For our international users...
Hello again,
MSN Hotmail has started to introduce the availability of new country code [top level domains] e-mail addresses: <http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2004/nov04/11-18MSNSecurity.asp>, <http://www.msn.co.uk/newhotmail>. This means that now you might be able to get an e-mail address that's already taken on @msn.com or @hotmail.com. However, I do not recommend creating an easy address, as through my experience you will be spammed the easier it is. Spammers will commonly take well-known domains and a dictionary to start creating e-mail addresses to spam, regardless of their actual validity. Anyway, these are the domains [so far]:
France @hotmail.fr <https://registernet.passport.net/reg.srf?id=2&lc=1036>
Germany @hotmail.de <https://registernet.passport.net/reg.srf?id=2&lc=1031>
Italy @hotmail.it <https://registernet.passport.net/reg.srf?id=2&lc=1040>
Japan @hotmail.co.jp <https://registernet.passport.net/reg.srf?id=2&lc=1041>
United Kingdom @hotmail.co.uk <https://registernet.passport.net/reg.srf?id=2&lc=2057>
Important: You cannot change the country or language during registration [as it will change the domain], but you can after the account is registered <https://registernet.passport.net/editprof.srf>. Also, note that new accounts will be given 25MB within the first 30 days and then bumped up to 250MB [applies to new accounts only, existing accounts in 9 markets should have full storage].
You could actually migrate your current account to the new one, although it isn't an easy task as described in <http://www.msn.co.uk/newhotmail/help> [applies to all MSN Hotmail accounts]. They describe a somewhat hard way to move over contacts, because I think it would be easier to subscribe to MSN Hotmail Plus <http://upgrade.msn.com/> and use Windows Address Book. Additionally, when moving over your Calendar, after sharing it's as easy as opening the shared calendar event and clicking 'Add to My Calendar' [which finally works]. There is also a tool from TrueSwitch [new], but I believe it costs.
@Matthew
PS--I’m still trying to find @hotmail.com.ar, @hotmail.co.th and @hotmail.com.tr if anyone wants to assist.