The Email Wars

So yesterday we were able to spend and hour in a “fun” discussion with an ISP Relations Department in a region with a 200K Cable subscriber base. The reason for this call is that they have started a policy of blocking ANY email that looks like marketing. This is what the ISPs in the old days did, unsuccessfully, but not the way they do them today.

Imagine this “scenario” that was explained.

1. You go to buy a ticket on United Airlines. You request an email confirmation of your ticket information.
2. They send it to you
3. Your ISP blocks it as it is “marketing”
4. You don’t get your ticket info, and now need to call United to see why

The ISP says that they don’t care. At least until one of thier customers calls to complain, which they are going to take a long time to do as they think that it is the fault of the Airline.

To me this is VERY anti-business and VERY assuming that all emails are spam. They told me that it is easier for them to assume everything is bad until told different.

Imagine signing up for newsletters, promotional offers for your favorite retailer, mortgage info, real estate info, etc and never getting your important mail.

We got them to make some changes for certain IPs associated with the businesses in that town, but they will not change it for anyone else.

I see a fire storm brewing in the local and state business community when they learn about this.