I just found out (the hard way) that SBCYahoo DSL lines are filtered on port 25 IF the email server being addressed is not one of THEIR email servers. What that means is that if I am using one of their DSL lines and I’m using my company’s email address through Outlook (Express) or some other POP client that happens to be hosted somewhere other than an SBC email server, then I can receive email, but I cannot send email. All my sent email just gets stuck on my own computer and goes nowhere.
I just spent several hours with a client trying to figure out why their email suddenly stopped going out. It turns out that SBC unilaterally made this policy up about two weeks ago without telling anyone or informing any existing clients. Then when clients call the help-desk-in-India, the person goes through the usual its-your-problem routine. If I hadn’t had my ducks lined up when I called, I don’t think he would’ve told me that they were filtering port 25 traffic — supposedly to try to control Spam through their system.
Now, to me this is akin to burning the house down to get rid of the termites.
They do have a form that I had to fill out to request that filtering of our domain be removed from their server, but if I hadn’t complained, I would never have known about it or found it. SBC, as far as I know, has no plans to inform their customer base of what they’ve done. I guess Ma Bell still knows what’s good for all of us.
I have already recommended that the client change DSL providers. What’s your take?