Outlook doesn't download some "junk" mail (Bell/Sympatico)

[Larry Sabo]

Customer uses Outlook on his laptop and isn't receiving mail that is received on his iPad, in the Junk folder. Log into Bell's web-mail portal and it's there in the Junk mail folder, too. It just doesn't get downloaded into Outlook's Junk mail folder. If we indicate that it's not junk mail (in the web-mail portal) it does download into Outlook but the customer doesn't want to have to do that on a regular basis.

I've set Outlook to automatically add the e-mail addresses of sent mail to the safe sender's list, but that doesn't solve the problem. I've had this problem with another Bell (Sympatico) customer some time ago, and we just added the person to his safe senders list in the web-mail portal. This customer doesn't want to have to log into Bell web-mail to do that, either. I'm going to participate in a conference call with the customer and Bell tech support this afternoon, but thought I'd ask if anyone else has any suggestions.

 

[glricht]

I can think of one scenario that would explain this: if Outlook were setup to use POP and the iPhone uses IMAP.

Maybe Bell is moving the email to the Junk folder which POP is ignoring (it's not the Inbox folder), but which IMAP is synchronizing all folders?

 

[Larry Sabo]

I think that's probably true, but the question is, why is pop not downloading the junk?

 

[allanc]

I think that's probably true, but the question is, why is pop not downloading the junk?

As above... The 'Junk' is not in the 'Inbox'.

 

[Larry Sabo]

I'm a little slow, and just realized what you two meant by the "junk is not in the Inbox." I blame it on the weather---the windchill this morning is -36C!

So, the problem comes down to Bell pre-filtering mail inappropriately as junk; his filtering options are set to least aggressive and I don't see any option to disable junk filtering altogether in Bell's webmail. He keeps his mail in a large number of folders in Outlook, so I don't think changing over to IMAP is an option, but I could be wrong.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Just finished a remote session with my customer, trying to set up IMAP access to his account. Could not get it to work and couldn't find server settings for Bell's IMAP. Spent lots of time talking to the Bell tech support rep while he and I accessed my customer's laptop remotely, and he says Bell does not support IMAP for Outlook (or anything else). Say's it's hotmail that provides their mail service (hence pophm and smtphm) and they don't support IMAP. So my customer will just have to use his iPad to check for junk mail periodically. I assume they only support IMAP for business customers.

 

[allanc]

Just finished a remote session with my customer, trying to set up IMAP access to his account. Could not get it to work and couldn't find server settings for Bell's IMAP. Spent lots of time talking to the Bell tech support rep while he and I accessed my customer's laptop remotely, and he says Bell does not support IMAP for Outlook (or anything else). Say's it's hotmail that provides their mail service (hence pophm and smtphm) and they don't support IMAP. So my customer will just have to use his iPad to check for junk mail periodically. I assume they only support IMAP for business customers.

Could you use Gmail to retrieve the Email from sympatico.ca and then use the IMAP features of Gmail?
Also, does Bell support filtering? Perhaps adding a filter for '*' and flag it as not being SPAM would be a workaround.
EDIT: it's cold down here too (Toronto).

 

[Larry Sabo]

Thanks for the suggestion, Allan. I don't think simply forwarding to Gmail would help, as it wouldn't forward the Junk mail folder contents. However, I never thought of adding *@*.* as a mail filter. Next time I get a chance, I'll try that and update the thread.

Given that there would be no junk mail filtering, forwarding all Bell mail to Gmail for filtering, and setting up Outlook IMAP to access Gmail would be prudent. He would then still be able to review Gmail's Junk folder from within Outlook. Seems to me to be a lot of complexity just to avoid checking the iPad, which his wife uses daily anyway.

 

[allanc]

Thanks for the suggestion, Allan. I don't think simply forwarding to Gmail would help, as it wouldn't forward the Junk mail folder contents. However, I never thought of adding *@*.* as a mail filter. Next time I get a chance, I'll try that and update the thread.

Given that there would be no junk mail filtering, forwarding all Bell mail to Gmail for filtering, and setting up Outlook IMAP to access Gmail would be prudent. He would then still be able to review Gmail's Junk folder from within Outlook. Seems to me to be a lot of complexity just to avoid checking the iPad, which his wife uses daily anyway.

I have found that the various tech support staff have various levels of knowledge and some are or are not willing to think 'outside of the box'.
Perhaps, another rep at Bell would be more knowledgeable or helpful.
Another idea - which may not fit for this client is to change his Email address to Gmail.
He could retain his @sympatico or @bellnet for a while to ensure that he transitions all of his contacts.

 

[Xander]

Just finished a remote session with my customer, trying to set up IMAP access to his account. Could not get it to work and couldn't find server settings for Bell's IMAP. Spent lots of time talking to the Bell tech support rep while he and I accessed my customer's laptop remotely, and he says Bell does not support IMAP for Outlook (or anything else). Say's it's hotmail that provides their mail service (hence pophm and smtphm) and they don't support IMAP. So my customer will just have to use his iPad to check for junk mail periodically. I assume they only support IMAP for business customers.

According to their own web page, it IS supported....
http://support.bell.ca/Internet/Email/Add-Bell-Mail-to-Windows-Mail

Enter the following settings:
Incoming e-mail server type: select POP3 from the drop-down list
Incoming mail (POP3 or IMAP) server: enter pophm.sympatico.ca
Outgoing e-mail server (SMTP): enter smtphm.sympatico.ca

But that's about the only place I can find that suggests that it does.

 

[allanc]

According to their own web page, it IS supported....
http://support.bell.ca/Internet/Email/Add-Bell-Mail-to-Windows-Mail
But that's about the only place I can find that suggests that it does.

I read that page also (several times) before my previous post.
I think (IMHO), that it says literally to choose POP3 (IE 'select POP3 from the drop-down list').

 

[Xander]

If I had an account, I'd use WLM or TB and see if their autodetect features worked at all.

 

[Larry Sabo]

@Xander: I read that page and all others found through Goolge that reference Bell and IMAP. They don't work. Tried every server/security setting possible. I wouldn't expect results to be different with any other mail client that uses the pophm/smtphm servers, but might be wrong.

 

[allanc]

@Xander: I read that page and all others found through Goolge that reference Bell and IMAP. They don't work. Tried every server/security setting possible. I wouldn't expect results to be different with any other mail client that uses the pophm/smtphm servers, but might be wrong.

I still think that transitioning to Gmail over time might be a good idea for them.
They would not loose their sympatico or bellnet account.
Every contact that migrates to the new Gmail account would be one less for them to worry about in terms of junkmail, fewer dealings with Bell's awful support, etc.
Just my .05 cents worth.

 

[Xander]

Actually, you could easily set up the Gmail to access the Sympatico by POP and then have IMAP access to the gmail. Frankly, based on the current info, that sounds like the most viable workaround.

 

[BrentfromZulu]

As much as people hate changing to other email accounts, I never suggest that they should be on an ISP's email account. They are locked in with them while on it, and they should do a warm transition to another free email account like gmail or outlook.

 

[glricht]

@Xander: I read that page and all others found through Goolge that reference Bell and IMAP. They don't work. Tried every server/security setting possible. I wouldn't expect results to be different with any other mail client that uses the pophm/smtphm servers, but might be wrong.

Just wondering (and you might ask Bell support) if IMAP doesn't work, then how is the Apple device able to use it to sync the junk folder?

 

[Xander]

I'm kicking myself for missing that point, too. What are the server setttings on the iPad?

For those unfamiliar, Sympatico has an affiliation with MS so a Sympatico email account is, essentially, a Hotmail/Live/etc account with another wrapper on it.

 

[Larry Sabo]

Just wondering (and you might ask Bell support) if IMAP doesn't work, then how is the Apple device able to use it to sync the junk folder?

I wasn't on site so didn't have a look at the iPad settings. Next chance I am, I'll ask to see the iPad and check it out. I assumed it was using some webmail client, like Outlook365, where you can access the Junk folder. I didn't want to recommend he use O365, as he is not at all tech savvy and O365 can be a PITA to use at times.