| POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol version 3. It is | | | | enough POP3 accounts for your businesses needs. If |
| a specific internet service that allows e-mail clients, | | | | your business is large in size, then a dedicated hosting |
| like MS Outlook to fetch mail. In this article we will | | | | plan, where you are allocated a dedicated server for |
| explain the origins of POP3 as well as how it applies | | | | your site, might be the most suitable option, rather |
| to your business and how you choose a web hosting | | | | than a shared hosting plan where your POP3 account |
| service. POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol version | | | | will be on a shared server with resources shared |
| 3. It is basically a mailbox for email, that a user can | | | | among many other customers. |
| connect to over the internet and retrieve (but not | | | | Some hosting packages may include "unlimited POP3 |
| send) email using an email client. All popular e-mail | | | | accounts", with others, the number of accounts will |
| clients like Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, | | | | be finite, so it’s advisable to talk with the host |
| Eudora and Pegasus Mail support POP3. Internet | | | | you are considering about the most suitable plan that |
| Message Access Protocol or IMAP is an alternative | | | | meets your requirements. |
| service to POP3. Almost all email clients use either | | | | Like with all web hosting companies, you should |
| POP3 or IMAP. | | | | research your options thoroughly and compare a |
| Two other internet protocols, SMTP and MSA are | | | | number of different sources such as web hosting |
| typically used, by email clients for sending emails. | | | | forums, magazines, review websites and in particular |
| POP3 is provided as a standard feature with most | | | | comments from current or past customers who |
| quality web hosting providers as are IMAP, SMTP an | | | | have a history with the web host you are |
| MSA. A combination of these protocols can be used | | | | considering. |
| as a standard way of sending and receiving emails in | | | | POP3 and the other email protocols: IMAP, SMTP and |
| your business. | | | | MSA can be extremely powerful services for the |
| Your POP3 account will allow your users to have | | | | running of your business. You will need to shop |
| mailboxes on a server with your domain name. So, | | | | around for a plan that meets your businesses |
| for example say you own a domain called | | | | requirements. If your business is large, a dedicated |
| mydomain, you will be capable of receiving | | | | web server might be a worth while option to |
| emails through an address that includes | | | | consider as opposed to a shared host where you |
| mydomain at the end. i.e. @ mydomain. | | | | have limited server space and resources are shared. |
| You will need to ensure that your domain is hosted | | | | Always talk to a representative of the web hosting |
| on a server, which has name servers in order to | | | | company you are considering on the phone to |
| facilitate setting up of POP3 email accounts for your | | | | discuss your requirements, and get information from |
| domains. | | | | a number of sources before making a final decision. |
| You will need to ensure that you host provides | | | | |