Thunderbolt - will not download Comcast POP3 email on 4G LTE but will on 3G

[davemon]

As the title suggests, my Thunderbolt will not download email from my Comcast POP3 account when the device is in the following mode:

Network Mode: LTE/CDMA

(which in my area generally always puts me in 4G mode.  This problem only happens in 4G mode.)

However, as soon as I switch the phone over to

Network Mode: CDMA Only

...to force the phone back into 3G mode, then it immediately begins to download my mail.

I have had this phone for at least a year, and have never had this issue until just recently, about the last two weeks.  It suspiciously started right about the same time that Verizon updated the phone software (OTA) to version 2.11.605.19 710RD.  I cannot swear that this is the cause, but nothing else on the phone has changed and they both seemed to have happened around the same time.  Right about when this update took place, my emails stopped downloading.

I have been troubleshooting settings and researching this issue now for 2 days.  No, my POP3 settings are not incorrect, I'm sure of it.  They have always worked exactly as I have them now with no issues.  Comcast has not changed anything on me in the last month.  And my settings match what everyone of the experts online say they are supposed to be.  Plus, the only time those settings don't work is when I switch to 4G (now with the new software version).  The phone also accepts my settings as well, and when bad settings are input I get errors.

Additional info: I have 2 of the troubled Comcast POP3 accounts on the phone (that both stopped working simultaneously), I have 1 other POP3 account on the phone that has never had any issues and continues to work flawlessly, 1 Yahoo (IMAP) account on the phone that has never had any issues and continues to work flawlessly, and I have 2 Gmail accounts on the phone that have also always worked flawlessly.  Just the Comcast accounts stopped, and only just recently, and only with switching from 3G to 4G.  All emails, nothing to do with large attachments (I don't download them).

Has anyone else with Comcast POP3 emails experienced anything like this?  Anyone got a cure?  Of all the threads I have read about people not being able to download Comcast emails on their phone, none of them mentioned trying to switch the network between 3G and 4G.  That seems to be my issue here.

I've actually just bought a new 4G phone (waiting for delivery), but not sure if the new phone will resolve any of this.  In the meantime I have to use 3G to get my emails which defeats the whole purpose of me having a 4G phone.

[jen0969]

I am also having this issue and it started June 8th, 2012.  Only with the comcast accounts and my POP3 settings are correct as well.  I was able to get my mail when I switched to wireless.  My husband has the same phone and is able to get his comcast mail without issues.

[davemon]

Are you anywhere near the DC/Baltimore area?  In another post entitled "Can't sync mail over 4G" some others indicated the same issue, and one indicated being in the Baltimore area, as am I.  Wondering if 4G in this particular area could be related to the issue?

[jen0969]

I am in Michigan.

[tmanm]

About 4-5 days ago similar problem developed.  I live in Connecticut.

Unable to retrieve comcast pop3 email messages through 4G.  When connected to Internet wireless all messages come through perfectly.

Strange that it just started.

[davemon]

Hmm interesting.  It seems so random.  The fact that it worked for me for so long without any hiccups at all, and then just simply stopped for no obvious reason is the most annoying thing of all.

Seems like VW would've had more complaints that I'm seeing.  Maybe it's just too recent of an issue.

[jen0969]

yes, I find that frustrating as well. My husband has the exact same phone and we checked all his phone settings with mine and they are the same but he has no issues with his comcast email account.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE smartphone

[davemon]

Seems like a pretty straightforward troubleshooting path for Verizon Wireless....

Only Comcast accounts.

3G works, 4G doesn't.

All account settings work, at least on 3G.

Accounts all worked fine for a long time, but suddenly stopped around the same time in June 2012

All accounts using the built-in Mail app with the HTC phone.

That's a narrow enough search window to see what's changed.  Any help VW?

[davemon]

For anyone following this discussion.  I am working in York, PA today and decided to test this whole thing from this location.  It worked perfectly.

So add this to the equation, it definitely has something to do with the current location of the 4G network.  I tested this problem this morning in Baltimore and it still wasn't working.  In York, 95 miles away, it works.

Verizon Wireless, can you please comment and state what you are looking into if anything?

[davemon]

Verizon Wireless?  Are you reading any of this?  Courtesy of a simple reply for those VW people viewing the forum?

[Ann154]

This is a peer to peer forum where users/customers answer the questions of other customers. While there are some VZW employees that occasionally answer questions, they only do so after giving the regular customers a chance to answer the question.

[AscoliP]

Yes I have the same problem in few past days in Maryland. Called VZW Support. They are not aware of 4G issue. They got a ticket to address the problem. They recommend to download Xfinity Connect Apps from Google Play. It will work on 4G. Yes, It works on my ThunderBolt with 4G.  Yes I tried on 3g it will work too.

[AscoliP]

Anyone???   - Still have the same problem with Comcast POP3 email is still not download on 4G LTE.  Are we discuss about ending with Comcast on POP3 email. They are forcing us to use Xfinity Connect Apps from now on? Are they still working on it but for how long?

[dschroed]

This is the exact problem I am having....

I'm here in Minneapolis, MN.  My Gmail is working perfect but Comcast stopped working a couple days ago.  All I get is a connection error.  On WiFi, it works fine.  In 4G/LTE mode....all I can do is verify the outgoing server.  The incoming server gives me an error.

If I switch my phone to 3G (CDMA only), everything works perfectly fine.  No errors, servers are verified, etc....  Switch it back to 4G, and I immediately get the error again and it stops working.

I'm using a Motorola Razr Maxx.  Any tips or ideas are welcome...this is frustrating!

Thanks!   

[coachcisco]

I live in Charleston, SC and started noticing this issue 5-6 days ago. When I'm at home, I try to use my wifi so I didn't notice it at first. In wifi I get no issues, but when I'm on the 4g network, I get the same problems all of you are having.

[davemon]

I received my new phone, HTC Rezound, and loaded all my accounts into the new phone.  All the mail accounts work again as normally in both 3G and 4G (knock on wood).  Even though I was never able to get the original problem here resolved, I did notice that at times when I was on 3G and actually getting the Comcast mail to download, that sometimes it indicated there was an extra message downloading that never showed up.  For example if there were 3 messages downloading, the number shown was 4 and three downloaded.  It happened a lot.  I am wondering if somehow this reporting error has something to do with it.

I am guessing that if there's a way to totally uninstall the Mail app and then reinstall it, that this could cure the problem.  This would probably entail re-input of all the accounts.

For Ann154, why do you make comments that are completely unhelpful like that?  For those with this phone issue, it wastes our time to read it.  If you think that it's not in the best interests of VW to peruse the forums regularly to see what's going on with their customers my guess would be you're wrong.  Like any other business they have to prioritize their hours of service to their customers, but that doesn't mean a simple acknowledgement of "hey I've seen this we'll get to it" isn't in order.  And FYI this issue is also discussed in another thread where a VW person said they would look into it and hasn't provided any input since.

[Ann154]

I made that comment because many people expect to get an immediate response from a Verizon Wireless employee. This forum isn't set up that way. It is meant as a peer to peer forum for customers to help other customers. The unrealistic expectations would have just lead to disappointment.

[davemon]

I see.  I responded to you because the more I read these forums the more I see useless comments from some members that are simply meant to deride the person who has a concern which is legitimate if to no one else at least to them.  That's unproductive.  If these folks understood what you just described they'd be helpful instead of critical.  I take your point though, as I'm sure most others do.

[gs23lsv]

I'm having the same problem.  My wife and I both have the Thunderbolt and the email hasn't been working for several days after having worked flawlessly for a year.  I travel all over the country and have occasionally received some email.  Thanks to your post, davemon, I tried switching to CDMA mode.  As soon as I did I got all of my emails and was able to confirm my settings.  I suspect the random emails I did receive over the last few days were a result of the phone switching out of 4G mode when it wasn't available.

For those with Comcast POP3 email, here is the link to the appropriate settings:

https://customer.comcast.com/help-and-support/internet/email-client-programs-with-xfinity-email/

Incidentally, I had a "live chat" online with an Xfinity tech about this issue.  I told him specifically what equipment I was using and exactly what the problem was.  He started by advising me to change the email settings, including turning off SSL security and changing the server ports in direct conflict with the information on the above linked Xfinity page.  That was the first red flag.  When none of that worked, he advised me to power cycle the phone.  When that didn't work, he wanted me to power cycle the cable modem, router and computer.  He seemed dumbfounded when I pointed out that a cell phone doesn't use any of that equipment...

I guess I will call Verizon and get a trouble ticket started.  Thanks for your help davemon!

[davemon]

You're welcome, although like you I never received a solution.

I can completely understand your entire conversation with the Comcast person.  It's hit or miss with their reps and I'm convinced some of them will tell you any ole' lie to get you off the phone or chat.  If the answer's not right there in their play-by-play script then forget it.  They'll just spout off any useless and inaccurate information I assume just to get you to smile instead of get angry.  I have had many experiences with Comcast wherein I've received either an inconsistent message, flat out wrong information, or what I assume had to be a lie.  They hire a lot of idiots, in other words.  Forget trying to get help from them on this issue, a very slim few of their reps would have the technical savvy to advise us on this one, even if they cared.

[asianscorpio]

I too, have been having the exact same issue with my POP3 account with comcast and the thunderbolt with verizon.  I switched my phone to 3G, and low and behold it worked and all of my mail came up.  I looked at the settings from the link you left and if I change the pop server to what is listed, it says it can't connect to the server,  The pop server address that works is:  mail.comcast.net

Of course it only works on 3G, not 4G.

Thank you all for your posts!!  They were extremely helpful!!  Let's hope that Verizon gets this problem fixed.  And I live in the Northern VA area, so it definitely seems that this issue is pinpointed to a specific 4G area!