BT and Talktalk
 

An interesting situation presents. My ISP is btinternet.com - despite all the scorn shown by some here, speed and service here is ok. If it ain't broke...


HOWEVER, until fairly recently my wife, who has been using her ([email protected]) address for email has had some emails delayed by some 12+ hours to particular friends who have talktalk as their ISPs, and use a @talktalk.net address. (Much less frequently, they weren't delivered at all, but of course this can happen without anyone realising this.)


I've been getting none of this nonsense, but I've been sending as from my own domain -let's call it [email protected] . It took a long time for the penny to drop, but I reset her email client to send via [email protected] , and since then she's had no trouble - as far as we know.


So, my question is this: Could this effect be caused possibly because of any incompatibility between btinternet and talktalk?


Doesn't seem likely, but I can't think of anything else.

I thought a similar problem for some weeks with delayed inbound and outbound emails was because of something on my computer or a hiccup at my ISP - I'm not with BT - so I rang my ISP (Eclipse Internet) and they immediately asked if the problem was only with btinternet and btopenworld addresses. I confirmed it was so it seems BT have a problem.

For example a friend with a btinternet address sent me an email on Thursday 12th and it arrived on Tuesday 17th. I replied and got this message:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification. THIS IS A WARNING MESSAGE ONLY. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESEND YOUR MESSAGE. Delivery to the following recipients has been delayed. <[email protected]> The reason for the problem: 4.3.2 - Not accepting messages at this time 421-'Too many messages (1.5.7.3)'

He eventually got my reply two days later! That warning message was not an isolated one - emails to several btinternet friends came up with the same message.

First, there is no guarantee in the world an email will ever be delivered.
Second, there is no guarantee whatsoever in which time an email is delivered.

During recent times there were two major delaying things going on, one is the split of traffic for low-pay and high-pay user, the other is fumbling on some email servers, part ordinary maintenance, part something else they won't talk about.

So, just relax and wait a few times before the surveillance net is fully armed again.

As a former Talk talk customer I have not a single good word to say about them.
I notice they won the Daily Mail wooden spoon for poor customer service two years running.

Delayed emails with TalkTalk is nothing new. I've experienced it many times. It's usually a problem when receiving, but I think I remember delays with sent messages as well. As per normal with TT, it's a waste of time trying to complain to their jokingly called "tech support" - all you can do is wait for it to be resolved. These issues are rarely admitted to on the official support pages, but there will be plenty of complaints on the forum...

TFP

A friend of mine has just told me he's switching from AOHell to Talktalk.

I said 'frying pan' and 'fire' but he thinks I'm a cynic. I believe that both are owned by Carphone Warehouse, and coincidentally I walked out of one of their shops yesterday after going in with a friend who wanted to buy a top end Samsung smartphone and wanted moral support against their high pressure salesmanship.

As it happens, we were studiously ignored for 10 minutes by the staff who were far more interested in discussing the quality of their coffee, until we walked out and ordered the same phone SIM free from Amazon. So much for 'salesmanship'.

Thanks for replies so far, lovely people. I suppose I'm reassured - especially by the comment from Pram.
As to AOL, they provided my service until I left London, and again - like BT - I had no problems with them over, oh it must be ten years back in 56k days. Speakasyerfind.


But no, I didn't buy a Betamax home recorder or a Sinclair C5...