This topic

POP3 diagnostics

Peter240119 — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:04:00 GMT

Does anyone know how to email anyone at technical support?

For the last couple of days, my email client can't download emails using POP3. The suggestion from the helpline was to delete and reinstall the account. However, I know this won't work, as I've run a diagnostic using openssl and, despite BT's insistence that there's nothing wrong, it shows BT's server isn't sending the required POP3 banner. I'd like to send someone at BT the diagnostics output if only there was someone to send it to.

Any ideas?

Re: POP3 diagnostics

gg30340 — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:06:00 GMT

Are you presently a BT Broadband customer or are you paying for your email through a BT Premium email account or did you migrate to EE Broadband?

If none of the above your email account may have been downgraded to a BTMail Basic account which can not be used with an email client or email apps.

See link

https://www.bt.com/help/email/bt-email-products

Re: POP3 diagnostics

Peter240119 — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:11:36 GMT

Hi gg30340,

I have BT Premium, and everything was OK until a couple of days ago.

Thanks and regards

PS Didn't realise that you can't use a email client with a basic account!

Re: POP3 diagnostics

gg30340 — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 17:27:47 GMT

Does this happen if you use your email on a different network such as 4/5g mobile network rather then just your home network?

Have you checked the email clients server settings are as per the following link.

https://www.bt.com/help/email/manage-email-account/manual-settings/what-are-the-settings-for-outgoing-and-incoming-bt-email-servers

BT are going to stop using insecure ports for email per chance you are using "older" insecure ports. See link

https://community.bt.com/t5/General-email-queries/Securing-your-email-client/td-p/2457636

Out of interest, is there any particular reason why you are using a POP3 account and not an IMAP account?

BTMail is what your BTMail gets "downgraded" to if you are no longer a BT Broadband customer. It is free but can only be used with a web browser.

To keep your BTMail account the same as the "Standard" email account that you get when a BT Broadband customer you would need to do as you have done and pay for a BT Premium email account. There is nothing premium about it other than the price.

Re: POP3 diagnostics

P40 — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:10:30 GMT

Same problem here.

I have 3 btinternet emails. All 3 stopped receiving mail via POP3 a few days ago on Outlook. I can still send via SMTP, so it's not a password issue. IMAP works fine on phone and tablet. Same problem on different PC and on a different app.

It has to be a problem at BT's end.

Re: POP3 diagnostics

imjolly — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:03:50 GMT

did you change your POP3 server settings as per BT link in @gg30340 post

Re: POP3 diagnostics

Leanne_T — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:20:17 GMT

Hi there @Peter240119

Thanks for coming to the community.

I would like to take some extra details from you and have sent you a private message for this.

Leanne.

Re: POP3 diagnostics

P40 — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:48:08 GMT

BT Technical Support chat have just told me that there is a problem at their end with pop3 settings. They are working on fixing this in the next 7 days.

Re: POP3 diagnostics

Peter240119 — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:16:40 GMT

Hi gg30340,

Thanks again for your message.

I've double and treble checked the settings, using the settings on https://www.bt.com/help/email/manage-email-account/manual-settings/what-are-the-settings-for-outgoing-and-incoming-bt-email-servers.

I'm using POP3 as I've had my BT email for about 35 years and haven't bothered to change. Moreover, I'm content to keep emails in local folders on my PC and don't need to access emails from other devices. I also keep an extensive archive of past emails which I wouldn't want to clog up a server with. I guess it is possible, though, to copy IMAP emails to local folders, though, and this may be the push I need to try it.

Regards

Re: POP3 diagnostics

Peter240119 — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:27:24 GMT

Hi P40,

Thank you for your message.

That would explain everything.

Regards

Re: POP3 diagnostics

jfkyachts — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:42:16 GMT

Yes - exactly my problem too.....I managed to switch my iPad to IMAP without too much difficulty, as there are no important emails stored there.....but removing a pop account appearsd to risk moving a whole lot ofhistory....

Yes, it must be a BT issue?!

Re: POP3 diagnostics

jfkyachts — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:45:17 GMT

Amazing - I am very pleased that someone is able to get through to BT, and they admit it must be their end! Seven days from today....it must be the end of the holidays!

Re: POP3 diagnostics

jfkyachts — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:56:32 GMT

`Thank you P40 for this note.....it has seemed to me to be BT all the time!

Re: POP3 diagnostics

P40 — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 10:33:28 GMT

I'm not sure that my last post on here should be marked as a "solution".

I contacted BT Technical Support via chat again this morning to ask for an update. I was taken through all the usual suggestions of checking my settings on outlook etc. - lots of stock suggestions clearly copied from pre-prepared scripts. After an hour, I asked to be passed to a manager, who told me there was no record of my chat from Friday where they stated that there was a problem with pop3 their end.

After nearly another hour, he referred the problem to their higher level email team and said it would be resolved in the next 3 -5 days. He assured me that this time there was a record of my chat on my account.

During the course of the nearly two-hour chat, I received an email (via IMAP not POP!) saying that they had logged my "complaint". I hadn't actually complained! A few minutes later, I received another email saying that, if they didn't hear back from me in the next 7 days, they would consider the complaint resolved. After finishing my chat with the manager, I received yet another email with a link to track my fault. When I click on the link, it says that there is no account attached to my BT ID, which is rubbish. I tried clicking the link in an incognito window, and it took me to my account, and a page saying that the tracking service was not available at the moment!

Re: POP3 diagnostics

jfkyachts — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 11:27:10 GMT

Well done P40.

I was taken off the chat/guidance system twice last evening - so did not get nearly as far as you did. At least, you have an answer vis 3-5 days. They do wriggle a lot, don't they.

It very fortunate that I have an iPAD and phone, both on Imap and both work.

It is quite weird hacving to go to webmail to see the incoming e-mails, then being able to send from mail, and then waiting for replies on the IPAD...it should not have to be so complicated. Once again, thank you for your perseverance!

Re: POP3 diagnostics

gg30340 — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 11:40:12 GMT

@Peter240119

The problem may be because of a fault with the BT email server that you are connected to. I would suggest that you try turning off your BT hub for about 30 minutes and when you turn it back on it will most likely have been issued with a new IP address and hopefully connected to a different BT email server.

Re: POP3 diagnostics

Peter240119 — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:17:01 GMT

Hi P40,

You got closer than any of the rest of us!

And it seems to be working again now.

Best regards

Re: POP3 diagnostics

jfkyachts — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:38:03 GMT

Hello, P40

Have you solved the problem - what did you do?

And do you still have acces to all your POP3 files?

Re: POP3 diagnostics

P40 — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:47:56 GMT

No, it's not working for me. Still unable to receive pop3 emails.

My old emails are stored in a local pst file on my pc, so that shouldn't be affected unless I manually delete the file.

Re: POP3 diagnostics

Peter240119 — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:59:26 GMT

The only thing I did, other than wait, was to follow an early piece of advice and change the password. I hadn't done this in a while, and I think the suggestion was that new security software takes a dim view on long-in-the-tooth passwords.

I did also try setting up an IMAP account, as a workaround. I have to confess this was a lot easier than I was expecting. I had thought IMAP would try to sync ALL the folders on my email client, but it only syncs messages in a specified inbox and subfolders, which is specific to the IMAP account. You can then move messages to local folders if you wish, just like POP3. Also, you don't have to sync all the folders you see on webmail - I used a "server-side subscription" option to NOT sync spam and trash folders. Now I'm not sure whether to revert to POP3.

Try changing your password and/or waiting a bit longer.

Best regards