This topic

No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:38:41 GMT

Since last Tuesday, 14 November 2023, I have been unable to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad using Safari as the browser. After entering my email address and password, I get as far as the BT icon (the letters “BT” within a circle within a square) with the three pulsating black blobs underneath, but then Webmail hangs indefinitely. I can’t get as far as seeing my emails. Before Tuesday, it used to work perfectly well.

I can still access my emails using BT Webmail on my desktop PC (running Windows 10 with the Chrome browser) and on my mobile phone (running Android with the Samsung Internet Browser or Chrome browser). And I can still access my emails using the Outlook email client on my desktop PC, which is actually the main way that I receive, read and send emails. The situation is that there are occasions when I use Webmail as a convenient way of reading my emails while they are still on the BT mail server so that I don’t have to boot up my desktop PC in order to do it.

After entering my email address and password using BT Webmail, the appearance of the BT icon with the three pulsating black blobs underneath is something that never used to happen on my desktop PC, my mobile phone or my iPad, but now it appears on all three devices. I’m guessing, therefore, that the code of BT Webmail has been changed very recently, and that it is this change that has put a spanner in the works as far as my iPad is concerned.

Another factor is that my iPad is the oldest of my three devices and it might be that code changes to BT Webmail mean that the system environment on my iPad is no longer supported. However, having searched the Internet, I can find no specification of the system requirements for running BT Webmail. And, if it is the case that the system environment on my iPad is no longer supported, it would be more helpful if BT Webmail would display a message to that effect instead of simply hanging indefinitely.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

licquorice — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:41:00 GMT

Clear the cookies and cache from the iPad browser.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:00:06 GMT

Already tried that:

Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data

is supposed to remove all history, cookies and other browsing data. In fact, doing this is the only way of getting out of the hang within Safari.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

gg30340 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:41:18 GMT

Have you tried a different browser on your iPad to see if it is a browser problem?

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 16:00:56 GMT

Yes, I have tried the Opera browser on my iPad, but exactly the same problem occurs - the BT Webmail code enables me to login but cannot get as far as displaying the emails that are on the BT mail server.

I was hoping that someone could confirm that BT Webmail was indeed updated at the beginning of this week with changed code. And I was also hoping that someone might know where to find the system requirements for running BT Webmail for the various operating systems and browsers. And, furthermore, I was hoping someone might have the ability to pass on a message to BT stating that, if a user tries to use BT Webmail in a system environment that is not supported by BT Webmail, it would be more user friendly if BT Webmail were to display a message to that effect instead of simply hanging.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

sparkymike — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 10:56:42 GMT

Glad I am not the only one with this problem. BT, for some unknown reason changed the https and since then I have been unable to log in on my lap top, but have to use my partners. bt.com/mail/index-rui.jsp?v=2.32.0#app/mail. This was old link but now it is similar link but figure 2 is now 3.

As you say above, if my system is now unable to receive this site, a warning pop up should be on there.

Can someone from BT reply ????????????????????????? (or are they just robots and no humans in sight ?)

Mike.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

PaddyB — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 16:01:45 GMT

Hi @sparkymike and @Kleisthenes,

Thank you for posting. I'm sorry if you're having problems accessing webmail on some of your devices.

Here is the list of minimum browser requirements for BT Webmail -

Thanks,

Paddy

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

SSkier — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 18:01:53 GMT

I am also having an issue with getting emails on my ipad. Before I was switched over to digital voice on the 15th Nov I had no problems accessing my emails, but now I cannot access my emails on my ipad only on my laptop. I have checked my IOS version, the system says I am up to date but I have version 12.5.7. If I cannot update the IOS version how do I access emails??

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

licquorice — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 18:05:26 GMT

Digital Voice has got absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with email.

Try using the mail app on your iPad

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:06:36 GMT

Thank you @PaddyB . Like @SSkier , my iPad is running iOS 12.5.7, which is no longer supported according to the table. I would appreciate knowing where this table of system and browser requirements is published on the Web.

It is interesting that Windows 11 is not mentioned. An oversight? Or is it the case that the table hasn't been updated since Windows 11 became available and is possibly out of date by now?

There is still no confirmation from BT that BT Webmail was updated with changed code at the beginning of the past week. And, if iOS 2.5.7 is no longer a supported platform, there is still no explanation as to why BT Webmail simply hangs instead if displaying a user friendly message.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:23:11 GMT

To @licquorice .

Interesting suggestion to use the Mail app on the iPad instead of BT Webmail. But the question is how to configure it?

I don't use IMAP. I use POP/SMTP and I want my emails to be deleted from the BT mail server ONLY when they have been download to the Outlook client on my desktop Windows PC. So, if I wish to view my emails on the BT mail server using the Mail app, before they have been download to my desktop PC and deleted, how do I configure the Mail app and/or the BT mail server in order to do that?

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

gg30340 — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:26:48 GMT

When setting up the POP3 account you can set it to leave messages on the server for x number of days. This should allow you to see them on your other devices before they are deleted.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

licquorice — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 16:33:04 GMT

Just use IMAP on the iPad, that will give the same experience as using webmail.

I use POP3 on my desktop to remove mail from the server but use IMAP on other devices so that the mail remains on the server until downloaded to desktop.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:06:14 GMT

Brilliant! Thank you @licquorice .

I've just configured an IMAP account on my iPad and it works as expected. It will suffice as a temporary solution. Essentially, Safari on iOS 12 no longer being supported by BT Webmail is just another nail in the coffin of my old iPad. It is not the first Web site to stop working. But I make the point again that it would have been more user friendly if BT Webmail had displayed a message stating that the platform on which I was trying to run it is no longer supported.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

gg30340 — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:35:14 GMT

To achieve what you want regarding being informed about an operating system no longer being supported, BT would have to program their email system to recognise every operating system, including ones that are no longer supported, which would be going back to about 1983. This would be an enormous task for little or no return.

Most manufacturers of computer operating systems support their operating systems for about 10 years sometimes less and mobile devices tend to about six years or less.

Web browsers also have a limited shelf life.

When the life of the operating system or web browser is coming to an end the manufactures general inform the device user of this and advise them to upgrade.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

Kleisthenes — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 15:50:22 GMT

To @gg30340 .

I understand what you are saying. However, some Web sites do inform you if you are using an unsupported platform, so it is quite natural to ask why can't BT Webmail do the same.

Surely, the situation is not as complex as you state? All that BT Webmail needs to be able to recognise are the supported platforms implying that anything it does not recognise is unsupported.

Re: No longer able to access my emails using BT Webmail on my iPad

gg30340 — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:43:42 GMT

@Kleisthenes

If it is easy or not complex as you have suggested you will need to contact BT and ask why they can't/don't do as you have outlined.

It may be that the best source for an answer will be the BT CEO or the BT Email Team.

It is not allowed to post email addresses on the forum but I'm sure you will fined the details of the CEO with an Internet search.

Please keep this thread updated how you get on.