Verizon blocks European e-mail

By EDRi · January 26, 2005

The large US provider Verizon (3 million DSL customers and 1 million
dial-up customers) is systematically blocking e-mail from Europe, as well
as from China and New Zealand. On 22 December 2004 Verizon has installed
new central spam-filters that refuse e-mail from many large European
providers. Attempts from European ISPs to have their mail-servers
white-listed have only been partially successful. Internet users that
don’t use the mail-servers from their ISP, because they run their own
mail-servers, don’t stand a chance at all to communicate with Verizon
customers. Verizon media relations manager Ells Edwards told Wired that he
didn’t know when the ISP would lift its blockade. And true to the Verizon
telephony roots he added: “If it’s really important you might want to make
a phone call.”

At least 1 Verizon customer didn’t take the new policy for granted, e-zine
The Register reports. He made the Philadelphia law firm Kohn, Swift &
Graf, P.C. file a suit. The case seeks class action status: all aggrieved
Verizon customers are invited to join and claim damages.

Verizon faces lawsuit over e-mail blocking (21.01.2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/21/verizon_class_action/

Verizon’s E-Mail Embargo Enrages (10.01.2005)
http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,66226,00.html