552 5.2.0 bounce error sending group emails!

I am having the same issue concerning group emails, but have noticed that I am only having this problem with my imap account and not a pop3 account. Out of curiosity, are you using imap or pop3? Thanks

Eagerly awaiting an answer from Cox support.

I am using pop3 account.  Can't send to more than 9 recipients.

See this similar thread with more customers having same problem in the Apps Forum:

http://forums.cox.com/forum_home/apps_forum/f/9/t/19943.aspx

Hey, john2222.  Just jumping in here to commiserate.  I had it confirmed in a telephone call with Tier II yesterday that the 'new' limit is 'under 10' recipients.  Which is WAY over the top in aggressiveness as an anti-spam measure.  It cripples the utility of using email, especially the utility of as mature and robust an email client as Outlook.  Expecting all of us to move our contact lists and distribution lists to the web interface is EXTREMELY heavy-handed.  One might even cast it as uncaring, in a "let them eat cake" sort of way.

I researched the 552 5.2.0 error.  Many sysadmins customize the error to "automated process detected unsolicited content" or something similar, meaning "suspected spam".  You have 10 recipients, you hit the algorithmic tripwire = automated bounce.  As others have noted, this is ridiculous and effectively kills email as a functional means of communication.

I'm guessing Cox has had to over time deal with getting periodically blacklisted.  And it is a huge chore to get off a blacklist.  But what they have implemented (and I suspect purchased from a third-party "anti-spam" vendor) is overkill.  To the extreme.  Once all the customers are gone, maybe they'll wake up.

Thanks OMAQman for your comments.  I'm hoping Cox management will quickly realize how unrealistic this restriction is once more customers with baseball teams, girl scout troops, and other neighborhood groups discover this less-than-10 recipients limitation.

An amusing speculation -- if a Cox family member actually used cox.net for personal email this problem would be fixed in a heartbeat.  But it is my understanding the leadership of the Cox family still involved in the business live in Atlanta . . . a COMCAST monopolized locale!  Hahahahahahaha!  OMG, that is funny!

Are there any comments or response or suggestions from one of the Forum Moderators please?

I found this interesting article comparing limits by various ISP's.  None have a limit of 9!

Email Sending Limits for ISP, Web Hosting and Free Email Providers
https://group-mail.com/sending-email/email-sending-limits-for-isp-web-hosting-and-free-email-providers/

What are we supposed to do to escalate our concerns?

Why no reply from COX?  This is the second event involving horrible decisions by Cox that I have encountered in the last month and in both cases, no one from Cox would respond.

I'm guessing that I need to find another internet provider as Cox is not interested in my business.

Nice find, john2222!  Very interesting.  I get Cox's "don't look behind the curtain" approach, though.  You publish your parameters and every "spammer" is going to know how to fly under the radar.  I'm sure that's the logic.  Only makes sense.  My problem is that there is no human, but a robot, pulling the levers behind the curtains.  And the robot is using a machete, not a scalpel.  Robots can't say, "Oh!  Church choir. Not spam." or, "Oh! Little League baseball team. Not spam."  You know, the way 'normal' people use email.  And, no, I am not recommending Cox hire a bunch of humans to start looking at email.  Cost prohibitive and invasive.  I'm just saying stop swinging the machete, for cryin' out loud.  You are lopping off the hand that feeds you!  Be reasonable.  Like the vast majority of ISPs you point out in that link.  Are they all getting blacklisted?  I'm thinking not.

Hopefully a Forum Moderator will drop by as you have asked.  My guess is, though, their hands are tied and they will give you all the fudge/hedge lingo here:

https://www.cox.com/aboutus/policies/speeds-and-data-plans.html?sc_id=cr_gov_red_z_policy-limitations.asp_vanity

That's the party line.  We can argue the wisdom of it all day long.  Regrettably, they hold all the trump cards.  For people who do not have any ISP choice in their locales, that really, really stinks.   

Same here in Ohio.  I updated the SMTP settings as required by COX and then the problems occurred.  Cox help said it may be an Outlook limit - it is not.

My e-mails are sent to 30 or so each time and have not worked since the mandatory SMTP changes this month.

Seems like it would be a simple change to a server to correct.  Let's make it 100 or 200!

Yes, OMAQman and others, interesting find in Cox's own article:

Speeds and Data Plans Information for High Speed Internet Service
https://www.cox.com/aboutus/policies/speeds-and-data-plans.html?sc_id=cr_gov_red_z_policy-limitations.asp_vanity

The best part is in the section titled:
Understanding speeds and data plans

towards the bottom of the Cox article.

Email Account Message Sending Limits
To combat spam, Cox places various limits on email, including limiting the maximum number of recipients per message and maximum number of messages per server connection.

This is very understandable.  However at the bottom of the Cox article is this statement: (#8)

Email Account Message Sending Limits: 
8. To control automated spam messages ... Again, typical users should not be impacted by these limits.

Please read the entire #8 policy statement (#8).

I have no problem with that Cox management policy.  I agree.

However, it is clear that the new Cox security change and limitation of 9 or less email recipients is NOT in compliance with this management policy.

Forum Moderators:  please help us by informing management of this obvious conflict and correcting it.  It IS impacting typical users!

This is interesting info.  My problem started on or about 25 January.  Using my Outlook 2016 program I sent out an email with a distribution list of 11 people.  Instantly it bounced back ("System Administrator-Undeliverable"), code 552 5.2.0, internal error.  I called COX and explained the situation.  They said it was an Outlook problem and I needed to call Microsoft.  I was never told there was now a limit on the number of recipients per email message. After reading this thread I now I know why.  My guess is this is a financial decision on their part to try to limit email traffic thereby controlling the number of servers and associated hardware they need to keep the system up and running.  Unfortunately for the most part I've lost the functionality that Outlook provides and forced to use COX webmail and its shortcomings for emails with distribution lists exceeding 9.  Thanks COX!!

Same here Jeff.  Since the changes in Jan 2018 I cannot send multiple contacts the same email.  I cannot even send to three or more.

I am using MS Outlook 2016.  I am now searching for another email provider where I can still use my mail received folders and set up Rules & Alerts.

It is definitely impacting me.  I need to send email notifications to members of my organization usually on a weekly basis. I have up to 110 members to send to.  

Hi Everyone,

We're investigating the issue of being unable to send to multiple recipients. I've collected the data from all of your posts and forwarded it to our mail administrators. For new posts regarding an error when sending an email to multiple recipients, please be sure to include the following:

• POP or IMAP
• Name and version of email client
• Device name and OS

For folks unable to send any email at all, refer to www.cox.com/secureemail and use the step-by-step guides to check your email server settings. Verify that your Incoming mail server and Outgoing mail server fields do not contain east, west, or central.

POP3:  POP.cox.net - port 995 with SSL
IMAP:   IMAP.cox.net - port 993 with SSL
SMTP:  SMTP.cox.net - port 465 

Delete any messages stuck in your Outbox, then close and reopen your email utility. If you still get an error when trying to send an email, please provide us with the entire error number and error message.