How to Switch from Bigpond Email to Proton Mail — A Guide for Australians

Why Bigpond Email Is a Privacy Problem

Bigpond email isn't just an email service — it's part of Telstra's telecommunications infrastructure. That distinction matters because of how Australian law treats telco data.

Here's what makes Bigpond email specifically problematic:

• ISP-tied email — your email is bundled with your internet service, meaning Telstra has both your browsing data and your email data under one roof
• Metadata retention — Telstra is legally compelled to log who you communicate with, when, and how often — for 2 years
• Five Eyes — Australia is a core member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. Your email metadata can be shared with GCHQ, NSA, CSEC, and GCSB
• No encryption — Bigpond email has no end-to-end encryption. Telstra can read every message.
• Service dependency — if you switch ISPs, your @bigpond.com address may eventually stop working. Your email shouldn't be tied to your internet provider.
• Outdated platform — Bigpond's webmail interface hasn't kept pace with modern email features

Step 1: Create Your Free Proton Mail Account

Sign up at Proton Mail. Your emails will be stored on servers in Switzerland — outside Australian jurisdiction, outside Five Eyes reach, protected by Swiss Federal Data Protection Act (FADP).

Step 2: Import Your Bigpond Emails

Bigpond uses standard IMAP, so you can import via Proton's Easy Switch with IMAP settings:

• Log into Proton Mail → Settings → Import via Easy Switch
• Select Import from another email provider (IMAP)
• Enter your Bigpond email address and password
• IMAP server: mail.bigpond.com
• Port: 993
• Security: SSL/TLS
• Click Start Import

Step 3: Set Up Forwarding

Forward your Bigpond email to your new Proton address:

• Log into Bigpond webmail at mail.bigpond.com
• Go to Settings → Mail → Forwarding
• Enter your new Proton Mail address
• Choose to keep a copy in Bigpond (recommended during transition)
• Save

All new emails to your @bigpond.com address now arrive in your Proton inbox automatically.

Step 4: Get the Proton Mail App

Download Proton Mail for iOS or Android. Your imported emails and all forwarded messages are there immediately. Push notifications, full search, and — new in 2026 — full content search on mobile with all queries processed on your device.

Step 5: Update Your Important Accounts

As an Australian, prioritise updating these services:

• myGov — ATO, Centrelink, Medicare all communicate via email
• Banking — CBA, ANZ, Westpac, NAB all send statements and alerts via email
• Super funds — annual statements contain sensitive financial information
• Private health insurance
• State government services — Service NSW, Service Victoria, etc.
• Utilities — electricity, gas, water bills

Leave loyalty programs (Flybuys, Everyday Rewards), newsletters, and social media pointing at Bigpond — the forwarding handles them.

Step 6: Decouple Your Email From Your ISP

This is the most important principle behind this switch: your email address should never be tied to your internet provider.

If you switch from Telstra to Aussie Broadband, Superloop, or any other provider, your @bigpond.com address could eventually be discontinued. People who've been on Bigpond for 15+ years have their entire digital life tied to an address they don't truly control.

A Proton Mail address (or any provider-independent email) stays with you no matter who provides your internet. That's worth the 10 minutes it takes to switch.

Australia vs Switzerland — Privacy Comparison

FAQ

Will my @bigpond.com address stop working?

Not immediately — Telstra maintains Bigpond email accounts. But ISP-tied email addresses are always at risk of discontinuation if you change providers or if Telstra changes its email service. That's exactly why you should switch to a provider-independent email address.

I've had my Bigpond email for 20 years — isn't it too late to switch?

It's actually more urgent the longer you've had it. Twenty years of personal correspondence, financial records, and account registrations sitting on a platform with no encryption and mandatory government metadata logging is a significant privacy risk. The forwarding feature means you can transition gradually without breaking anything.

Does the metadata retention law apply to Proton Mail?

No. Proton Mail operates from Switzerland. Australian metadata retention laws only apply to Australian telecommunications carriers. By moving to Proton, your email communication falls under Swiss jurisdiction — which has no equivalent retention requirement and requires a court order for any data access.

Can Telstra still see my emails if I use Proton?

If someone sends an email to your @bigpond.com address and it forwards to Proton, the forwarding itself passes through Telstra's servers briefly. But once you update your contacts and services to use your @proton.me address directly, Telstra is completely out of the loop. Emails between Proton users are end-to-end encrypted and never touch Australian infrastructure.

The Bottom Line

Your Bigpond email is tied to Telstra, subject to mandatory metadata retention, accessible to 20+ government agencies without a warrant, and part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network. It has no encryption and could stop working if you change ISPs.

Proton Mail operates from Switzerland with end-to-end encryption, zero data breaches, and legal protections that Australian law simply cannot match. The switch takes 10 minutes. Start for free — or upgrade from $1/month.

Your email has been on Telstra's servers long enough.