O2UK really doesn’t like you using other email servers with the iPhone!

Following a number of confused phonecalls to O2 (NYSE: TEF) trying to resolve the email problem I have with the iPhone (sending is a non-occurrence usually), I got back a varying degree of clarity and advice on what the problem is.

However, to take you back a bit, I’ll need to digress…

I originally had a similar issue (can’t send email) when I signed up for O2 Broadband. On calling tech support, I was told O2 have their own SMTP server for subscribers, and this is the one you have to use. Apparently the reasoning was this would help cut down Spam (quite how, is beyond me).

Anyway, fast forward 10 months or so, and I was facing the same problem with the iPhone – I can’t send any mail! I had two POP3 accounts setup, which I fully expected to be able to receive from, and send to. Receiving mail has never been an issue, but sending mail regularly (though not consistently) was failing.

After 2 hours of phonecalls to O2, I got some sort of answer – they “recommend” you use their SMTP server to send mail with. I pointed out that not only was the SMTP server slow (certainly from my experience anyway), why should I have to use it – the iPhone is setup for a real variety of mail accounts, with full manual tweaking if you want it – so why should you be hobbled as to which SMTP server you can use?

A contact of mine also called up about this problem, and was told he HAD TO use their SMTP server. Yet this isn’t entirely true. Of the two POP accounts I have, one of them I can send to the corresponding SMTP server with no issue, the other one virtually always fails – so there isn’t anything consistent in terms of port-blocking occurring – it’s very hit and miss. Moreover, if I did a “reset network settings” from the settings menu, both email account would work fine for a while, then revert to their old behaviour!

The summary of this story anyway, is that if you have a 3rd party email account, and you are on O2 in the UK with your iPhone, you might want to use O2’s SMTP server. The username and password you’ll need will be your “O2 online” email address and password:

SMTP server: smtp.o2.co.uk
Username: <O2 online username>@o2.co.uk
Password: <O2 online password>

I’m sure we might get some comments saying that people can access and send their email fine, and yes, this appears to the case with some accounts, but not others – so if you can’t send, try the settings above, but do bear in mind you need to be an O2 subscriber else you won’t have a valid username & password.