Email is considered one of the important communication tools nowadays. It is an effective and fast means of communication. Email account can now be accessed through the web browser such as Internet Explorer. This is known as web mail. The first web mail service is Hotmail. After that, several free web mail sites has been established to enhance communication through the internet as well as to make things easier for people. You can sign up on most of the web mail sites for free. Most common free web mail now is AOL, Yahoo and Windows Live. Owning a computer as well as having an email client such as Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird, is not a must for accessing your email. What is important is that you have a computer that can connect to the internet. After that, you may check your email no matter what or who's the computer you are using.

One of the features in signing up for a free web mail is that it usually has a big storage space for emails. Yahoo has unlimited storage space while Gmail and Windows Live currently offers 5GB as their storage space although there are currently working on upgrading it. Also, you may still allow your email client to receive your email but the good thing here is that you may receive it on both your email client and web mail. Some adjustments on the settings are to be made. This is known as POP/IMAP access.

One threat to web mail is getting unsolicited or emails that we don't know where it came from. This kind of email is called a spam email. Usually, some of the free websites now offer spam filtering. Spam filtering blocks or filters IP address or domains as a known source of the spam. Possible reason for spam on free web mail is because web mail work hand in hand with advertising. Different advanced features such as spam filter, storage and internet web mail is available for free at web mail because of advertising.

Another good thing for free web mail is that it has a friendly-user interface that is easy to use. Options like forwarding and reply-to settings are on the email page when you open your email. With this, you may easily forward the message or reply to the message just by clicking on the buttons “forward” and “reply”.

On free web mail you also have a function to chat with your friends, families and relatives from everywhere. This is widely used by people who are living hundred of miles apart. This is the cheapest way of communication for them. When you travel a lot and you do not have a computer with you, why not try to forward or retrieve your emails on mobile phones. Some free web mail account has this feature and definitely it is convenient. Imagine how life is easy with free web mail. With free web mail, broader and more open communication is available without being too expensive.