Hotmail/Live email using native client on Fascinate - Working after talking with MS

[standupdad]

After using the standard "template" for setting up hotmail/live email accounts with the native client in my Fascinate phone (stock/debloated/SuperClean/Community Roms), I found that I could not get the client set up. I worked with Tier 3 tech support at Verizon, escalated levels of TS at Samsung, walked into Verizon stores and offered them cash money if they could configure my hotmail/live email account on my phone.... with nothing but failures. hotmail accounts would work, but not my live account.

"Self", I tell myself, "contact Microsoft and see if they can help". I used this link: https://support.live.com/eform.aspx?productKey=wlmobile&ct=eformts

After telling MS that I have already used the following settings, and failed, they stated that they would look into my issue and that I should hear back from them shortly.

login/username - username@live.com
password - my email password
POP3 server: pop3.live.com
Port: 995
Security Type: SSL
Delete Mail from Server: Never

Because I cannot get past the incoming server, I am unable to configure the outgoing server.
​

This was their reply:

Thank you for writing to Windows Live for Mobile Technical Support. My name is Sam.
​

I understand that you are unable to access emails on your mobile;

I apologize for the inconvenience,

I will be glad to assist you, I would like to inform you that I have made some changes on your account, please re-configure POP3 settings on your mobile,

Note: Kindly check your password you are entering, and should not be too long, because most of the mobile phone will not accept the password if it is more than 08 characters long, (Kindly reset the password if it is required)

Kindly follow the steps mention below and let us know the outcome.

1. on the Servers Tab,

2. Change the Incoming mail (POP3) and Outgoing mail (SMTP)

3. Incoming mail FROM pop3.email.msn.com TO pop3.live.com

4. Outgoing mail FROM smtp.email.msn.com TO smtp.live.com

5. Uncheck the "Log on using Secure Password Authentication" box

6. on the Advanced Tab,

7. Change the port number for Incoming Mail (POP3) from 110 to 995

8. Change the port number for Outgoing Mail (POP3) from 25 to 587

9. Check both the boxes that indicates "This server requires a secure connection (SSL)"



I hope this information provided will help you. For any other questions, please write back to us and we would be happy to assist you.

Thank you for contacting Windows Live for Mobile Technical Support.

Have a nice day!

Sincerely,

Sam

Windows Live Mobile Technical Support
​

So... I took 2 things away from this email.

1 - the original pop settings for my live account didn't seem to be the "normal" that everyone else is using (posted above), but they are now.

2 - passwords cannot be longer than 8 characters. It was originally 19. I find that this was not the likely culpruit because I had another live account with 6 characters that didn't work either.

Also, now my (pop) email works through my Bing toolbar on my PC where it didn't work before.

I changed the pw to under 16, but over 8, and IT WORKED!!! For the first time in 5 months, my email is configurable through the native client in Android on the Fascinate.

Here's what I did to configure the pop account, which is slightly different than laid out above. Note that my steps are based on no other accounts being set up with the email client.

Using the Email application built into the phone
Tap on the Hotmail icon
Under "Select Service" choose live.com
Under "Email Address" enter username@live.com
Under "Password" enter your password
Tap on Next

And I got the message: "Your account is set up, and email is on its way!"
I gave my email account a name and entered my name under that, and then tapped Done.


No need for manual setup. No need for anything. It just worked. And then my emails started showing up in the client.

There it is.

So, what should you take away from this? Some pop settings happen to be pop3.email.msn.com and smtp could be smtp.email.msn.com, both of these instead of what's published at hotmail and what Verizon tells their customers.

As much as I hated to contact Microsoft myself, I'm glad I did. It grinds me to no end that someone from Verizon couldn't do this and get an answer as to what to have their customers do to get the issue resolved instead of me finally getting so mad that I had to do it myself. Though it only took me two days from start to finish, how many other people can get something from this?

If changing your password to fewer characters doesn't fix the issue, or using the other pop and smtp settings shown above, I suggest using the link I provided and let MS know about your problem, explain the settings that you've already used, and maybe they'll do the same thing for you that they did for me.

Until the next time we meet... Peace, Love and Chicken Grease@!!

 

[Cyrilmak]

That's Verizon's support for you. Always the best as usual /end sarcasm. You should have seen when I had 9 BlackBerry Storm2's on my desk all in boxes waiting to be sent back to Verizon as each replacement I got didn't work or had uneven screens. Once I hit number 17 they pleaded with me to pick a different model of my choice. I mean they really pretty much BEGGED me. heh.

 

[standupdad]

We are very glad to know that your issue is resolved, also I would like to inform you that we made some changes on your account adding feature sets, which will enable you to set up pop3 access on your mobile, We appreciate the efforts and the patience vested by you in helping resolve this issue, and we invite your valuable feedback. Since the issue is now resolved, we shall archive this Service Request.



If you have any issues in future with Windows Live Services and we shall be glad to assist you.



Hope you were satisfied by the assistance provided to you!



Have a great Day!



Sincerely,



Sam

Windows Live Mobile Technical Support

I wish they would explain what they did, or tell me what those Feature Sets were. Nonetheless, it all worked out.

 

[takeshi]

Why should Verizon support know every server setting for every mail server out there? If you aren't sure about the server settings then contact the provider of the email account.

 

[standupdad]

Not expecting them to know all of the server settings four MS. But when you have one boiler plate or template for everyone, that doesn't always work, and is noted for not always working for everyone, have the courtesy to provide some sort of a disclaimer or make some effort to find out why it doesn't always work... and without alienating your customers by treating them that they must have done something wrong, it's Samsung's fault, or anything but Verizon's fault (not that its VZ's fault all the time either).

Even Microsoft is at fault here because they posted and provided the settings that work. But when you walk into a VZW store and can create a Live account in front of them to prove that its either an authentication issue like Vista had with authenticating on pop accounts or something MS's side, there must be someone at Verizon that cares enough to make an effort to answer the complaint from countless thousands of people. And this is especially true when thou can try this on multiple phones and prove that it doesn't follow the phone, but it follows the account. That could mean the VZ account or the Live account. What I should have done as additional differential diagnostics was to try on Sprint and AT&T. Then I couldn't blame Verizon for anything other that claiming that the settings they hands-free won't work and that they shoulda find out why.

Nonetheless, my post was meant to be helpful while providing feign damn against VZ, but instead I have to reply to someone that condemns me for having the audacity to believe that a service provider should be held liable or support a claim about a feature that doesn't work for everyone like they state, and for not doing what I did that took two days that helped me find out that the posted and stated settings don't work for everyone.

SuD