Get ready to pay a subscription fee for your SaskTel email address

A SaskTel store is shown here in downtown Saskatoon. (Kevin Menz/CTV Saskatoon)

SaskTel is going to start charging its customers for their email addresses.

Customers currently receive a free email address as part of their subscription to SaskTel internet service.

The company sent out messages to customers at the beginning of January saying that their free sasktel.net email addresses will cost $1.95 per month starting in April.

“SaskTel understands how important email accounts and addresses may be to some, and in order to provide customers with ample notice of this planned rate change SaskTel has begun communicating to impacted customers," the company said in a statement to CTV News.

With the abundance of free email providers available, the company is encouraging people to switch if they aren’t ready to pay the fee.

“SaskTel does not take this decision lightly so we are providing customers with advance notice and some helpful information to help customers make the transition to an alternate email platform," the statement said.