What is a full access subscription?
A full access subscription includes unlimited access to ColumbusTelegram.com, the Columbus Telegram e-edition and specialized apps for Apple and Android devices. Columbus Telegram newspaper home delivery service can be included where available.
If you’re a current Columbus Telegram print subscriber, you already qualify for full access. All you need to do is activate your subscription and create an online account. Visit ColumbusTelegram.com/Activate. Please be ready to provide an email address or phone number and zip code to activate your full access.
What if I don’t have any subscription?
If you’re not a newspaper subscriber, visit ColumbusTelegram.com/Subscribe to see your subscription options.
What do I get with a full access subscription?
Beyond ColumbusTelegram.com, several additional digital products are available to full access subscribers. These products are:
* Columbus Telegram e-edition: a digital replica of the printed edition
* Columbus Telegram app for iPad and iPhone, downloaded from iTunes
* Columbus Telegram app for Android phones and tablets, downloaded from Google Play
Most of these require you to verify your account to get full access. You need only log in one time with the same email and password that you used to create an online account, and then you will have full access.
I already get the newspaper. Do I automatically get access to everything online?
Yes, as soon as you activate your full access subscription at ColumbusTelegram.com/Activate.
Full access means a paid home delivery subscriber’s subscription now entitles them to unlimited access to all of our great digital content on our many platforms with no restrictions.
In addition to your newspaper delivery, your news will be updated throughout the day and available digitally on your computer, smartphone and tablet. This option includes unlimited access to news stories, photos and more.
What does this mean for current website subscribers?
If you have an active subscription to ColumbusTelegram.com only, that subscription will continue with no changes. Login as you normally do and your access will continue as before.
What does this mean for current e-edition subscribers?
If you have an active subscription to the Columbus Telegram e-edition, that will continue with no changes. You also can qualify for newspaper home delivery where available and unlimited access to other Columbus Telegram digital products.
What if I choose not to subscribe to anything?
If you’re not a full access subscriber, access to certain stories and information will be limited. This is called a “meter,” which gives everyone free basic access to ColumbusTelegram.com.
Some parts of the site are always free. Access to classified advertising including auto, real estate and employment ads remain open to everyone.
Our website meter operates more like a parking meter that gives you the first hour free. For some people, that’s enough. But if you want to spend more time, it will cost something. If you’re close to using up your free views, the site will warn you in advance. If you use all free views, the site will automatically provide some subscription options, making it easy to sign up.
Why would I pay for online access?
The local news and information published on our websites is a valuable product. Much of the news on ColumbusTelegram.com comes exclusively from the newsroom of the Columbus Telegram, which fields the largest newsgathering force in the area. That means a lot of the news posted here can’t be found anywhere else.
And much of what is published online can’t be found in our printed products – updating sports scores, photo galleries, live weather conditions and radar, state and national news and much more.
By giving you the opportunity to purchase unlimited access to all of this exclusive information, we’ll be able to continue to maintain and improve the quality of this coverage and information. The full access subscription remains the best option to receive unlimited access that you want, when and where you want it.
What can I get online that I can’t get in the printed newspaper?
Many features are available online:
• Commenting systems to voice your view or read others’ opinions
• Live coverage of breaking news as it happens
• Searchable archive of past articles and entire newspaper editions
• Newsletters and alerts that can be emailed or sent to your phone so you never miss a thing
How do I get ColumbusTelegram.com access on my smartphone or tablet?
Once you've activated your account, you can download and use our apps or websites on mobile devices. To get unlimited access, log in using the same email and password on all digital platforms. Visit ColumbusTelegram.com/Apps for a full listing of these digital products, along with handy links to download them to your device.
Your subscription login will allow access for up to five digital devices.
TIP: Be sure to check “remember me” when you login so you don’t have to enter your information on every visit.
Can I get access to the Columbus Telegram newspaper electronically?
Yes. The Columbus Telegram publishes an e-edition that is an exact replica of the newspaper available for download every morning to your desktop, iPad or phone. This also is included in full access.
The e-edition is a specially formatted electronic version that looks just like the printed newspaper, and it is accessible on any digital advice with access to the website.
I can’t get newspaper delivery in my area, and I don’t want to pay a subscription for a website. Why don’t you offer a basic website for free? That’s all I need.
That’s actually quite similar to what we’re doing. You can view a certain number of stories on the website for free each month, and some parts of the site are free all the time.
You’ll be asked to pay if it turns out that you’re a frequent user of the site. Collecting, producing and delivering exclusive local information around the clock costs money no matter whether it’s published and delivered once a day in print or every few minutes online. We think it’s fair to ask people who rely heavily on our information to support the effort by paying a modest subscription fee, regardless of whether they get the information from our paper, website or mobile products.
If you’re going to charge for access, why don’t you turn off the advertising?
As more advertisers shift from print to online, they expect us to continue to help them reach local residents with their offers, deals and other messages. We'll recognize these shifts from print to online advertising by maintaining and possibly even expanding advertising options that will be more relevant and connected to your interests.
In this fast-changing business, modest digital subscriptions and advertising work together to cover the cost of collecting local news and information, and to produce numerous products around the clock.
I live out of state but have family in the Columbus area. Why should I have to pay?
If you’re checking our site only once in a while, you probably won’t be asked to pay, because we allow limited free visits to the site. But if you rely heavily on us, it seems fair to charge a subscription fee, just as we do for local residents who pay for unlimited access to the website and newspaper.
I only read obituaries. Why should I have to pay?
If you read obituaries every day, it seems fair to ask for a modest subscription fee – just like our daily newspaper subscribers who pay to read these notices. And it’s the same fee we ask from folks who look at only one other section of the website, such as sports or politics. You’re not being singled out.
By the way, if you no longer live in the Columbus area, you can get a Columbus Telegram e-edition that is an exact replica of the newspaper, including the obituaries. It looks just like the paper on your computer or iPad screen. You can even download and print out the puzzles.
Our customer service staff has all the details. Here’s the number: 1-877-680-6397.
I don’t go online and just want the paper delivered to my house. Do you have a subscription package for that?
All home delivery subscription packages now include digital access.
But digital access isn’t limited to you. A home delivery subscriber can share a login with others in your household, just like you share the newspaper with family or friends.
For example, if there are three people in your family, you all can share one account. The overall limit is five computers or devices. Please keep in mind, everyone who has access to a shared account also has the same access to account information and privileges.
Can I share my login with my friends and others?
We discourage sharing too widely. Sharing login information gives users access to all aspects of your subscriber account, including billing information. Finally, if more than five devices are logged in at the same time, one or more will be denied access to digital products, possibly creating confusion about whether the digital subscription is really working.
I’m having problems activating my full access subscription. Who can I talk to?
Please call 1-877-680-6397 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. central time Tuesday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sundays. A customer service representative will be happy to assist you.
How do I update my subscriber account information?
To update account information, you can access your account dashboard in the upper right-hand corner of any ColumbusTelegram.com page. You can also click on the dashboard button in the side menu – the three horizontal lines on the top left of the website. If you have any trouble, please contact customer service at 1-877-680-6397.
What is the cancellation policy?
To learn more about a cancellation policy that applies to you, please contact customer service at 1-877-680-6397.
Can I use the website to change my existing subscription?
No. The website is for new purchases only. If you would like to change your subscription please contact our customer service department at 1-877-680-6397.
I can't find the answer to my question.
If your question is not answered above, please contact us at 1-877-680-6397 or send us an email.