Bulk-emails not received at various mailboxes (e.g. GMX)

[ernestosun]

Hello!

We use a normal SMTP-account from our own server and that works fine. Single mails are sent and received well at any mailbox.

Bulk-emails by CiviMail are only received at several mailboxes, and not at others. They do not even arrive in the SPAM-folder. Gmail usually receives well, GMX and other German servers show constant problems.

I have been researching things like 'VERP-'support or SPF http://www.openspf.org/ . They sound promissing but uneasy to set up.

How to maintain a safe bulk-email-sending?

* Would you say, the only way is using a SMTP-provider like CiviSMTP?

* Would a SSL-certified server help for sending, if that one supports 'VERP-', SPF and so on? By using a SMTP-account on that server?

Thanks for your help!

[joanne]

We had a lot of problems with bulk mail not even getting as far as the spam folder, particularly for hotmail/outlook accounts.  Our consultant identified and solved the problem for us and I believe I am correct in summarising his findings and fixes as follows.

The problems were caused by us having no centralised sending server with our 1000 volunteers effectively sending from their local ISP's outgoing mail server.

The problems have been greatly reduced by setting up up a subdomain so that all email originating from our server comes from mail.ourdomain.com.au and setting up SPF and DKIM for that subdomain.  In addition the IP address of the server was registered with Outlook's 'Smart Network Data Service' and 'Junk Mail Reporting Program'.