OK Computer

Xtra have a habit of not telling their customers when they change stuff. About three or four years ago Xtra started blocking pop3 access outside their network. This meant that people couldn't download their e-mail, if they were connected to the net with another ISP and not Xtra. This wasn't such a bad thing and there were ways around it (like using webmail), but the point was that Xtra didn't tell their customers about the change and didn't seem to care when questioned. At the time, we discouraged people from using Xtra because of this lack of basic customer service. It seems that Xtra is still making this type of mistake. Yesterday, stuff.co.nz ran this story , which tells how Xtra began blocking mass e-mails in mid-March without notifying customers. Xtra has started enforcing its limit, of ninety nine recipients per e-mail message sent. Like the relay access issue, Xtra always had this limit (somewhere in the small print), but haven't been enforcing it. Xtra security spokesman Luke Baxter says the Telecom-owned ISP “has had the policy in its terms and conditions for several years, but only recently realised it wasn't doing it.” and “Xtra began blocking emails in mid-March without notifying customers, which Telecom was entitled to do, but was a bit gung-ho in hindsight”. Most ISPs have a limit on the number of addresses per e-mail and so we recommend other methods of sending mass e-mails. Also, if you send e-mails to communicate commercial information, you should be providing a means for opting out from the e-mails. Contact us for more information.