I have had a Netzero account almost since their inception several years ago. I use it mainly for a backup and it really works quite nice.
The ad bar is very unobtrusive and blends in quite well with the browser. They offer POP mail, which most free servers do not, and you can access it with MS Outlook or Eudora(which is available as a download on their website), but the only drawback is that you cannot use the SMTP server for sending mail unless you are logged into their system, which requires you to use their dial-up to do so.
The current software is downloadable onto 4 floppy disks (I like to have a copy of my downloads on a disk in case of crash)or as a single download file. Or for about $4 (US) they will send you a CD.
Sometimes I find that the Zeroport(which is what they call there ad banner)locks up for a few seconds while it waits for the server to catch up to you, and sometimes it will have a pop-up banner asking you if you would like to click on one of their sponsors and all you have to do is click on No, but all in all it is pretty good and fairly fast.
Netzero now offers a free voicemail number as an extra perk to being a member, so you can give all your friends and contacts that number so they can reach you while your online and while you are not at your home phone number. You can access your voicemail on this number either by any telephone or online through the Netzero Message Center. For a fee per month, you can have access to the entire message center which includes a personal 800 number and long distance service as well as the voice mail number.
In my personal opinion, as many free internet servers are closing down, going bankrupt and pulling access from certain parts of the country and world, Netzero continues to grow and continues to ad access numbers, and currently and maybe always will rain as the king of ad-based free internet services. They keep getting better and faster and easier to use. This service is definitely worth the time it takes to download.



Recommended: Yes