managing email services for various ISPs. Advernology is infamous for overcharging for basic email facilities and trapping customers whenever such an ISP merger or acquisition takes place.
The biggest upsetting news for customers was that starting August 1st, 2026, the email service will be switched to a paid plan.
Moreover, those who don’t opt for the premium subscription will lose all of their email data. Not only that:
- Old Webmail stops working.
- IMAP/POP3 access ends unless you pay.
- Even email forwarding stops unless you sign up with Advernology first.
Advernology’s pricing (confirmed on their official site) is:
- 1 address → $6.99/year
- 6 addresses → $29.99/year
- 25 addresses → $59.99/year
Lumos, like many regional ISPs, was generous with its email accounts and gave the option to keep more than one address; however, it has backfired, as you have to pay for each address separately.
Advernology gives you the option to drop back to 1 email address (all emails merge into one), but it would cost 40% more than the standard one-account plan at $9.99/year.
Keep in mind, all of the plans have nothing to do with your T-Mobile Fiber internet. These are additional perpetual bills that you need to pay for separately every year you want to use your email. That adds up fast if you have multiple family addresses.
Nevertheless, it’s not mandatory to enroll in a perpetual plan, especially if you move emails elsewhere.
Cheaper One-Time Payment to Switch to a Free Email Service
Finding an affordable email service is becoming increasingly tough as price hikes are happening across many different email providers, like the recent Rackspace price hike. However, there are still plenty of email services that offer way better service than what you would be getting with Advernology. Choose any one among Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc., and create your account.
The real friction is in moving the decades-old email data, which becomes solvable with the SysTools IMAP Migration tool. Starting at $25 for 5 email addresses, this tool offers a one-time payment option. Significantly more affordable than the perpetual license option that Advernology is charging you.
You need not pay to test the tool, as it has a free trial demo version with which you can move up to 100 emails from the first 5 folders of any number of accounts.
Moreover, you need not memorize any scripts or commands as this software is a GUI only, making the email shift process super-easy for everyone.
Manual options, like using an email client or forwarding mail, require your constant involvement. This product, on the other hand, automates the task and provides a multi-account transfer at once (up to 10) facility too.
Conclusion
Lumos email transition announcement has made it clear that when Advernology takes over, you will have to pay an annual fee to use email. However, it doesn’t have to be like that; with the help of a professional solution, you can move all existing email data to a free alternative like Gmail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it worth it to pay for keeping my Lumos / Northstate email account?
The wide consensus says no, it’s not worth it. You are not getting any service enhancements with the paid version; instead, it’s better if you switch to a free option.
Q: Are Lumos IMAP details also changing when Advernology takes over?
All the server details remain the same; they are as follows:
- Incoming Mail Server: webmail.lumos.net (or secure28.carrierzone.net)
- IMAP Port: 993 (Requires SSL)
- POP Port: 995 (Requires SSL)
- Outgoing Server (SMTP): webmail.lumos.net
- SMTP Port: 465 or 587 (Requires SSL)
- Username: Your full email address (e.g., [email protected])
Q: Do I get to keep my email address if I don’t pay?
No, Advernology deletes @lumos.net, @northstate.net, or @ntelos.net email accounts, along with all the emails inside that account.
Q: How do I safely move my old Lumos emails to a new, free Gmail account?
A: You can forward messages or use email clients. Keep in mind none can match the speed and security of the automated tool. So use it to securely copy your entire inbox over to your new provider.
Q: Why is my Lumos/NorthState email suddenly asking for payment?
A: On August 1, 2026, Lumos is ending its free email service. So, all existing email services are transitioning to a paid, third-party platform called Advernology.