Messaging problems via Hotmail server

[randoodle]

Beginning around 3/14/08, I am no longer able to send a text message to my Sprint phone via the Hotmail server (mail.hotmail.com). My email address is actually in the q.com domain (Qwest), but is carried via MSN -- all MSN email is routed through the Hotmail server.

Prior to March 14, this was working fine. Now, any attempt will result in Delivery Status Notifications -- first a Delay message; then, eventually, a Failure message.

I am able to receive text messages if they are sent via a server other than Hotmail. For example, I have no problem receiving the message from a work email, which is in the nasa.gov domain.

I have been able to duplicate the problem with other Sprint users, so the problem is not unique to my Sprint account.

Also, I have had a co-worker who has an msn.com email address try to send a text message to his Sprint phone as well as mine -- he also got the Delivery Status Notifications.

So, there seems to be some blocking going on between the mail.hotmail.com server and the sprintpcs.messaging.com server.

I have been trying to work the problem with Sprint, Hotmail, and Qwest. All I seem to get are runaround and finger pointing. Also, I have not been impressed with anyone's technical support.

Is anyone else having this problem between Hotmail and Sprint?
Is anyone able to get it to work?

Thanks in advance.

Randy Stevens

[hyrooo]

It's not Sprint, it's Hotmail. You need to upgrade to Hotmail Plus in order for it to work. I'm not really quite sure though.

[randoodle]

Hyrooo,

Thanks for your reply. Since I am not using Hotmail per se, there really is not anything for me to upgrade. Primarily I access my email through Outlook using the pop server as well as the Outlook Connector. When I am travelling, I access the email through Windows Live. My ISP is Qwest, thus my domain is q.com. Qwest has partnered with MSN, so all the email flows through the mail.hotmail.com server.

The problem does not appear to be on the user/client/application side, but seems to be a server-to-server issue.

I am hoping that someone on the forum has some form of Hotmail access and see if they experience the same problem.

Randy Stevens

[randoodle]

Sprint tech support called me today with the answer to this problem.

Effective March 12, 2008, all Hotmail email addresses are permanently blocked by Sprint messaging. Thus, no one with a Hotmail address can send you an SMS text message via email.

Sprint did not provide a reason why the addresses were blocked. Nor did Sprint give an estimate of when the block was going to be removed. Sprint also did not provide a means to "whitelist" certain addresses.

Sprint tech support is closing the trouble ticket since this really is not a "problem" (their words).

It has been over a month and they have not publicised this anywhere.

Randy Stevens

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