@Allan -- You may safely disregard. I'll be dropping out of this thread now. Had a very nice, honest and elucidating conversation with a very knowledgeable and professional Tier II support technician/CSR at Cox today. I won't go into details, but we got to the heart of my and my wife's issue. My only recommendation to others with a similar problem is that if you don't get resolution or satisfaction at the Tier I phone-in number, ask for the matter to elevated to Tier II. And may you be as lucky as me to get someone as knowledgeable and helpful. I still can't send email from Outlook 2016, but at least now I know why. And that's all I really ask for . . . honesty.