Verizon/Yahoo! webmail and portal users write in to note they're receiving e-mails saying they'll soon be seeing advertisements in their webmail as well as the elimination of some features. The new ads, according to the alert, "allow us to deliver new and innovative services and helps us keep prices competitive." "As we remain committed to providing users with the best possible online experience," the e-mail continues, "the new advertisements will be carefully integrated, with the goal of being useful to you." Thanks?

But the service itself is actually becoming less useful, with some of the premium services associated with Verizon/Yahoo! webmail being either changed or eliminated altogether. The Verizon website says that the companies are eliminating the Verizon LAUNCHcast Plus streaming music radio service, the "Online Protection all in one security suite," and downgrading your free Flickr Pro account to a standard Flickr account. But don't feel bad, the e-mail to customers informs them they're losing features in order to....gain features?Verizon makes more money from advertising, while you pay the same price and get fewer perks. While maybe they'll soup up the offering down the line, it doesn't sound like much of an enhancement so far. Earlier this year Verizon began using DNS Redirection advertising, and over the summer cut back their newsgroup offerings. There's some additional discussion among annoyed customers in our Verizon forum.