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How to prevent email throttling and delays from Hotmail, Comcast, and other email clients?

Summary

Email throttling and delays from major email clients like Hotmail and Comcast are common challenges for senders. These internet service providers (ISPs) implement throttling as a mechanism to manage incoming email volume and protect their users from spam, often temporarily delaying mail delivery rather than outright rejecting it. While frustrating, it indicates that the ISP's filtering systems are evaluating your sending practices, a process heavily influenced by your sender reputation.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often encounter throttling as a frustrating, yet common, barrier to timely email delivery. Their insights frequently highlight the importance of proactive list hygiene and managing subscriber expectations. Many share experiences where what appears to be a quick send from their end results in significant delays by the recipient's mail server.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that having a really strong and positive email reputation is the most effective way to address throttling issues. They emphasize that your overall standing with ISPs is critical to ensuring your emails are accepted promptly and delivered to the inbox.

30 Apr 2019 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Mailchimp explains that email providers often throttle delivery, which can cause emails to take up to 24 hours to reach a specific email account. This temporary delay is a common tactic by ISPs to manage incoming volume and assess sender trustworthiness.

15 May 2024 - Mailchimp

What the experts say

Email deliverability experts highlight that mail delays can originate from various points within the email ecosystem: the sender's control, the Email Service Provider's (ESP) control, or the recipient's mail server. They emphasize that senders primarily control the quality and relevance of their outgoing mail, while ESPs manage traffic flow, and recipient servers dictate acceptance rules. Understanding these distinct areas of influence is key to troubleshooting throttling.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that email delays originate from multiple points, including factors within your control, your ESP's control, and the recipient mail server's control. Understanding where delays occur is the first step in addressing them effectively.

30 Apr 2019 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise (Steve Atkins) often writes about improving deliverability, emphasizing that senders must maintain good practices to ensure their emails reach the inbox. His work highlights the ongoing effort required to build and maintain trust with mailbox providers.

05 Jun 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says

Official documentation and support resources from major ISPs like Comcast, Hotmail (Microsoft), and email service providers often outline the reasons for email throttling and the criteria for establishing sender reputation. These sources typically emphasize adherence to email sending best practices, proper list management, and the use of feedback loops to maintain optimal delivery. They serve as a foundational guide for understanding the rules of engagement with their networks.

Technical article

Xfinity Community Forum documentation clarifies that Comcast implements rate limiting on emails, particularly when dealing with new IP addresses. This measure is in place to manage network traffic and ensure service stability, meaning new senders will likely experience initial throttling.

06 Dec 2021 - Xfinity Community Forum

Technical article

Mailchimp documentation indicates that email providers often throttle delivery, which can result in emails taking approximately 24 hours to be delivered to a specific email account. This highlights that delays are an expected outcome of provider-side rate limiting.

15 May 2024 - Mailchimp

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