WebProNews

So far, web based email has yet to take over the friendly neighborhood ISP provided email services, according to JD Power and Associates.

According to JD Power's 2005 Residential Online Service Customer Service Satisfaction Study, 57% of Internet service subscribers access email through their primary ISP using email software installed on their computers. This leaves only 43% of Internet users that use free web-based email as their primary email.

Though web-based email isn't used as a primary email address, users do report strong loyalty to one web-based email or another as 73% reported having a relationship with their Web mail provider for three years or more.

E-mail addresses are emerging as the phone number of the new millennium, with Internet users increasingly valuing continuity in their e-mail contact information," said Jonathan Brookner, director of telecommunication research at J.D. Power and Associates.

"Since Web mail addresses typically stay with you regardless of who your Internet service provider is, users are maintaining their relationships with Web mail providers for long periods of time."

Of the largest Web mail providers, Yahoo! Mail ranks highest in customer satisfaction for ease of use, performance, reliability, and features. Ninety-one percent of Web mail users say they check for messages at least once a day.