NTL SMTP server quota..?

Mike Harrison · 21-12-2004, 17:37

I occasionally use Turbomailer to send messages via smtp.ntlworld.com to a band mailing list of about 1000 names. Up until recently, this has worked OK, if somewhat slowly, typically taking an hour or two, so I usually run it in the early hours.
However, today it keeps stopping after typically 80-90 addresses, and when restarted, it stops after only a few. Leaving it for a while, it seems to get through more, maybe 30-40 then stops.
Does anyone know if NTL have recently put a limit on number of mails that can be sent in a given time, or is it just being a bit flaky...?

grahamj · 21-12-2004, 19:52

Please note that ntl reserves the right to block incoming email from mail servers that have been blocklisted as a result of spamming or other abuse. ntl may also limit the number of email messages a user is able to send or receive in a given time period. This limit will only affect very heavy users, and is designed specifically to prevent the ntl network being used to distribute spam.

section 9 of this website

http://www.home.ntl.com/page/userpolicy&source=ntlworld

Derek · 21-12-2004, 20:07

Short answer. Yes there is a limit

Mike Harrison · 21-12-2004, 20:16

..but I wonder if it has it changed recently.. or maybe even they change the limit depending on time of day... I've never had problems before, and I only do maybe 2 or 3 mailouts a month max so I doubt that would flag any 'heavy user' type alarm.

Godbluff · 23-12-2004, 16:01

I have got exactly the same problem.
I send about 1,000 text emails to an opt-in mailing list once a week.
This has been working fine on NTL for years.
Two weeks ago I started getting Error 452 (message rejected) after the first 50 or so have been sent.
I am generally a light user of broadband (mainly just browsing) so I can't believe I am using too much bandwidth.

Godbluff · 23-12-2004, 18:09

Does anyone know if I can avoid the NTL server and send out my weekly email newsletters via somebody's else's SMTP server. I'm happy to pay for such a service, but I don't want to transfer any domains (I want my incoming email to remain where it is) and I don't particularly want to Direct Send from my PC to the subscribers.

Stuartbe · 23-12-2004, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godbluff

Does anyone know if I can avoid the NTL server and send out my weekly email newsletters via somebody's else's SMTP server. I'm happy to pay for such a service, but I don't want to transfer any domains (I want my incoming email to remain where it is) and I don't particularly want to Direct Send from my PC to the subscribers.

Yep....

www.no-ip.com offer a full smtp relay service that can be set up for this... I use it myself for sending out my company mail.

Godbluff · 23-12-2004, 19:22

Thanks. I've just had a look at the no-ip.com web site and their Alternate Port SMTP service says:
"The maximum message size is 25MB and the maximum number of recipients per message is 50 (each recipient counts as a relay). "

My newsletter goes out once a week to as many as 1,500 recipients, so I don't think their service is suitable.

OinkyBoinky · 23-12-2004, 21:58

wot about installing and using your own ftp server on ya own pc? there are loads of free ones availible.. this don't look to bad...

Mike Harrison · 24-12-2004, 01:05

I have occasionally used a util called advanced SMTP server, but it does fall over sometimes, and I have a hunch that some types of dead addresses that would bounce when using NTL's server just vanish into thin air, making it harder to weed them form the list.
Turbomailer gets round the max number of recipients limit by sending in configurable smaller chunks - I think NTLs server put a recipients number limit on some time ago which is why I switched to using turbomailer.

MikeyB · 24-12-2004, 10:23

I use the Mailing list service from Bravenet:
http://www.bravenet.com/webtools/elist/index.php

The free version allows 500 members, and the upgraded paid for version allows up to 90,000 members!
For 1,500 members it would cost $99.95 per year.

Luckily I still use the free one as I don't have anywhere near 500 members!
I've never had any problems using the service in the past 5 years, it can also import your current list of members.

Toto · 24-12-2004, 11:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Harrison

..but I wonder if it has it changed recently.. or maybe even they change the limit depending on time of day

Yes they have Mike. I believe that since mid November ntl have incorporated anti spam measures, which includes rate limiting. The use policy changes recently have given clues to these changes.