How to get into the major email engines white list

To be white listed means that your new Dolphin site emails (admin@ yoursite.com NOT you@ gmail.com) won't be sent into the spam box when you send out announcements or notifications from your mass mailer in the admin panel. Dolphin emails are auto generated and any new auto generated emails are sent into the spam box from day one of your new website. Below are the major sites to get white listed, paid sites to do this and explanations of each.

​Yahoo.com ​att.my.yahoo.com/ ​bellsouth.net (Yahoo+ AT&T)

• Overview: Yahoo's mail platform manages mail for a number of domains including yahoo.com, regional yahoo domains, att.my.yahoo.com, geocities.com, rocketmail.com, prodigy.net, amongst others.
• Filtering Technology: Spam Guard internally developed filter. Not much is known about how this filter works but it is believed to be based on message content, volume of specific messages, and user feedback on their "Spam" button. Yahoo generally delivers nearly 100% of mail to either the inbox or spam folder. Very little mail sent to their network goes missing.
• Whitelisting Program: Yes, see Yahoo's ​website to request whitelisting status. Requires a rather lengthy questionnaire be completed with technical and responsible party contact information. A 14 day review of mail volume, message content, and user complaints is then done to determine the outcome of your application.
• Spam Folder: Yes. Spam filter by default will automatically place messages it believes are spam into user spam folder. This can be turned off if desired.
• Spam Button: Yes, users have the ability to select multiple messages at a time in their inbox and click a "This is Spam" button to classify and report messages to Yahoo as spam. This moves them automatically to the spam folder. To declassify a message as spam it must be individually opened and unmarked.
• User Access: Webmail interface is used by the majority of users, but also have a POP interface to download email to desktop if you are a paid user.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default but images can be turned off with user preferences.

​live.com - ​hotmail.com - ​msn.com/bing (Microsoft)

• Overview: Hotmail's mail platform manages mail for a number of domains including hotmail.com, regional Hotmail domains, msn.com, microsoft.com, webtv.net, xbox.com, amongst others.
• Filtering Technology: Brightmail outsourced message filtering along with internally developed filters. The Brightmail filter is based upon spam traps and content filtering. If they see your message content being sent to one of their thousands of hidden spamtraps around the net it's very likely your message will be filtered.

​See Hotmail's technical standards for delivering email to make sure you are following their delivery policies. Most messages will either be delivered to the inbox or be completely missing. Very little mail is sent to the spam folder although that percentage has been climbing recently.

• Whitelisting Program: No free one that we are aware of, but you can email them to ask questions about mail delivery or use ​Bonded Sender for paid whitelisting. Hotmail's sender FAQ is a good place to start if you're having issues with delivery there. You'll also want to be sure to setup a feedback loop with their Junk Email Reporting Program and the Smart Network Data Services to see how users are rating the email they receive. Send questions to nocmail@… and expect to get an answer that is not helpful. In most cases you'll be directed to contact Brightmail.com and that Hotmail is not responsible for your mail filtering.
• Spam Folder: Yes. The spam filter by default will automatically place messages it believes are spam into user spam folder. This can be turned off or increased if desired.
• Spam Button: Yes, users have the ability to select multiple messages at a time in their inbox and click a "This is Spam" button to classify and report messages to Hotmail as spam. This moves them automatically to the spam folder. To declassify a message as spam it must be individually opened and unmarked.
• User Access: Webmail interface is used by all users.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default but images can be turned off with user preferences.

​aol.com, ​cs.com, ​netscape.aol.com(AOL)

• Overview: AOL's mail platform manages mail for a number of domains including aol.com, cs.com, and netscape.net among others. They maintain an extensive website for postmasters delivering email to their network.
• Filtering Technology: Internally developed filtering technology. Much of it is private, but it is known that they block on a number of different criteria. Most blocked messages will result in a bounce message indicating what caused the undeliverable. The most common causes for a block are sending from dynamic IP addresses, improperly setup RDNS entries, IP block based on too many "This is spam" user feedback button complaints, improper HTML syntax, or specific URL's contained in the message that they believe are spammy.

See AOL's standards for delivering email to make sure you are in compliance. Overall, most legitimate opt-in messages are delivered to the inbox. The aol.com domain will tend to err on the safe side and put some messages in the spam folder that the cs.com or netscape.net domains will deliver to the inbox.

• Whitelisting Program: Yes, visit AOL's Postmaster website to ​fill out request whitelist status form. Their Postmaster department is very helpful and will respond, expect to wait 3-4 days for a response but it will eventually come. Remember, be polite, patient, and professional when contacting AOL or any ISP. They will help you if you give them the chance. AOL uses ​Sender Policy Framework to aid in creating and maintaining whitelisted IP records. You should publish these records to ensure up to date info is always flowing to AOL.
• Spam Folder: Yes. Spam filter on "medium" by default and will automatically place messages it believes are spam into the spam folder. This can be turned off or increased if desired.
• Spam Button: Yes, users have the ability to select multiple messages at a time in their inbox and click a "This is Spam" button to classify and report messages to AOL as spam. This moves them automatically to the spam folder. To unclassify a message as spam a check box must be clicked next to each message and the "Not Spam" button pressed. Multiple messages can be unmarked as spam simultaneously. AOL offers the ability to sign up to receive individual complaint reports from their "This is Spam" button, this is known as their ​Feedback Loop.
• User Access: Most users access their email from the AOL client mail software. Users also have the ability to view messages thru an AOL webmail interface or via IMAP download. Netscape.net only permits webmail access.
• Image/HTML Support: You must be on their enhanced whitelist program for embedded website links or images in emails to be viewed. If you are not, they will be disabled.

​earthlink.net

• Overview: Earthlink's mail platform manages mail for a number of domains including earthlink.net, mindspring.com, and sprintmail.com
• Filtering Technology: Brightmail outsourced message filtering along with internally developed filters. Their default level of filtering moves "known spam" based on Brightmail data to the spam folder. They also have the option of turning on a challenge-response system that sends a confirmation message the person attempting to send the email. If they don't click on the link in the email the message stays in the "suspect email" spam folder.

As with Hotmail, if you're being blocked on Earthlink you can attempt to email them but they will more than likely point you to Brightmail. Earthlink contacts: blockedbyearthlink@….

• Whitelisting Program: No known whitelisting program.
• Spam Folder: Yes. Spam filter turned on to block "known spam" by default and will automatically place messages it believes are spam into the spam folder. This can be turned off or increased to use their "Suspect Email Blocking" challenge-response system.
• Spam Button: Yes, users have the ability to select multiple messages at a time in their inbox and click a "This is Spam" button to classify and report messages to Earthlink as spam. This moves them automatically to the spam folder. To unclassify a message as spam a check box must be clicked next to each message and the "This is Not Spam" button pressed. Multiple messages can be unmarked as spam simultaneously.
• User Access: Users have the ability to download their email via POP or access a webmail solution.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface, but both can be turned off as user options.

​netzero.net , ​juno.com (United Online)

• Overview: United Online's mail platform manages mail for netzero.net, juno.com, mybluelight.com, and unitedonline.net amongst others.
• Filtering Technology: Internal filtering technology not known to the public. They do appear to do some IP based blocking as well as extensive message content filtering.

Contacts postmaster@…, noc@… or the Black list inquiry form.

• Whitelisting Program: Submit the requested information at ​United Online's Whitelist Request Form .
• Spam Folder: Yes. Spam filter turned on to "Standard" by default and will automatically place messages it believes are spam into the spam folder. This can be turned off or increased to use their "Exclusive" setting that only accepts email from contacts listed in the Address Book.
• Spam Button: Yes, users have the ability to select multiple messages at a time in their inbox and click a "Report Junk" button to classify and report messages to United Online as spam. This moves them automatically to the spam folder. To unclassify a message as spam a check box must be clicked next to each message and the "Remove from Junk" button pressed. Multiple messages can be unmarked as spam simultaneously.
• User Access: Free users can view their email online thru the webmail solution. Paid users can also download via POP.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface, but both can be turned off as user options.

​excite.com

• Overview: Focus Interactive's mail platform manages mail for excite.com, iwon.com, myway.com and others.
• Filtering Technology: Internal filtering technology not known to the public. They do extensive IP based filtering and actually deliver very little opt-in email to the inbox. As we are currently unable to read the spam folder we are unaware of what percentage makes it to the spam folder versus being completely missing.

See their ​website postmaster feedback form for contacting their support department. Prior experience with them indicates that they really don't care if your requested emails get delivered to recipients.

• Whitelisting Program: No known whitelisting program.
• Spam Folder: Yes. Spam filter turned on to "Medium" by default and will automatically place messages it believes are spam into the spam folder. This can be set to off, low, medium, medium-high, or high.
• Spam Button: Yes, users have the ability to select multiple messages at a time in their inbox and click a "Report as Spam" button to classify and report messages to Focus Interactive as spam. This moves them automatically to the spam folder. To unclassify a message as spam a check box must be clicked next to each message and the "Not Bulk" button pressed. Multiple messages can be unmarked as spam simultaneously.
• User Access: Free users access their email via a webmail solution. Paid users can download via POP as well.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface, images may be turned off if desired. The user does not appear to have any control over HTML display.

​verizon.net

• Overview: Verizon's mail platform manages mail for verizon.net
• Filtering Technology: Use Brightmail outsourced message filtering as the underlying technology to their SpamDetector? service. They have one and only one level of filtering that moves "known spam" based on Brightmail data to the "SpamDetector?" folder.

Verizon is known to IP block based on hosts not having proper RDNS entries setup. They also do callbacks that check the validity of the "sender from" address that appears in email headers. If it is not valid they will drop your message connection while attempting to deliver it. Although they have a spam folder in their webmail interface we are currently unable to check it for messages. Until recently most opt-in email sent to Verizon's network went missing, in the last 2 months approximately 80% of opt-in email sent was delivered to the inbox. In January 2005 Verizon has reportedly been blocking mail from most major European countries. If you send Verizon email from outside the United States you definitely want to contact them to make sure your servers are whitelisted.

Contact Verizon Security at vz.security@… or whitelist@… for deliverability issues.

• Whitelisting Program: Contact the addresses above for more information about Verizon's whitelisting program or ​submit the information requested on Verizon's Whitelist Request Form .
• Spam Folder: Yes. The spam filter does not have any user configurable options. Messages identified by their outsourced Brightmail solution are automatically moved to the "SpamDetector?" field.
• Spam Button: No, there does not appear to be a "This is Spam" button in their interface that reports messages to Verizon directly but it does allow for blocking on a per user basis of specific senders or domains.
• User Access: Their paying customer base can access email via POP download to the desktop or via webmail.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface. The user does not appear to have any control over image or HTML display.

​mail.com (Outblaze)

• Overview: Outblaze hosts mail for over 33 million mailboxes including major domains like mail.com.
• Filtering Technology: Their internally developed filtering technology uses a variety of methods to identify and block spam. They have an extensive Postmaster area on their website and have a page devoted to Listing the methods they block spam with. They use external IP blocklists, an internally maintained IP blocklist, domain name blocklists, HELO/EHLO checks, domain existence checks, forged header checks, as well as numerous other methods. Check their website for more detailed explanations or to see if you are IP blocked.

Their webmail interface does not currently have a spam folder. As such, we are unable to specifically determine what percentage of opt-in mail they believe is spam. Currently over 90% of opt-in email sent to mail.com is delivered to the inbox. The remainder goes missing.

Contact Outblaze at postmaster@… for deliverability issues. Their postmaster department is staffed by very competent people who will look into your issue and reply to you.

• Whitelisting Program: Yes, but it is not a formal program. If you're having a problem contact their postmasters and discuss it with them. During that discussion a plan for resolving the issue will be devised.
• Spam Folder: No. The webmail interface does not currently have a spam box.
• Spam Button: No, they do not have any type of "This is Spam" button in their webmail interface.
• User Access: Free users are limited to using the webmail interface. Paying customers can download mail to their desktops using POP or access via webmail.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface. The user does not have any configurable options to change these defaults.

​mac.com

• Overview: Apple's .Mac platform manages mail for the mac.com domain.
• Filtering Technology: Their internally developed filtering technology is mostly unknown.

Their webmail interface does not currently have a spam folder. As such, we are unable to specifically determine what percentage of opt-in mail they believe is spam. Currently 80% of opt-in email sent to mac.com is delivered to the inbox. The remainder goes missing.

Contact Apple's Mac Postmasters at postmaster@… for deliverability issues.

• Whitelisting Program: No, they do not have a known whitelisting program.
• Spam Folder: No. The webmail interface does not currently have a spam box.
• Spam Button: No, they do not have any type of "This is Spam" button in their webmail interface.
• User Access: All users are paid. They can download email to their desktops via IMAP, POP or online via webmail.
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface. The user does not have any configurable options to change these defaults.

​usa.net

• Overview: USA.NET hosts mail solutions for over 5,000 corporate customers and individuals including United Airlines, Farmers Insurance, Real Media, and others. They sell webmail or Microsoft Exchange solutions.
• Filtering Technology: Use Brightmail outsourced message filtering. By default messages identified as spam are placed in the "Junk Mail" folder. They also do some IP based blocking of specific senders, what criteria is used to block senders in this fashion is unknown.

The webmail interface includes a Junk Mail. Prior to the last 2 months nearly 50% of opt-in messages sent to usa.net went missing with about 10% in the spam folder and 40% to the inbox. In the last 2 months their deliverability has improved dramatically with over 90% of opt-in email being delivered to the inbox and only a small fraction being identified as spam and the remainder missing.

Contact USA.NET Postmasters at postmaster@… for deliverability issues.

• Whitelisting Program: No known formal program.
• Spam Folder: Yes. Messages identified as spam by the Brightmail solution are automatically moved to the webmail "Junk Mail" folder.
• Spam Button: Yes, they have a "Submit as Spam" button in their webmail interface. They do not have a button that classifies messages as not spam.
• User Access: All customers are paid and access their mail via Microsoft Exchange or via webmail .
• Image/HTML Support: Images and HTML are displayed by default in the webmail interface. The user has the option of disabling image display.