This topic

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Dreaming3 — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 16:57:28 GMT

Up until last year I had no problems with getting BT emails abroad on the Apple mail app. But since then it’s been nothing but hassle. Problem after problem. Not receiving emails, being asked daily to change the password which then works and the next day stops working. BT gave me the same explanation ie they don’t guarantee emails will work abroad and you can only get access via the BT web site. I’m now in Canada for a couple of months. I have two BT email addresses. On my iPad one just shows the inbox but nothing in there. No other folders. The other shows folders with emails in the inbox up until I left the uk then nothing for days then the odd email then nothing again. All this started when they transferred clients to EE. I had BT broadband which they forced me to swap to EE. I’ve even tried not using Apple mail and swapping to the outlook app but it won’t let me add the two BT email accounts. I’m so fed up with all this **bleep** and getting nowhere with BT technical support. Would love to end my EE broadband contract. I’ve now got a Gmail email account but I’ve been so many years with BT swapping my email address with all the banks etc is going to be a nightmare.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Leanne_T — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:48:17 GMT

Hi there @Dreaming3

Thanks for coming back to the community,

I've fed this back to our email support team to be looked into.

Once we have more information, or if they need any extra details we will let you know.

Leanne.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Kimberlin — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:11:04 GMT

@Dreaming3 I'd be interested to know how BT 'forced' you to swap to EE? As far as I know, that practise would not be allowed, so how were you 'forced' to swap from BT to EE? You have to agree to the move as far as I know.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Dreaming3 — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:23:13 GMT

Following BTs acquisition of EE couple of years ago they made me switch over to EE so I did not have a choice. They told me all BT customers were being transferred to EE so I could not continue with BT. Now I look back I feel I was pressured into it.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Leanne_T — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 11:55:12 GMT

Hi @Dreaming3

Thanks for coming back to us.

If you would like to discuss your experience further, please give our guides a call and they will be happy to take a look at this for you.

Leanne.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

licquorice — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:31:55 GMT

There is a huge difference between being pressured and forced.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Dreaming3 — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:00:10 GMT

I was pressured to accept EE, but let’s be honest: once BT removed the ability to stay, that pressure stopped being a choice. If the option you want is gone, you’re forced into whatever’s left. In this case your ‘huge difference’ is nothing more than semantics.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

gg30340 — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:38:51 GMT

@Dreaming3wrote:
I was pressured to accept EE, but let’s be honest: once BT removed the ability to stay, that pressure stopped being a choice. If the option you want is gone, you’re forced into whatever’s left. In this case your ‘huge difference’ is nothing more than semantics.

BT never removed the ability to stay. It was always a choice and still is.

I had a broadband renewal during the period that you mention and I was informed that BT customers were being moved over to EE which was to be the BT broadband provider.

I simply told them I did not wish to be moved to EE. I then negotiated a better renewal price than I had been offered in the renewal email and I renewed my BT Broadband and I remain a BT Broadband customer

You must have had a Customer Service rep who wanted his commission more than giving customer satisfaction.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Dreaming3 — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:46:36 GMT

I did not know that. I was told no option but to move to EE and that all BT customers were moving. I’d been with BT more than 30 years so would have stayed with them if I could. So you are right. The person I spoke to must have needed the commission.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

licquorice — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 18:02:02 GMT

As stated, pressured not forced. Not semantics.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Dreaming3 — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 18:05:32 GMT

No option means forced.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

licquorice — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 18:30:24 GMT

But you did have an option.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

gg30340 — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 19:00:41 GMT

It was NOT BT's policy to "force" customers onto EE. Therefore you were not forced. You may have been coerced by a CS rep but not by BT.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Edinburgh-wg — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:30:37 GMT

Never mind the semantics at this stage. The person has problems with their email and is asking for help to solve the issue, rather than some old farts discussing the semantics behind forced and not having a choice. Where are the mods on here to steer the conversation back on track by deleting irrelevant messages?

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

gg30340 — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:14:59 GMT

@Edinburgh-wg

The OP was informed/advised by the moderators what to do in messages 2 and 5 which you must have missed.

After that there was a discussion, which the OP was taking part in, about a point which was raised by one of the forum members.

As the OP had been given advice regarding his initial problem and was taking part in the discussion regarding the question that was raised it appears the only post that is irrelevant and off topic is yours.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Leanne_T — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:29:04 GMT

Hi @Dreaming3

I've heard back from the team now for your email query and they have asked if you could try again and let us know how you get on?

Thanks 🙂

Leanne.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Kimberlin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:03:45 GMT

@Edinburgh-wg To be fair, the OP ultimately raised the allegation of being 'forced' to migrate to EE and whilst the email side of things is clearly separate, the OP's allegation was/is worthy of debate.

At the end of the day, this comes down to the customer basically not being assertive enough. I won't take carp off anyone, and trust me, if some BT/EE guide tried to steer me down the route of migrating if that wasn't the original purpose of my complaint, I'd absolutely without hesitation, tell the urk on the other end of the line just to do as they are asked. My line is, as long as I don't swear at them or say anything that borders on being personal, then the person on the other end of my conversation will be dealt with robustly. I've been cut off more than once for standing up to some jumped up Customer Services rep. I had 30 years of dealing with people robustly and I don't take fools gladly.

Bottom line is, BT/EE guides shouldn't be (allegedly) forcing/bullying/coercing customers into doing something they don't want.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

Dreaming3 — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:34:15 GMT

Thank you all for your comments. This is my first time seeking help with this via the forum, so I appreciate everyone’s input.

I’ve submitted another complaint to BT, so hopefully it will be resolved this time, unlike the numerous other times I’ve contacted them and it hasn’t been fixed. I will report back once it’s sorted.

I am not an expert in telecoms policy. I had read that BT had acquired EE, so when the advisor told me that all BT customers are being moved to EE , I had no reason to doubt it. If I say I felt forced, it’s because that was my genuine experience. If BT’s policy was different, then I should have been allowed to stay with BT, but that option wasn’t offered. I understand the point about being assertive, but customers can only challenge something when they actually know the policy and that they have the option to stay with BT. If advisors give incorrect information about policy, customers have no way of knowing.

I travel abroad frequently, so the email issue isn’t occasional. It happens every time now. EE’s response has always been “We don’t guarantee BT emails abroad and you can use webmail.” Once I’m home, my emails go back to normal so I won’t know if it is fixed until I travel again.

Coincidentally, a batch of emails suddenly appeared in one of my BT inboxes this morning. For a moment I thought one of you had worked your magic.😄

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

licquorice — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:17:20 GMT

The issue of emails abroad has been ongoing for many years without proper explanation but with a number of theories.

Its clearly not ubiquitous or the forum would have far more complaints about the problem than it does.

I can only say that I have had a BT email address since day 1 and have NEVER had problem with it abroad and that includes China.

As for not knowing about incorrect information I'm afraid these days research before doing anything is key.

Re: Can't send / receive email abroad

gg30340 — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:04:51 GMT

@Dreaming3

I have also had no issues when using both an email app and webmail with BTMail while abroad so it would not appear to be a general problem.

A few things to try when abroad which may help:

Try and not use Public WiFi hotspots. Their IP addresses can often be blacklisted.

Were possible if you have enough of a data package use your mobile network when checking your emails. These networks are considered more secure than Public Networks.

Turn off private WiFi addresses on your Apple devices. This may make it appear that multiple devices are being used to try and access your email account . See link how to turn it off.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/102509

In case you are not aware, your BTMail accounts are still managed by BT and not EE. You should be able to manage your BTMail accounts using your MyBT and BTID that you used when you were a BT customer. Your MyBT will now only have your email accounts listed in your "My Products" and it is a free account with no billing.