hmm, not sensible relying on a free email (or any emial for that matter) service for work if its that urgent (it was the weekend right?). Email goes down at peoples places of work all the time, this doesn't suddenly stop a business being able to run, and if it does they need to seriously consider their OP's and perhaps pay a bigger premium for more surety of service (seriously $50 a year is piss all if you business depends on something, it's hardly a 'premium' service from a business point of view)...
30 hours - 8 of which people would have been asleep for, hopefully at least 4 hours eating, taking a dump, etc etc. There's something wrong with the world if not having email access for 18 hours over the weekend is a disaster