I've been baned

[Chuck Bao]

I cannot send emails to anybody with sbcglobal.net account. I've been baned for some reason. The emails all bounce back with access denied.

So, I decided to fight back and go into a chat room with a at&t service representative.

This is the transcript.


Please wait while we find an agent to assist you...
Thank you for contacting AT&T Internet Services, my name is Geri Martin. One moment while I review your information.
Geri Martin: I see that you need assistance with sending email GH, is that correct?
GH: My emails are being blocked by sbcglobal.net
GH: Yes.
Geri Martin: I am sorry you are experiencing this issue and will be happy to assist you.
Geri Martin: What is your email address?
GH: [email protected]
Geri Martin: How did you know that your email is being block?
GH: Everyone using sbcglobal.net cannot receive my emails.
GH: About 10 friends and family. I cannot ask them all to change emails.
Geri Martin: I see.
GH: Can you check if it is a global thing?
GH: This problem is for at least 3 months.
Geri Martin: Since I don't have access to your email account I can't check that from my end. What I can suggest you to do is ask those SBC users to contact us personally so that we can check their accounts one by one.
Geri Martin: There is no way to check it using your account.
GH: Exactly how do I contact them? I can call them individually, I guess.
Geri Martin: I would also recommend you to contact your email provider.
GH: I'm not asking for you to check my account.
GH: I'm asking for you to see if there is a global block.
GH: Sort of spam filter. I'm not spam!!!
Geri Martin: At least we both parties can conduct further investigation regarding this.
Geri Martin: We don't internal access to that so I can't really tell.
Geri Martin: I mean we don't have internal access to that.
GH: My email provider is fine. I can send emails everywhere else in the world, EXCEPT TO SBCGLOBAL.NET EMAILS!
Geri Martin: I see.
Geri Martin: Are you receiving any error messages when yuo send a message to an SBC account?
GH: I've asked them to please check to see if it is a block on their computer and they say no.
Geri Martin: We do have an email filter which is the Port 25 filter. We can try to open that and let's see if that can fix the problem.
Geri Martin: You need to tell them to contact us personally.
GH: Yes. It says access denied, every time..
Geri Martin: Is it a sort of reply upon sending messages to an SBC account?
GH: Alright, I'll copy this transcript and mail it to them by post.
Geri Martin: Ok.
Geri Martin: May I be of further assistance?
GH: Yes. it is the reply for everyone with an account.
GH: Seriously, you can't check to see if and why an account is blocked?
Geri Martin: No.
Geri Martin: We need to pull-up the SBC account first to open that email filter.
Geri Martin: Is there anything else that I may assist you with today?
GH: Alright. My mother doesn't have an account but her emails go through. I will copy this transcript and have her send it to all accounts I can't get through.
Geri Martin: Ok.
GH: For those people who need to check, who should they contact?
GH: What email address should they forward this transcript to?
Geri Martin: They contact the tech support department through this Chat or call 1-877-722-3755.
GH: Can they forward by email?
Geri Martin: No.
GH: And, this chat URL is?
Geri Martin: helpmet.att.net
GH: Thank you!

[yermom]

you don't have a hotmail account or something?

does it send you an email back that it didn't work, or what?

i'd try telnetting to the sbc mailserver, but i don't know if you want to get that involved

[King Crimson]

i had a similar problem with my main email account where about 2 weeks of sentmails weren't delivered. the IT people told me when i removed my middle name from the email "from" line, it caused the spam filter to pick them off.

i removed my middle name from the "from" line over 6 months ago--the problem was 2 weeks old.

[Chuck Bao]

Okay, that's helpful. I should have set up a hotmail account to get around the block on my home email address.

Except, I like the convenience of Outlook Express and having all emails sent and received in one address that I've had for more than 10 years.

Besides that I want to know why sbcglobal.net decided to bane me.

[OCUDad]

You can set up Outlook or Outlook Express to handle your hotmail or gmail (or any other mail) account.

[Chuck Bao]

i had a similar problem with my main email account where about 2 weeks of sentmails weren't delivered. the IT people told me when i removed my middle name from the email "from" line, it caused the spam filter to pick them off.

i removed my middle name from the "from" line over 6 months ago--the problem was 2 weeks old.

That's a bit strange. So, the spam filter didn't like you without a middle name? I'm in trouble then because I don't have a middle name.

[Chuck Bao]

You can set up Outlook or Outlook Express to handle your hotmail or gmail (or any other mail) account.

I didn't know that. Thanks, OCUDad.

I still don't want to change my email address.

[King Crimson]

That's a bit strange. So, the spam filter didn't like you without a middle name? I'm in trouble then because I don't have a middle name.

well, it didn't matter for over 5 months...then it did. i just found that explanation a little unsatisfactory is all.

i'm not saying that's what happened with you.

[King Crimson]

I didn't know that. Thanks, OCUDad.

I still don't want to change my email address.


you'll be able to import a hotmail, gmail, or yahoo account to outlook but it will be a different email addy.

[OCUDad]

You don't have to change your e-mail address. I have three different e-mail accounts (comcast, gmail, yahoo) and handle them all through Outlook. You receive all your e-mails at once, and can choose to reply to them from any of the accounts you've set up. I believe Outlook Express offers the same flexibility. A techno-nerd like yermom or Ike could probably offer more detail, but it's pretty easy. One mail client, several mail accounts. Just add accounts for each e-mail address (with appropriate POP and SMTP server addresses), and let Outlook Express know you want to scan all of them when receiving mail. Peem me if you need to know more.

I'm amazed your AT&T support rep spoke English.

[Frozen Sooner]

You can set up Outlook or Outlook Express to handle your hotmail or gmail (or any other mail) account.

Used to be that while Express supported this feature, Outlook did not. Did they fix that?

[GottaHavePride]

yes. Outlook handles my gmail account fine.

[yermom]

does Gmail do anything but POP? it was only POP when i was messing with it before, and i hate pop

and last time i messed with Hotmail and Outlook Express it wouldn't let you check it on new accounts, they want $$$ for that functionality. but the old accounts are still grandfathered in for free

i wasn't suggesting to ditch the old address, just that it might work in the meantime as far as contacting people to tell them you can't email them, etc...

[OCUDad]

Used to be that while Express supported this feature, Outlook did not. Did they fix that?I have both Outlook (part of Microsoft Office) and Outlook Express on my machine. Both of them have a feature to add multiple mail accounts (accessible from the Tools menu). Don't know if buying Office gave me the deluxe version of Outlook, but my version will accommodate adding accounts.

I just like Outlook's UI (with calendar and contacts) a touch better than Outlook Express, so I use that.

[Frozen Sooner]

No no, I know it will support multiple accounts. I just didn't think it supported HTML-based e-mail.

[OCUDad]

Ah, so sorry for misunderstanding. Yes, it does. At least my version does. But that just might be because I'm a very special person and you're just... well, you're just frozen.

[LoyalFan]

Chuckles,

I've got a gnawing suspicion that "Geri Martin" is the nom-de-net of someone whose real monicker is Chunkaporn Itsaboi and that Chunky is based somewhere in East Baboonsa$$holistan. There is a slight chance that "Geri" might be a Canuck, however, and that's a marginal improvement.
I get a sick kick outta the "assisters" in Bangladesh, India, etc, who begin with "Hello, I'm Dean. Oh my goodness, yes...How may I help you today?"
I always respond with "Would that be Gunga Dean?" Usually they 'fess up and admit that the real name is something incomprehensible to us Yankee Imperialists.
They do try, and try hard, to help. I'll give 'em that.

LF

[Chuck Bao]

Chunkaporn would be Thai and most likely female and most likely cute. So, you think I have a chance here?

[LoyalFan]

Chunkaporn would be Thai and most likely female and most likely cute. So, you think I have a chance here?

See: Katoey

Ball(s) in your court here, Chuckles...heh!

Will expect report, w/pics.

LF