How do I contact Videotron Postmaster and resolve bounce issues?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 8 Aug 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
10 min read
Dealing with email bounce issues can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to reach specific internet service providers (ISPs) that might not have easily accessible postmaster contacts. Videotron is a prime example, being a major telecommunications company primarily serving Quebec, Canada, though they have expanded their mobile coverage nationally. When your emails to Videotron recipients start bouncing, it's crucial to understand how to get in touch with their team to diagnose and resolve the problem promptly. I've navigated this challenge myself, and finding the right point of contact is often the first, and most critical, step.
Many email marketers and deliverability professionals spend significant time troubleshooting these issues, often searching for direct lines to an ISP's postmaster team. While some ISPs offer dedicated portals or contact forms for deliverability concerns, others, like Videotron, require a more direct approach. My experience has shown that email address patterns such as postmaster@yourdomain.com or abuse@yourdomain.com are common for this purpose. Successfully contacting the appropriate team can significantly reduce downtime and ensure your legitimate emails reach their intended recipients.
Contacting Videotron's deliverability team
When trying to reach the Videotron postmaster, my investigation and past experiences indicate that abuse@videotron.ca is the most effective point of contact. While a general postmaster@ address might seem logical, the abuse desk is often better equipped to handle deliverability issues and blocklist (or blacklist) removals. It's important to note the domain extension is .ca, as there have been instances where a .com version was mistakenly used. This direct email is typically more efficient than navigating their general customer service or technical support lines, which are geared towards subscriber issues rather than specific email sending problems. You can find their general contact information on the Videotron contact us page, but for deliverability, stick to the abuse email.
When you reach out, be prepared to provide specific details about the bounce issues. This includes the full bounce message, sender IP address, recipient email address, sending date and time, and any relevant email headers. The more information you can provide, the easier it will be for the Videotron team to investigate and assist. Remember, while you might feel frustrated, maintaining a professional and clear communication style is key to a swift resolution. Providing context, such as recent changes to your sending infrastructure or volume, can also be helpful.
I’ve seen cases where a bounce like 4.1.0 q3VMpDbC5P4quq3VMpnx1Z service temporarily unavailable AUP#EML-050 pointed to a recipient-side problem, which the postmaster team could correct directly. This highlights why direct communication with the postmaster or abuse desk is so crucial, as general support might not have the technical insights needed for such specific deliverability concerns. For more general advice on contacting ISPs, you can refer to our guide on how to contact mailbox providers.
Interpreting Videotron bounce messages
Understanding the bounce message you receive is paramount to resolving delivery issues. A 4.x.x bounce, often referred to as a soft bounce, indicates a temporary problem. This could be anything from a full mailbox, server issues, or rate limiting. The specific error code, like the AUP#EML-050 from my experience, often points to an Acceptable Use Policy violation or a specific internal block, which can be temporary or lead to more persistent issues if not addressed. It’s important to distinguish these from hard bounces (5.x.x) which indicate a permanent failure, such as an invalid recipient address.
Here’s an example of a full bounce message I’ve encountered:
Example Hard Bouncetext
550 5.1.1 <recipient@videotron.ca>: Recipient address rejected: User unknown in local recipient table
While this specific example is a hard bounce, the initial 4.1.0 bounce to Videotron was a soft bounce. Soft bounces mean there's still a chance for delivery if the underlying issue is resolved. This is why quick action and communication with the ISP are so valuable. For detailed guidance on interpreting various bounce messages, our guide on how to troubleshoot email bounce messages can be helpful. Additionally, ensure your email authentication, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, is correctly configured. These protocols help prove your legitimacy as a sender and can prevent bounces related to spoofing or phishing, even if the primary issue is recipient-side. Our resource on DMARC, SPF, and DKIM provides a simple guide.
Understanding Bounce Codes
Email bounce codes provide crucial information about why a message couldn't be delivered. They are typically structured as three-digit numbers, with the first digit indicating the status (e.g., 4.x.x for temporary, 5.x.x for permanent failure). Understanding these codes helps in diagnosing the root cause of deliverability issues.
Temporary bounces (soft bounces) often resolve on their own, but consistent soft bounces can indicate underlying issues that need attention, such as rate limits or server overload.
Proactive and reactive strategies for deliverability
Beyond contacting the postmaster, several proactive steps can significantly improve your email deliverability to Videotron and other ISPs. A clean mailing list is fundamental. Regularly removing inactive or invalid email addresses minimizes hard bounces and reduces the chances of hitting spam traps, which can quickly lead to your IP or domain being added to a blocklist (or blacklist). I cannot stress enough the importance of list hygiene in maintaining a positive sender reputation. For more on this, our guide on resolving high bounce rates offers practical advice.
Sending relevant and engaging content is another critical factor. High complaint rates, where recipients mark your emails as spam, signal to ISPs like Videotron that your mail isn't wanted. This can lead to throttling, filtering to the spam folder, or outright blocks. Focus on providing value to your subscribers, and always make it easy for them to unsubscribe. This practice helps manage expectations and reduces negative feedback, contributing to a healthy sender reputation. Our article on why your emails are going to spam offers solutions.
Regularly monitoring your sender reputation and checking for blocklist (or blacklist) listings is also essential. Even if you're not directly listed on a public blocklist, private internal blacklists maintained by ISPs can silently block your mail. Tools and practices for monitoring your email deliverability are invaluable in catching potential issues before they escalate. Familiarize yourself with an in-depth guide to email blocklists to stay informed. A proactive approach to email deliverability includes constant vigilance over sending metrics and prompt action on any warning signs. This can prevent extensive damage to your sending reputation and ensure your campaigns perform as expected. You can also file a complaint with Videotron's Customer Relations Management through their online complaint form, which they promise to respond to within 24 hours.
Preventative measures
List hygiene: Regularly clean your email lists to remove invalid or inactive addresses, reducing hard bounces and spam trap hits.
Content relevance: Send valuable and anticipated content to minimize spam complaints.
Authentication: Ensure proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are in place to authenticate your emails.
Reactive measures
Contact postmaster: Reach out to abuse@videotron.ca with detailed bounce information.
Analyze bounces: Understand the bounce codes (e.g., 4.x.x or 5.x.x) to pinpoint the cause.
Monitor reputation: Keep an eye on your sender reputation and check blocklists (or blacklists) regularly.
A comprehensive approach involves both proactive prevention and reactive troubleshooting. While you might focus on resolving an immediate bounce issue with Videotron, remember that many factors influence overall email deliverability. Improving your domain's reputation with one ISP often positively impacts delivery across others. For a broader understanding of why emails might be failing, our detailed guide on email deliverability issues can provide further insights.
Resolving the issue and ongoing monitoring
After initiating contact with the Videotron abuse team, the resolution process typically involves their investigation into the bounce codes and logs. In my experience, even when the bounce message indicated a temporary service unavailability, the root cause could be a recipient-side error that only the postmaster could resolve. This emphasizes the importance of providing all relevant information upfront and being patient while they investigate. It’s a collaborative effort, and quick responses from your side can accelerate their troubleshooting process.
Once the issue is identified, whether it's a configuration error on their end or a temporary block due to your sending patterns, the Videotron team should communicate the steps taken or required actions. In the specific case of the AUP#EML-050 bounce, the issue was indeed recipient-side and was corrected by the postmaster, leading to immediate restoration of email delivery. This highlights that not all bounces are due to sender reputation; sometimes, it's about internal configurations at the ISP. You can learn more about general what happens when your domain is on a blacklist in our guide.
After resolving an immediate issue, continuous monitoring is crucial. Keep an eye on your bounce rates and delivery metrics, particularly for traffic destined for Videotron. This helps confirm that the fix is sustained and allows you to detect any new issues quickly. Regularly checking their support page for outages or service status can also provide context if you notice widespread delivery problems. Remember that deliverability is an ongoing effort, not a one-time fix. Proactive engagement with your email program and ISP postmasters helps maintain a robust sending infrastructure.
Successful bounce resolution with Videotron
A user successfully resolved a recurring temporary bounce issue with Videotron. The bounces, identified by the code 4.1.0 q3VMpDbC5P4quq3VMpnx1Z service temporarily unavailable AUP#EML-050, were investigated after contacting abuse@videotron.ca. The Videotron postmaster determined the problem was a recipient-side error. After their intervention, email delivery to the affected recipients was immediately restored, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct communication.
General email deliverability best practices
Bounce cause
Example bounce message
Prevention strategy
Invalid recipient
550 5.1.1 User unknown
Regularly clean email lists, use double opt-in.
Mailbox full
452 4.2.2 Mailbox full
This is often temporary; reduce sending frequency to affected users.
554 5.7.1 Service unavailable; Client host [x.x.x.x] blocked
Monitor blocklists (or blacklists), maintain good sender reputation.
My experience has shown that quick identification of bounce types and consistent communication with the ISP's abuse team are crucial for effective resolution. The Canadian internet landscape, with players like Videotron, can have unique aspects, but the core principles of email deliverability remain universal. Maintaining a healthy sending practice will always be your best defense against delivery issues.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Maintain a proactive approach to email deliverability by continuously monitoring your bounce rates and sender reputation.
Regularly clean your email lists to remove inactive or invalid addresses, which significantly reduces hard bounces.
Always include clear unsubscribe options in your emails to minimize spam complaints and maintain positive subscriber engagement.
Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured to authenticate your emails and build trust with ISPs.
Document all communications with ISP postmaster teams, including timestamps and specific bounce message details, for future reference.
Common pitfalls
Ignoring temporary bounces (soft bounces) can lead to persistent deliverability issues if the underlying cause is not addressed.
Failing to provide comprehensive details when contacting postmaster teams, which delays the troubleshooting process.
Assuming all bounce issues are sender-related; some can be recipient-side errors requiring ISP intervention.
Not segmenting email lists can result in sending irrelevant content, leading to higher complaint rates and lower deliverability.
Neglecting to monitor blocklists (or blacklists) means you might miss critical warnings about your IP or domain reputation.
Expert tips
When dealing with a new ISP or a less common one like Videotron, try common postmaster aliases such as 'abuse@' or 'postmaster@' first.
Always reference the exact bounce error message and relevant email headers when reporting an issue to an ISP.
Understand the distinction between soft and hard bounces, as each requires a different approach to resolution.
Leverage DMARC reports to gain deeper insights into authentication failures and bounce patterns, which can inform your troubleshooting.
Be patient and persistent with ISP support; sometimes, resolution takes time, especially for complex recipient-side issues.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that historically, abuse@videotron.ca has been known to respond, although it has not been tested in a few years.
2023-04-28 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that they found an old email from 2018 to Videotron, confirming prior contact.
2023-04-28 - Email Geeks
Key takeaways for Videotron email delivery
Resolving email bounce issues with specific ISPs like Videotron requires a targeted and informed approach. The most reliable method I've found for contacting the Videotron postmaster or their relevant deliverability team is by emailing abuse@videotron.ca. Always include comprehensive details about the bounce messages, sender information, and timestamps to expedite their investigation.
Beyond reactive troubleshooting, a proactive strategy focusing on list hygiene, content relevance, and proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for long-term deliverability success. These practices not only help prevent bounces but also build and maintain a strong sender reputation across all mailbox providers. By combining direct communication with Videotron's abuse team and robust preventative measures, you can effectively manage and mitigate email delivery challenges.
abuse@videotron.ca. The Videotron postmaster determined the problem was a recipient-side error. After their intervention, email delivery to the affected recipients was immediately restored, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct communication.
