Postmaster Clea Moore at Yahoo & AOL recently announced a fundamental change in how email to AT&T domains is handled. If you send emails to anyone with an @att.net, @sbcglobal.net, or any of the other associated domains, this directly impacts you. Let’s break down what’s happening and what you need to do about it.
Link to official announcement here.
In simple terms, the front door for all AT&T email is now Yahoo’s front door.
Previously, emails sent to AT&T domains like att.net or sbcglobal.net would first go through AT&T's own gateway. Those systems would do their own filtering and then pass the email along to Yahoo, who managed the backend mailboxes.
With the new update, that initial AT&T gateway is gone. The MX records for all AT&T domains will now point directly to Yahoo's servers. This means your emails go straight to Yahoo, and they are now the sole gatekeeper for deliverability. This change is being rolled out gradually, so the effects will become more apparent over time.
This consolidation simplifies things, but it also raises the stakes. Instead of potentially dealing with two sets of rules and filters, you now only have to focus on one: Yahoo’s. For years, deliverability experts have treated Yahoo and AOL domains as a single entity due to their shared infrastructure. Now, this powerful bloc is expanding to include the entire AT&T email ecosystem.
This means that your sender reputation with Yahoo is now paramount. If Yahoo's filters don't like your mail, it won't get delivered to any of the domains in their massive network. It’s no longer just about @yahoo.com; it’s about a huge chunk of your US-based audience.
Your focus should be on three core pillars of deliverability that Yahoo emphasizes:
With Yahoo now in the driver's seat for AT&T mail, it's the perfect time for a refresher on their requirements, which align with the best practices for all major mailbox providers.
1. Authenticate Your Mail (This is Non-Negotiable)
If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: you must have proper email authentication set up. This is how Yahoo verifies that an email is legitimately from your brand and not a phishing attempt.
Getting DMARC set up to at least p=none (a monitoring policy) is a requirement for bulk senders. For a great external resource on setting these up, I recommend checking out this in-depth guide from SendGrid.
2. Make Unsubscribing Easy
People's interests change. Forcing a subscriber to stay on your list when they want to leave is a one-way ticket to the spam folder. Yahoo requires a clear, one-click unsubscribe link in your emails. When someone clicks it, you must honor that request within two days. A happy unsubscriber is infinitely better than an angry spam complainer.
3. Keep Spam Complaint Rates Below 0.3%
Yahoo monitors how many recipients mark your emails as spam. If this rate gets too high, they will start throttling your mail or blocking it entirely. Their official threshold is 0.3%, but as deliverability professionals, we aim to keep it well below 0.1%. The best way to do this? Only email people who have explicitly opted in and continue to send them valuable, relevant content.
This change applies to a wide range of domains. If you have any of these in your email lists, your deliverability is now in Yahoo's hands:
Here are the steps I recommend you take right now:
p=none.This change is another step in the evolution of the email world towards a more secure and user-focused environment. By embracing these best practices, you're not just adapting to a new rule; you're future-proofing your email program and building better relationships with your audience.
