Consumer perception. E-mail is increasingly becoming a critical business tool. Yet despite the best efforts of service providers, for many people the accessing of e-mail still represents a bit of a struggle. Many of the major online services remain difficult to access at peak traffic times, and network congestion can make it an arduous task to simply download your e-mail. Once you've fought your way online and waited many minutes to retrieve your mail, what do you see? An array of pornographic Web site ads, a few chain letters, and a hot stock tip from a self-styled securities analyst who can't spell.