Attention AOL users & Newsletter Subscribers

[Glenn]

Hello,

I have learned that AOL is blocking all e-mails coming from our site. It seems they have an automatic "feature" that blocks large volumes of e-mails coming from a single source within a short span of time. They assume it is spam.

It was our newsletter.

In order to remove the block, I've had to go through numerous hoops and tricks to prove our site is not sending spam (apparently one is guilty until proven innocent). However, it will take AOL "3-5 days" to investigate and remove the block. No guarantees.

But wait! There's more!

After the block is removed - which, by the way, they will not send any notfication that it's been removed. I have to call them every day with my case number to find out. After it is removed, I then must sign up for a "whitelist" account, that allows BassResource.com to send the newsletter to AOL subscribers. This takes another day or two for them to add BassResource.com.

Here's the catch:

If I send the newsletter after they remove the block, but before I'm signed up on the whitelist, BassResource.com will be banned permanently. Since I do not know when the block will be removed (again, they will not notify me, I must keep calling them), I cannot risk this from happening.

The result?

I cannot send the newsletter this week, and possibly longer, until AOL fixes this. Sorry folks, no newsletter at all due to AOL.

This also means that if you're an AOL subscriber, you will not recieve your password if you've signed up on these forums. If you've signed up within the last few weeks, this is why you haven't recieved your password. This is also why you haven't recieved any replies via e-mail from this site. ALL e-mail is blocked.

If you wish to let AOL know how you feel about this, feel free to contact them. The AOL Postmaster department can be reached by phone toll free at: +1.888.212.5537. This number is live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

[edit]Made this thread sticky, as I'm still recieving complaints from AOL users. It seems they're missing this thread.[/edit]

[JT Bagwell]

What a pain in the butt.

Reason #9,857 that I am glad I dropped them. ;D

JT Bagwell

[KYbass1276]

Glenn you can bet I will be calling them I wish I could really tell you how I feel about them but I can't here it took me a better part of a week and a half everyday trying all kind of stuff trying to register here. I'm not the best with a computer but some info that might have helped me get on here was aol asked me if i wanted to receive stuff from bass resource and of course I said yes not thinking it was going to help me get on here i gave up after a couple of days i came back and was able to type in my username and get my password I truly wish I could get rid of aol but the wife pays for it and she just loves it so what do you do. but you can bet i will call them and let them know how i feel

[KYbass1276]

jsut called them and told them it isn't right not that they care but I called there and Glenn not that i actually hold them to any truth they said they would send an email when the block was taken off I didn't get rude with them or anything but I did tell them that they need to work on there services a little more  The one thing that does make me mad is the fact that I spent all that time trying to get on this site for something they deemed spam and I'm the one requesting the site not them

[Rattletrap]

AOL is worthless anyway...

[Glenn]

Thank you, Bassnut.  I do appreciate it.  Although I'm not sure if it helped any, at least they're hearing from their subscribers about these complaints.  Who knows what else they're blocking without your knowledge?  Perhaps hearing from you and other AOL subscribers might make them rethink their policies.

[Jeff P.]

Sorry for the hijack, but how do you sign up for the newsletter?  I looked all over the site but couldn't find it.

[Glenn]

http://www.bassresource.com/lists/?p=subscribe   8-)

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I also called, even though I don't use AOL, I think maybe the members could pound them with messages.  Waste of their time?  I think they've wasted enough of Glenns.

[SCarter]

As an AOl user for over 10 yrs now, Glenn is right that they are a pain in the *** about mass mailings. I have been termed in the past for this and had my account suspended numerous times. I still have AOL but in the process of changing over to a DSL. One thing you might can do is set up a yahoo email acount just for mail from this site. that might help you to get your mail

It took me about 2-3 weeks to get my password for this site, after I had been reading the articles for about 6 mths. But that wasn't Glenn's fault. Just AOL's picky rules.

[Grubber]

[move]AOL in not a very good service[/move]

<-- This is what you have to do if you want your internet session to not be dropped

[Bass Hammer]

I also called, even though I don't use AOL, I think maybe the members could pound them with messages. Waste of their time? I think they've wasted enough of Glenns.

Good idea LBH

Another is that everybody change to another ISP.

I'm not with them but honestly if I was and it interfered with this site I would move on in a heart beat.

[Glenn]

Just to clarify, BassResource.com does NOT use AOL.  They are blocking our e-mails coming from us to AOL e-mail addresses.

I've been using the Internet long before the Web existed (yes, they're different), and I've never used AOL, CompuServe, Protegy, or any other of those kinds of ISPs.

[catchen bass]

:'( i'm sorry glenn i justed used ma bussiness email out of habit pleaaaaaaaaaase forgive me .. an by the way i did finally recieve my password........and please keep up the good work this is the best site by far and it was worth waiting for my password !!!!!!!!!!! thanks again

[Glenn]

I just found out AOL claims to have unblocked our IP address.  Of course, they didn't notify me - I had to call them.

At any rate, now I need to sign up to be included in their whitelist, which may take a few days.  Again, no guarantees, so don't get your hopes up just yet.

In the mean time, I suggest y'all quit AOL faster than a hole-shot!   :

[Randall]

I was pretty aggitated by the time I saw this post and realized why I couldnt get a password. The guy on the phone at AOL tried to talk in circles and got me more ticked off. He didnt seem to like it when I informed him that I was going to cancel my service and inform everyone I came in to contact with about the poor customer service I was getting from AOL. If I would have had to change my email address I would have made sure to give a good explanation on why I did so to the hundreds of people who may need to send me an email. Maybe plenty of people gave them something to think about. I still may get DSL. Its not like this is the first time I have had a problem with them.

[Glenn]

I called AOL again today.  They said BassResource.com is no longer blocked, and is now cleared to send the newsletter.

Soo... we're going to give it shot.  If you subscribe to our newsletter and are an AOL subscriber, please post here whether or not you received the newsletter.  It will be sent tonight, so wait until 1/13 to see if appears in your mailbox.

Thanks!

Glenn

[FisinCrazee]

Glen. I will make my first post by saying that it took me five weeks, or more, to break thru the AOL mess and receive my password today. Quite a frustrating experience but - glad to be here finally. Bob