POP3 (Post Office Protocol) provides a basic solution for individual users, with no inherent functionality for dynamically sharing information; it is inexpensive and best suited for non-mission-critical communication.
When you buy cheap hosting and are given ten bazillion gigs of email storage and transfer, this is your basic POP email. It is intended for individuals or SOHO type companies who do not rely heavily on email communications nor consider it a mission-critical service. If you are trying to run a business with this type of email service, you are in for a rude awakening at some point. It will go down, you will notice strange anomolies like mail dissapearing or never being delivered at all, and a myriad of other weird things. Alternatively, Microsoft Exchange provides users the ability to collaborate through a comprehensive, integrated system, with collaborative features that give your business a competitive advantage over standard POP3. Most enterprises use Exchange as their messaging platform. You get features like:
- Shared calendering that allows group scheduling, meeting requests, viewing colleagues' free/busy info and more
- Access to email, voicemail, calendar, and contacts from anywhere, anytime
- Powerful Web access
- The same interface across desktop, web, and mobile devices.
- More powerful integration with Outlook
- Enterprise -class reliability only available through best of breed systems
If you'd like to know more about Microsoft Exchange, you can visit www.microsoft.com/exchange for the full overview. If you'd like more info about how to make exchange an affordable option for your government office, educational institution, or healthcare practice please visit our Hosted Exchange page.