Broadband ISP Virgin Media UK Suffers More Email Problems UPDATE
Customers of Virgin Media’s (VMO2) email service are once again reporting problems today. The situation occurred after the provider attempted to conduct maintenance on the service which, instead of making things better, only appears to have resulted in a new set of “intermittent issues” (connectivity problems).
In case anybody has forgotten, Virgin Media suffered a major email outage just over a week ago, which lasted for several days and caused absolute chaos for those who rely on the service (here). The bad news is that many customers are reporting similar problems with accessing, sending and receiving emails again today.
The latest issue began earlier this morning and is currently ongoing. But this time it appears to have been caused by the operator’s own maintenance and upgrade work on the platform. We should add that the feedback this time is much more sporadic, so it may be working, or at least partly working, for some people but not all.
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A Spokesperson for Virgin Media said:
“Our teams were working through the night to complete planned and essential work to our email service. This was carried out overnight to minimise disruption for our email users, but unfortunately we have since encountered some technical difficulties this morning which means email users may be experiencing intermittent issues with their email service. We apologise for the inconvenience this is causing and our teams are working to resolve it as soon as possible.”
According to the related fault report, the estimated fix time is currently 5pm.
UPDATE 4th July 2023
We’re continuing to see some customers report that they cannot send and receive emails, while others are still waiting for their historic emails to be restored. Virgin Media may have resolved the issue for many customers, but it’s clear that this remains an ongoing issue for others.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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I have a Virgin email account and still cannot access email messages from before the 19th June 2023.
I have no faith in Virgin being able to restore my historical emails.
Maybe you should create an account in Gmail or Outlook and use this: https://imapsync.lamiral.info/ to migrate your stuff.
Presumably migrating emails to an alternative email account will only work once virgin have restored historical emails?
Same here a pathetic company .
I still cannot access my VM mail or any of my additional postboxes via my VM account (that is 7 days later without receiving anything) my Blueyonder and Outlook mailboxes have a “no entry” sign against them. This is probably just an internal setting at VM end but apart from acknowledging that the problem is at their end, I have heard nothing back!
I have had no historic emails since 19th June and lost all email service sometime yesterday. Virgin are killing my business. I also cannot access medical notes / appointment times as well as planning and architects drawings I had saved there. Absolute shambles and they can’t be bothered to tell you what is happening.
I never seem to be able to contact a human to get even their stock non-response!
email lutz.schueler@virginmedia.co.uk their CEO its the only way I ever get things sorted with them.
This sounds similar to the tesco.net email problems that happened about a decade ago. If I recall correctly, Tesco only made a partial recovery (some emails permanently lost).
This triggered Tesco.net to revamp their email infastructure top to bottom and subsequently review the customer proposition, ultimately exiting email provision and later exiting their ISP and home phone business.
Not suggesting that VMo2 will exit being an ISP, but they could very well withdraw from email as there are many free and paid for alternatives and it does not generate revenue or attract customers anymore.
I thought that the latest iteration of Tesco mobile phone service was basically O2/Virgin.
Virgin media are already halfway to shutting down their email service as they have removed the ability to create new mailboxes, and only the legacy customers still have access to this. I wonder though what their email maintenance was about, why would they be investing money into a service they are winding down?
The Virgin email problems continue at 18.00 – if anything they seem to be getting worse.
Absolutely disgraceful!!! Complained on live chat today cannot access emails also encountered the same issue a few weeks ago.
I complained to Virgin usage of my emails is essential to my online business and that I will be requesting compensation due to paying for a service I’m not receiving. The reply was well your email is free service which is part of your bundle. I was gobsmacked by this response.
In all fairness, you really should be paying for your own email service rather than using an email service provided for domestic use only.
Paying for email service? She is paying for the internet so everything related should be free forever especially for business woman like her.
Whether you use VM email account (I use predecessor ntlworld) or not, it’s unfair to suggest it’s free. It is an advertised service provided as part or broadband bundle. If they charged extra that’s irrelevant. You pay for the bundle and should expect a working email. When talking with VM on the phone they are very polite and apologetic about the issue and I’m sure currently being bombarded by irate rude people ’having a go’, but nobody is actually fixing it or saying anything to their ‘loyal’ paying customers. When asking about compensation the subject is briskly avoided, the text changed to their eagerness to mend and improve the email system and the overall benefit ’us’ customers will enjoy. Never mind that lot which will no doubt attract an increase in monthly cost (already way too high for the service), just get what we already have and pay for working.
Phone Virgin and go through the options until you get to ‘if you’re thinking of leaving us’. I called them and got £15 compensation and £10 for my elderly mum after the problems we both encountered. If you go to the correct department, you should get some compensation. Virgin are utterly useless in my opinion. I hope this helps.
I’m desperate to receive a very important email it’s 6:15pm still no emails.
lol, maybe you should migrate it elsewhere on previous occasion?
Here is what happened. Long time ago someone configured this mail server and then left company. Nerds currently working there know only how to install printer in Windows and play Roblox so they hired contractor who told them that they are running out of disk space on mail server and need to either add new one or migrate to bigger. As a temporary solution he deleted logs from last 5 years. Now Roblox guys in VMO2 are probably trying to add new disk. Stay tuned 😉
May I ask, is there a benefit picking an ISPs email domain like Virgin, BTConnect and so on. Rather than GMail, Hotmail?
None, if anything its worse than using gmail or hotmail.
Not any longer no.
In the days of old it was highly useful as ISP’s would host the mail at their servers and even when there where wider internet troubles you could get and send email. I mean, going back to the 90’s (yea, I did say days of old) it could take emails days to filter through fully, and connections were not all that reliable to fetch from the other side of the world. Now there are data centres everywhere and mirrored data that means you could go anywhere globally and be a few hundred miles from the server that gives you what you need.
Thanks both.
Earlier today I had an email from VM saying they would be taking down their email services between 12 tonight and 6am tomorrow.
So far their IMAP servers have been timing out since about 4.30 this afternoon.
I guess they just wanted to start their fiasco a little earlier, give themselves a little more time?
Honestly why are people using Virgin/BT email. They should be at the bottom of the list of prospective providers. Google/Microsoft they have the infrastructure to provide a real service, if you are running a business you should be using something with your own domain name.
The amount of business ive seen with a @btinternet/virgin/yahoo etc email and i laugh and to think if they are running that unprofessional to not even bother setting up a domain then they take no pride in their work.
These ISPs struggle to organise engineers to come install a cable.. Providing a free email service is a pure loss for them, its going to be at the bottom of their to do list…
Or my other response…
“OH no!… Anyway..”
Oh yes. You’re running a business and your email address is @hotmail.com? You’re a cowboy. Not knocking it for domestic use but for professional use put your hand in your pocket and buy a domain name.
And why is everyone moaning? A few days ago you were all insisting that you were leaving VM. Well? It takes minutes to set up a Gmail/Outlook account. Then you start telling people. You have to begin somewhere.
Gmail enable business customers to have an email address to any domain you want (for a cost of course) so fred.bloggs@anycompany.co.uk could be a Gmail address.
It’s a waste of money for regular trade folk to buy their own domain, if your not an overly technical person then it’s not a simple deal – and from the security side of things it can be a huge problem even for those who do understand what is going on. I don’t like seeing Yahoo or Hotmail either – but that was just the Gmail, Outlook, and Apple of old so they decoupled mail from their ISP 20 years ago – that’s good no?
Still no e-mail now at 21.30 Total disgrace!
I would suggest that everyone emails their Chief Executive Lutz Schueler this has gone on for far too long and its the only way I ever get anything sorted with Virgin Media they have the worst customer service ever!
lutz.schueler@virginmedia.co.uk
How would they email them if the email server doesn’t work?
I had now issues with my e-mail, I am a ntl.com.user my e mails went offat 00.00 came back briefly at about 9am and have been off since last sync at 9.30. I have had my ntl email since 1997 ‘ish it is a very easy (my first name) @.. How on earth do I update all my e-mail address people use to contact me ?
By simply telling them you have a new email address.
It’s not the end of the world. Spend a few hours updating any sites your registered with and let people know you have a new email address.
Then set up an auto reply for a month or so for any emails that come in with a message explaining you have a new email address.
They cant even run emails – Doubt ill ever go back even to the XGS-PON stuff
No emails older than 19th June. No access to folders with saved emails. Intermittent service.
For the last three days the email had been hit and miss, and it takes ages for emails to be found and downloaded
Emails now coming through OK on my mobile but still can’t access my blueyonder account on any PC and my Virgin login no longer works doesn’t understand my email address.
I still cannot send/receive emails from 26/06/23 on my Blueyonder account via Outlook.
When will this be fixed?
01/07/23 at 16.32 E-mail works and then doesn’t Outlook reporting errors on syncing. So much for 13.00 yesterday
I can access my blueyonder emails via the VM email website, but they are not updating in Outlook, which is annoying. I assume the problem is linked to VM’s travails.
still wont connect to outlook , useless.
will not syncronise at all, via web link is ok .
also if I sign in with my main account I cannot connect to my other secondary accounts anymore
still ongoing
Why bother using ISP email or any mail client software? Most web based solutions allow you to use your own domain names these days anyway and work perfectly well 24/7 365 days a year!
This is absolutely rubbish customer service. I’m still missing folders containing historic emails, one with communication regarding my dead mothers estate. Whilst I appreciate it could take some time to resolve, virgin are not providing enough updates and no concrete fix date. My latest email from virgin on 28th says ‘We will be in touch before the end of this week to confirm when historic emails will be restored’ so 14 hours left now but I’m not holding my breath.
I stand corrected – another don’t know update received from virgin:-
Further to my update earlier in the week, I wanted to let you know that our teams are still working to fully restore your historic emails. Unfortunately, confirming a specific resolution date is taking longer than expected, but we will be in touch again early next week to provide further information and a timeframe.
I’d like to apologise again for this disruption.
I just recieved the same message after trying about 20 times to log onto email today. What a shower.
still broken???????
I have 3 email accounts on Virgin. Mine is partially back with full emails accessed on my pc. But not updated since last Thursday on Virgin website. The other 2 accounts won’t let me access saying wrong credentials. I just have no idea if the service is supposed to be fixed or if my access details have been compromised by Virgin or will all accounts correct themselves when and if Virgin learn how to offer an email service. Needed urgently because of personal family problems that need sorting out.
I wonder if they have had a ransome attack and are not admitting it ?
The almost complete lack of information and detail makes me very suspicious now heading into a third week.
I’ve no idea Mike. My husband who has same initials, same surname, lives at the same address and shares the same virgin package as me is still up and running with no loss of any emails? The only difference is his mobile was transferred a couple of weeks ago by virgin to O2 and mine is with a different provider (EE)
@Mike: VM is notoriously bad at communication so I won’t read anything into an almost complete lack of information.
I called to report my issue, which is unable to connect to IMAP server for my main account. I was told to phone the Gadget Helpline who wanted to charge me for trying to fix the issue saying it was an Outlook issue. I have secondary email accounts with Virgin with no issue so dont see how this is an Outlook issue?
We had emails drift in, a few at a time, earlier today, both VM accounts. Nothing since switching on again at around 4.30pm, IMAP just timing out after several tries, and clearing cache between attempts, etc.
Perhaps they are kind of rationing output from their servers?
I have a couple other accounts, one at Hotmail, a throwaway for companies and charities and other people who send lots of spam, and one at Gmail, mostly for friends and relatives. I can see the Gmail becoming my main account pretty soon, if this goes on much longer.
Which is probably just what VM wants, if they really intend ditching their email service. But what a crap way to go about it, instead of coming out and stating they will be closing down their email service in six month’s time, so better get fixed up elsewhere, guys…
Whoever is responsible for the changes that caused this should be sacked. As a retired IT change manager in many sectors, this is completely unacceptable in this day and age.
Still cannot conect to VM or NTL server through Outlook in windows 10. Days later! No progress, what the hell is going on?
Spoken to Virgin this morning and they have washed the hands of my issue. I either pay their Gadget Rescue to fix the IMAP issue or have to fend for myself. Their reason is that as long as I can see email via their website, issues with emails on other devices is not their problem despite everything running smoothly before their 2 outages. Have raised a formal complaint but not confident of any reply!!!
Mark,
Surprised you make no comment about all historic (pre-19 June) emails and folders STILL being unavailable. They have still not resolved the original problems and have not provided and firm timescale as to when those emails will be restored. I have complained to Ofcom and Information Commissioner as they clearly have no back-up/restore strategy.
Still no email!
Im guessing this is a result of Virgin costcutting and mismanagement , their MO is offshoring and subcontracting to distance the core company from the coal face , works ok with their shocking utility work rollout ( try claiming for damage off them) but is disastrous when this sort of IT situation happens , they are after all owned by Private Equity.
23:55 3rd July.
Still no emails. They started working again this morning around 10am but very slow. Emails sent wouldn’t save. It was very intermittent at best. My emails that did start working are ntlworld. I also have virginmedia.com, and none of those are working. I can access my emails for ntlworld on virgins web site but even there it is intermittent. I am relying on emails for 24/7 contact with a hospital where my sister has sepsis and with a solicitor for a house sale. This is without my work emails. Virgin just keep telling me it is all working and it must be me or my equipment. Not their fault. It was all fine until about 2 weeks ago when they messed it up. What a diabolical bunch of idiots
Further to my post yesterday, I have a blueyonder email which appears to be working now. I also have 3 virginmedia email accounts, 1 for me, 1 for my wife and 1 for my father. None of these three are working. My these 3 accounts on my tablet by logging to Virgin website are telling me that credential or authentication is not possible due to wrong details or the accounts are no longer accepted by provider. I believe the credentials are correct. My virginmedia account has not been updated since last Thursday 29th June on the website but my account on my pc has received some emails intermittently on Saturday but none since. I just don’t know what to do. How can I get the emails working again for my wife and father??? Can anyone offer suggestions what I may be doing wrong when Virgin say credentials or login details are not acceptable
been intermittent since the planned maintenance on saturday am recieving some emails , not able to send any , tried on my mobile app , and also vm website , both have same results
update to last message , can now send and recieve mails from app , pc is recieving on live mail , not tried sending on that yet , see how long it lasts now just waiting on vm to restore my historic mails
Virgin media is the worst company in the country I have lost all my historic emails some are very important
I wish I hadn’t joined this bunch of idiots in fact I wish I hadn’t heard of them
Go f****k your self virgin
E-mail received on Sunday from Axel Wehrle, Director of Customer Service (ha ha)
Further to my update earlier in the week, I wanted to let you know that our teams are still working to fully restore your historic emails. Unfortunately, confirming a specific resolution date is taking longer than expected, but we will be in touch again early next week to provide further information and a timeframe.
When is “early next week” – it’s THURSDAY now and the THIRD WEEK of no historic e-mails. Somebody’s head should roll as a result of this, why would anyone trust this business going forward? As soon as I get my historic data, I’m out of here for good. It’s an absolute sh*tshow.
as sunday is the start of the week , i dont suppose we will get another mail from them until sometime next week
OMG !!! Yay, yay, yay!!! Don’t want to get everyone too excited but message received at 2.15 am from Axel Wehrle:
‘We wanted to let you know that our teams have now completed the full restoration of your inbox, which means all of your historic emails should now be available’
And like it never happened …. all my folders are back!!!!!
I have received an e.mail from Axel Wehrie today 8th July stating ‘full restoration of inbox, meaning all historic e.mails should now be available’. Not so. I have over 100 e.mails showing in my inbox which I cannot open. Also if I have any problems ‘our customer service teams are on hand to support’ No indication on how to contact them.
ntlworld email addresses are still chaotic, some work, some don’t. Virgin Media reports that some accounts are now blocked and need to be reset due to data breach (theirs, not mine). To confuse things even further I’ve just had an email saying there are problems with Virgin broadband in NN2 area, yet the service status line reports there are no issues. Seriously, now looking for an alternative supplier.
No e=mails in or out on blueyonder since 19/06 WTF?????
How do you get to speak to somebody at ‘blueyonder’?
This is the %th week going into ^th week. Still problems with Vrgn Media Email . Can get it via browser but can not access via the Mail app on iPhone or iPad. Been told this is secondary important and do not know when it will be fixed. After 30+ calls , each waiting long time to answer, and given tickets for the fault no joy at all. This company should be held accountable by ofcom and closed down and fined if necessary. SERVICE IS TOTALLY USELESS FROM VIRGIN MEDIA.
Sorry that should be 5th going onto 6th week
Have had problems with receiving Virgin emails for months. It used to be so slick but is now so incredibly slow to download any content. I receive the title but the content takes an age to appear (sometimes hours). Internet also very slow and unobtainable in many areas of the UK. I live in Leeds, so you’d expect coverage to be very good. I pay for 600MBps and only 2 of us live at our property – neither of us are gamers or download films etc.
I joined VM not a week ago – and can not send emails from any Outlook Apps. My email is from BT … its pretty dreadful and so many calls this week … Microsoft, My Mesh provider, BT and then VM come up with a tall tale thats apparently requiring me to generate a once only login fir VM – and I do thus via VM account and the option ‘will appear’ in 24 – 48 hours … no sign and frankly i smell alot of misinformation… only relates to outbound mail
When i cable to my old BT service – no issue