Outgoing Emails Disappearing Into Thin Air

[David Allen]

Over the last week or so most (but not all) of my outgoing emails have disappeared into thin air. They have not bounced back but simply failed to reach their destination. As a business user regularly on the move this is very frustrating and prevents me from giving the service my customers expect and deserve.

Does anyone know of there is a current problem with send.vodafone.net ? Whilst I am on I am still, after 18 months or so unable to send email to hotmail or live.co.uk account holders. Speak to vodafone and they will tell you they are 'working on the problem' 18 months I ask you!!!!!!

The problem of 'disappearing outgoing emails' has gone in fits and starts over the last 18 months or so and I can no longer put up with it? Does anyone know of a permanent solution to this problem?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Retired-Dave]

Hi David Allen,

Welcome back to the eForum - I wish it was under better circumstances.

Firstly, the issues with hotmail/live accounts is down to an external issue. At some point one or more Vodafone IP was identified as sending or potentially sendiong spam email, and as such an external agency blocked Vodafone IPs from sending to these email providers. As this is in the message header, it stops anything outgoing.

We have contacted them in an attempt to get this removed, however due to their policies they won't tell us what exactly was the cause - this is to stop actual spammers finding out how to bypass their checks. We are still contacting them as much as their system will allow for this to be removed, but it is in their hands as to if or when this block is lifted.

In the meantime, there is an major overhaul of the email system as a whole being worked on which will resolve these issues on both fronts - it is a big job so it is taking some time to implement but is designed, rather than bolting onto an existing system for fixes and developments, to provide a competely new system built with future requirements and demand in mind. Jon has posted an explanation of this here (post 16), and Hyrm has chipped in here (post 9) with an explanation of a possible workaround - we've popped it on the eForum elsewhere but I have to say that he has given one of the easiest-to-follow explanations I've seen so it seems a waste not to use it.

DaveN

eForum Team

[bacupian]

Hi David Allen,

Welcome ack to the eForum - I wish it was under better services.

Firstly, the issues with hotmail/live accounts is down to an external issue. At some point one or more Vodafone IP was identified as sending or potentially sendiong spam email, and as such an external agency blocked Vodafone IPs from sending to these email providers. As this is in the message header, it stops anything outgoing.

We have contacted them in an attempt to get this removed, however due to their policies they won't tell us what exactly was the cause - this is to stop actual spammers finding out how to bypass their checks. We are still contacting them as much as their system will allow for this to be removed, but it is in their hands as to if or when this block is lifted.

In the meantime, there is an major overhaul of the email system as a whole being worked on which will resolve these issues on both fronts - it is a big job so it is taking some time to implement but is designed, rather than bolting onto an existing system for fixes and developments, to provide a competely new system built with future requirements and demand in mind. Jon has posted an explanation of this here (post 16), and Hyrm has chipped in here (post 9) with an explanation of a possible workaround - we've popped it on the eForum elsewhere but I have to say that he has given one of the easiest-to-follow explanations I've seen so it seems a waste not to use it.

DaveN

eForum Team

Problem with the workaround is that with my previous service providers and others I've
checked since, there is no support for authenticated smtp and/or use of other than port 25.
Usually these are premium services.

The blocks only apply, so far as I'm aware, to the vodafone ips used for smtp which have
always been different on my checks to those used for other traffic (port 80 also gets its
own ip range from what I've seen). So if the alternative isp allows use of another port with
authentication that's the best way to go.

Other than that, yahoo, gmail, hotmail or other specific email services are available for setting
up a free account that can be accessed via webmail or authentication on other than port 25.


David

[David Allen]

Thank you for your reply. The 'we are currently upgrading to a new system' I received around a year ago when experiencing the same problems. Can you give me date when this upgrade will be implimented or am I just better off cancelling my vodafone contracting and switching to three or orange?

Hi David Allen,

Welcome back to the eForum - I wish it was under better circumstances.

Firstly, the issues with hotmail/live accounts is down to an external issue. At some point one or more Vodafone IP was identified as sending or potentially sendiong spam email, and as such an external agency blocked Vodafone IPs from sending to these email providers. As this is in the message header, it stops anything outgoing.

We have contacted them in an attempt to get this removed, however due to their policies they won't tell us what exactly was the cause - this is to stop actual spammers finding out how to bypass their checks. We are still contacting them as much as their system will allow for this to be removed, but it is in their hands as to if or when this block is lifted.

In the meantime, there is an major overhaul of the email system as a whole being worked on which will resolve these issues on both fronts - it is a big job so it is taking some time to implement but is designed, rather than bolting onto an existing system for fixes and developments, to provide a competely new system built with future requirements and demand in mind. Jon has posted an explanation of this here (post 16), and Hyrm has chipped in here (post 9) with an explanation of a possible workaround - we've popped it on the eForum elsewhere but I have to say that he has given one of the easiest-to-follow explanations I've seen so it seems a waste not to use it.

DaveN

eForum Team

[Retired-Andrew_]

Hi David Allen,

To be completely honest we have no timescale of when this implementation will take place but we are aware that it is affecting quite a large number of people so the sooner we can get this sorted for you the better. I have just sent off an email questioning any timescales on this fix but rest assured as soon as we have a completion date for the fix we will be sure to let you all know.

I would like to think we can have this fix implemented sooner rather than later as we do not like the thought of losing our loyal customers to rival networks over such an issue.

I hope you enjoy the remainder of your Christmas holidays,

Seasons regards

Andrew
eForum Team

[David Allen]

Hi David Allen,

To be completely honest we have no timescale of when this implementation will take place but we are aware that it is affecting quite a large number of people so the sooner we can get this sorted for you the better. I have just sent off an email questioning any timescales on this fix but rest assured as soon as we have a completion date for the fix we will be sure to let you all know.

I would like to think we can have this fix implemented sooner rather than later as we do not like the thought of losing our loyal customers to rival networks over such an issue.

I hope you enjoy the remainder of your Christmas holidays,

Seasons regards

Thanks for the reply. However surely you must be able to find out how long? Are we talking days, weeks, months? I suspect months if not years if not never. Your reply is virtually the same to what I was told last time a large proportion of my emails did not reach their destination. I have copied in my yahoo account to emails I've sent out to today and only 2 out of every 3 have made it to yahoo - simply not good enough. If you cannot give me a more concrete timescale then I have no choice but to leave. Do you think it is acceptable that those using outlook cannot rely on safe delivery?

Andrew
eForum Team

[David Allen]

Thanks for the reply. However surely you must be able to find out how long? Are we talking days, weeks, months? I suspect months if not years if not never. Your reply is virtually the same to what I was told last time a large proportion of my emails did not reach their destination. I have copied in my yahoo account to emails I've sent out to today and only 2 out of every 3 have made it to yahoo - simply not good enough. If you cannot give me a more concrete timescale then I have no choice but to leave. Do you think it is acceptable that those using outlook cannot rely on safe delivery?

[Jenny]

Hi David Allen,

We honestly don’t have any timescale available for this.

I’m sorry, we’re unable to provide you with any further information at this time.

All the best,

Jenny
eForum Team