how to resolve a problem with adding a bigpond.com email account to outlook

Question

I have a new laptop and have loaded Microsoft 365 but when I try and add my bigpond.com email account I continuously get an error message "We couldn't log onto the incoming (iMap) server. Please check your email address and password and try again."

I have done this several times and know the email address and password as it works fine on my existing laptop.

I tried advanced setup and trouble shooting and get the message "Bigpond email detected as Gmail Account" We have received multiple reports where our account setup wizard detects Bigpond email accounts as Gmail incorrectly. We are currently investigating this issue, as a work around, please configure the account manually using the Control Panel

What Control Panel ? and does anyone have instructions on how to do this ?

Answer 1

Hi @Glen Friedrich

Thank you for reaching out. We understand you're having trouble adding your BigPond email account to Outlook, where the setup wizard mistakenly detects it as a Gmail account. Please know this is a known issue, and we're here to help you get it sorted. 

The most effective solution in this scenario is to manually configure your BigPond account via the Windows Control Panel. Don't worry, the process is quite straightforward, and we'll guide you through each step to ensure a smooth setup: 

1. Open Control Panel 

• Click the Start button or press the Windows key. 
• Type Control Panel and open the app. 

2. Access the Mail Settings 

• In the Control Panel window, change the "View by" option to Large icons or Small icons for easier navigation. 
• Find and click on Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Email Accounts > New.

3. Add a New Email Account Manually 

• Select Manual setup or additional server types, then click Next. 
• Choose POP or IMAP > click Next. 

4. Enter Email Account Settings 

This is the crucial part where you'll enter the specific settings for BigPond. 

User Information 

• Your Name: Enter your name as you want it to appear to recipients. 
• Email address: Enter your full BigPond email address 

Server Information 

• Account Type: Select IMAP 
• Incoming mail server (IMAP): imap.telstra.com 
• Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.telstra.com 

Logon Information 

• User Name: Enter your full BigPond email address 
• Password: Enter your BigPond email password. 
• You can check Remember password if you prefer not to enter it each time. 

5. Configure Advanced Settings 

• Click the More Settings... button. 
• Go to the Outgoing Server tab: Check My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication > Select Use same settings as my incoming mail server. 
• Go to the Advanced tab: 

Incoming server (IMAP): 

• Port: 993 
• Use the following type of encrypted connection: SSL/TLS (or just SSL if TLS isn't an option) 

Outgoing server (SMTP): 

• Port: 587 
• Use the following type of encrypted connection: SSL/TLS (or STARTTLS if TLS isn't available, or Auto) 
• Click OK, then Next, and allow Outlook to test the connection. 

• Outlook will then perform a Test Account Settings process (it will try to log on to the incoming server and send a test email). 
• If both tests complete successfully with green checkmarks, you're almost done.
• If either test fails, please take a moment to carefully re-check all the information you entered. The error message should provide a hint. 

Your BigPond email account should now be successfully set up in Microsoft Outlook on your new laptop. You can now open Outlook and begin using your email as normal. 

We truly hope these steps resolve the issue for you. We understand that navigating these technical setups can sometimes be a bit challenging, but rest assured, we're here to support you.

If you encounter any further difficulties or have any questions at all during this process, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're always ready to help!

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Answer 2

I spoke to Microsoft Support and they were able to resolve my problem on my new Laptop but I now find that my second Laptop and Samsung phone have been locked out of my outlook account and keep telling me my password is incorrect.

I have attempted several times to correct the issue but the change in password is rejected.

I have contacted Telstra for resolution but have no heard back