Since 2010, we have helped a great many organisations obtain and maintain free mail, calendar and document management services c/o Google. Over the years it has allowed small bodies to run an enterprise system entirely free. Google Workspace as it is now known is excellent for collaboration (a few wrinkles aside), and for improving efficiency and effectiveness. If business continuity is a concern, not just looking a bit more professional, then read on.
Those of you that are still using the free service after a decade of “free” are now faced with a stark choice. Pay for your email services OR register as a non profit and continue to get it free (it will be upgraded from the legacy edition and you will be able to swap domains) OR find an alternative mail provider (there’s a number of options out there – if you feel tthe need just ask).
While the latter is a proverbial pain, the marketplace for serious free options unencumbered with irrelevant adverts is non existent (you won’t be able to keep your domain if you transfer to a free consumer email account).
If you choose to go free, and use a consumer account or worse a personal account, you will need to migrate your old emails or pop them out to a client like Outlook or Thunderbird, for you will lose access to them once your Google Workspace account is shut down. This is unlikely to be GDPR compliant solution.
We’ve supported several organisations to find a solution and alternatives. If you are stuck, don’t know what to do, reach out as they say and we may be able to help you.
Nota bene: Registering as a non profit requires you to be incorporated as a UK registered charity.
In conclusion, if you have received an email like the following, please don’t ignore it.
Dear Administrator,
We are writing to let you know that your G Suite legacy free edition will no longer be available starting July 1, 2022. To maintain your services and accounts, you need to upgrade to Google Workspace.
We launched our G Suite legacy free edition —the original Google Apps offering for businesses and schools— 16 years ago. In 2012 we discontinued this service, and we will now transition all remaining users to an upgraded Google Workspace paid subscription based on your usage.
What does this mean for my organization?
In 2020, we introduced —Google Workspace— and tailored our offerings to provide more options to fit our customers’ needs. Google Workspace includes all the features you already use, plus several new capabilities including more storage, increased security, 24/7 support, and more.
Upgrading from your G Suite legacy free edition to Google Workspace will only take you a few short steps and is not disruptive to your end-users. To support you in this transition, you will have discount options for 12 months after July 1, 2022.
What do I need to do?
To avoid disruption and maintain your account(s), please upgrade to Google Workspace by May 1, 2022. Begin the upgrade by reviewing the transition help center article, and selecting the option that best suits your organization’s needs. When you’ve identified your preferred subscription:
- Go to your Admin console.
- Select your new subscription offering.
- Enter your billing information.
Once you’re upgraded, you can use your new Google Workspace subscription and functionality at no-cost until at least July 1, 2022.
If you take no action by May 1, 2022, Google will begin upgrading your organization seamlessly to a new Google Workspace subscription. The new subscription will be based on what you currently use with your G Suite legacy free edition.
If you do not enter your billing details before July 1, 2022, your subscription will be suspended.
If your needs have changed and you do not want to upgrade to a Google Workspace subscription, you can export your organization’s data with the takeout feature.
FAQs
Visit the help center for information on the G Suite legacy free edition to Google Workspace transition.
We’re here to help
If you have questions or need assistance, please Contact Google Workspace support. When you call or submit your support case, reference issue number 205265775. If you have trouble accessing your administrator account, please refer to instructions to reset your administrator password.
Thanks for choosing Google Workspace.
– The Google Workspace Team
