Email not working when on mobile network

[MartyBC]

I am on an iPhone 12 Pro Max using iOS 15.6.

My email settings have worked fine, allowing me to send and receive email using the Apple Mail app.  A few months ago, things changed.  Email still works fine when I am on WiFi but is significantly delayed, or not working at all, when on the EE mobile network.  This appears to be an issue when on 3G, 4G and 5G.

I have checked my email settings with my provider (Fasthosts) and they are correct.

The iPhone settings are correct (for using mobile data for email etc).

If I refresh the mail app screen to force a download, the 'checking for mail' message shows for some minutes, then it fails to connect with the server.

I also have an Apple iCloud email account.  That works on WifI and the mobile network.  I can also access my  email using webmail.

Any suggestions greatfully received. 

[MartyBC]

I have just received a call from an EE Customer Services Executive concerning this issue and following a complaint webform I submitted.

He wants to repeat the diagnostics already carried out by EE engineers (deleting the email account and setting up anew).  However he accepts my account settings are correct.  He seemed unaware of this community forum discussion and declined to read the experiences of other EE customers.  He declined to look at the solutions to a similar issue supposedly made by another mobile phone provider.

The bottom line is, according to him, EE are not responsible for email,  All they have to confirm is that the mobile phone network is working for the internet, which it is.  There is not a case for further enquiry by EE, compensation or a cost-free opportunity to end a contract early.  I am considering contacting the Ombudsman but whether they can do anything will depend on the minimum services EE are supposed to provide and I am no expert on that.

Like everyone on this forum discussion, I feel very frustrated.  I hope the work-round already suggested will work.  Once my contract ends, I will look for an alternative to EE and I would encourage others to do likewise.

[ScottJC]

Thanks for the update @MartyBC . That's really disappointing to hear. Especially as our hopes were raised on this thread given the diagnostics being run. It's been disappointing to see that we are all simply being requested to separately contact technical support. Makes no sense when we have moderators from EE clearly able to see that it's affecting a number of customers.

I'm going to try the work around next week when I'm at our other property (as this one uses a 4G Hub as the main router so when I'm there I'm completely stuffed).

I'm also going to try reaching out to Fasthosts again to point them in the direction of this thread given the number growing comments in case they can, in any way, speak to EE too.

[MartyBC]

Thanks @ScottJC .  Much appreciated.  On the subject of EE and Fasthosts talking to each other, the EE Executive point-blank refused, citing customers' privacy. The impression given (though EE would deny it) is that it is someone else's problem.

[ScottJC]

Okay. Fasthosts tech support pointed at the thread and escalating internally. Fingers crossed as another line of trying to get some kind of support for all concerned that are experiencing the issue (and there must be loads not even aware of this thread)

[MartyBC]

Thanks @ScottJC .  That's very helpful.  I had previously sent Fasthosts the link to this thread but I do not know if they followed it up.  As you say, Fingers crossed.

[CSayer]

Hi again everyone, well it's been 24 hours with the changes i made on my iPhone and i have had the wifi turned off completely, so just on a 4G EE connection and everything has been working perfectly. I have three Fasthosts email extra accounts setup for two separate domains and i have been sending and receiving fine for the last 24 hours with no issues. I am using an iPhone 11 running the latest 16.1.1 iOS. So i must be doing something right somewhere, the only other thing i have done is turned off and on again the mobile data option for "Mail"  in the long list of apps allowed to use mobile data but not done that on any of the other phones i have changed. Just checked my wife's iPhone 8+ running 16.1.1 and thats sending and receiving fine as well on 4G. Just trying to see where our setups differ and try to pinpoint the solution. I have asked my other members of my family to let me know how it's been going as well and i will report back again as they are all over the place at the moment.

Just to confirm  the mail app screen stayed on the 'checking for mail' message for some minutes, then it failed to connect with the error about the mail.livemail.co.uk server cannot be connected before i made the changes, when i was using the EE 4G mobile network. Using my wifi network, everything works fine as with everyone else. Hope we can all work together to sort it out and see what the solution is for everyone!

I have not had to delete my email accounts and add them again and have had the issue since i moved to Fasthosts only a couple of weeks ago for email, so they were all setup afresh recently, i previously run my own Apple server with Apple Mail service running and I am very used to sorting all sorts of email issues, being a fully qualified  Apple engineer for the last 35 years, so hopefully have a bit more knowledge than the average user by now.😉 This is why would like to help everyone if possible, as it's something i do everyday with my own clients, hence the posting of what i thought was the solution but alas, doesn't seem to be working for everyone else, so lets see if we can find out why? I will keep everyone posted after i have had a chance to run further tests and get the feedback from the rest of my family and i might see something else, as they are also running different iPhones.

There is still an issue anyway with EE if we cannot use these security features of the new iOS to protect ourselves if they work with other mobile providers.

[MartyBC]

Thanks @CSayer .  That is helpful.  I will continue to try the work-around to see how reliable it is.  As you say, if this is the cause, EE (and Fasthosts) need to understand why their systems might be defective.  I will be travelling abroad soon so it will be interesting to see what happens then.

[CSayer]

Hi Marty, Probably best to not select my answer as the solution as it's still ongoing for some users and may mean EE ignores the full issue

[MartyBC]

I wasn’t aware I had.  

[ProfBranestawm]

Someone has, sadly.

EE seem to be very keen to mark this as fixed, but sadly CSayer’s fix seems only to have worked in their own setup - no one else has managed to make it work as of yet.

In terms of technical ability, I run small servers for our home business (generally Linux using postfix) and much larger setups for colleges and schools so like CSayer, I definitely know my way around email settings. I set up my first mail server in 1995. But I can’t duplicate CSayers success at all (and how I wish I could).

Could whoever has just marked this as solved please undo that, so we can all keep contributing?

Just a quick question for CSayer - and just trying to unpick any possible differences - what kind of mail account do you have at FastHosts? They’ve had a lot over the years and some legacy ones still exist. I think Mail Extra, Mail Starter and Mail basic all still exist, as well as the Exchange products.