Verizon Blocking Access to Mail Servers outside the United States

[pfekete1]

I spent almost two hours with Verizon representatives yesterday after having spent 10 days in Canada without ever being able to access the pop.verizon.net email server.  Although the information does not seem to be well known throughout Verizon, several officials confirmed that as of September 14, Verizon has made the decision to block all IP addresses outside the United States trying to communicate with Verizon's email servers.  

Parenthetically, Verizon Wireless was also unaware of this change in policy but was most interested to learn about it given the impact it would have.  It would also help explain why there were many customers who suddenly found their smartphones to be significantly less useful when traveling internationally.

I asked repeatedly whether the Verizon community had been made aware of this change in policy and several individuals within Verizon confirmed that no such corporate communication was ever made, despite the fact that this change has a dramatic impact on those who travel outside the United States.  They conceded that this should have been done, but of course no one seems to know where the decision within the corporation was made about this policy and who might be "empowered" to actually consider the impact on the Verizon user community and communicate with it in a transparent manner.

I find this behavior on Verizon's part to be appalling.  Even if security concerns drove this decision, I can't but help feel that it is Verizon's arrogance that led them to believe that this change in policy should not be communicated to the Verizon community.  

I have made my view known to some individuals--would suggest that others do so as well--although I am skeptical that anyone within the Verizon heirarchy cares.  Hopefully I'm wrong.

{edited for privacy}

[ElizabethS]

A notice was posted about the issue here.

[pfekete1]

The response highlights the problems of dealing with Verizon.  It's totally non-responsive to the issue.

In point of fact, I am not locked out of my individual account, nor do I have any difficulty in downloading emails from the pop.verizon.net email server when I am accessing it from a US-based IP address.  The problem is that IP addresses outside the US are being rejected.  Thus while traveling internationally and trying to access my account from a hotel, coffee shop, etc. the server is now programmed by Verizon not to respond.

Thank you.

{edited for privacy}

[Hubrisnxs]

I had to configure my Gmail to fetch my Verizon mail as a work around.

I actually did this on both my Hotmail and gmail (I prefer the Hotmail web interface) but it was able to get my Verizon mail without a hitch. 

Give it a shot it's a nice work around. 

Check emails from other accounts using Gmail - Gmail Help

How to Combine All Your Email Addresses into One Outlook ...

Both will work to satisfy your problem.  Verizon for some reason locked down international access, but the above two work arounds will help.

[Ama2014]

I have recently had the same problem. I was told by Verizon rep "This has never happened in the past."

[tns2]

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@pfekete wrote:

The response highlights the problems of dealing with Verizon.  It's totally non-responsive to the issue.

In point of fact, I am not locked out of my individual account, nor do I have any difficulty in downloading emails from the pop.verizon.net email server when I am accessing it from a US-based IP address.  The problem is that IP addresses outside the US are being rejected.  Thus while traveling internationally and trying to access my account from a hotel, coffee shop, etc. the server is now programmed by Verizon not to respond.

Thank you.

{edited for privacy}

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We have asked them to clarify the message and they finally have, but not necessarily what you want to hear.

"Additionally, we have implemented measures to prevent future unauthorized access attempts which may affect your ability to access your Verizon.net email from locations outside the U.S. If you experience difficulty reaching your Verizon.net email account, you can always access it online at mail.verizon.com or through the Verizon My FiOS app for mobile devices. For further information see the Verizon Webmail FAQs. "

I think they are also still accepting whitelist requests for Foreign ISP's.

[AUA-Mark]

Can't even access the FAQs site from Aruba.

Verizon, are you listening?  Your customers cannot access email (other than through webmail, which is inefficient in terms of setting up rules and folders) and cannot even check on things on their account or get online support, other than this forum.  This has never been an issue in the past.

Please address.

[aietot]

Surprise to me too, last 3 weeks out of the country and the only way to get emails was thru the webmail, verizon.net, and even that was hit or miss.  Webmail will not view properly on the iPhone so to the lap top or pad was my only option.  I also called and all I was told is that it won't work with a foriegn IP address. 

Would be nice if 'tech' support could give you some work arounds...

[Joetallyho]

Today is 10 May 15. I am now in India and was in Brazil last month. Still no where is this policy being promulgated or explained. I was able to chat with a VZ support person. He did not know this blocking existed. He recommended access through webmail, but he was unaware this was even blocked. Like others I also asked to make sure the way VZ behaves likes this (total published silence). From reading comments here, it seems they respond only to those who complain.
One expensive workaround, which will surely be closed soon, is turning on my GSM hotspot and using that wifi to access my email on my iPad Air 2. It works. Another way is before you leave the USA, turn on mail forwarding. I fwd to my gmail account and get the forwarded email outisde USA. But, the mail is not stored on the VZ servers.
I had my account hacked into and they forwarded my emails from Amazon and others to some bogus server hoping they (hackers) would get a sniff of something they can get. VZ did not catch this, I did, when I noticed my Amazon confirmations were not being sent.

I can understand VZ taking some security precautions, but total blocking??!!!! I can access all my bank accounts from here.

[pfps]

As of yesterday, I am again able to access Verizon email via POP from Canada.

Of course, no information at all from Verizon on why international access to Verizon email has been reinstated.