Verizon rant from a Mac user

Question

In response to a "2nd Notice - Action Required" letter from Verizon, I changed my e-mail settings on my MBP, iBook, and iPad. None of these devices would send mail with the new settings. So next I tried to use the Verizon InHome Agent program to see if I could find out what I was doing wrong. The program would not open.
So, I counted to ten, poured a stiff drink, and dialed Verizon. I had a lovely conversation with their live-in robot and finally got through to a young human. He informed me that they'd received "a whole lot of calls" informing them that the new settings don't work with Macs and, oh yeah, neither does the InHome Agent program. I noted that Verizon's letter states the old settings will no longer work in September. "So what's going to happen?" I asked. "Oh, I guess they'll figure it out by then," was his response. 
The conversation reminded me of the hours and hours I endured on the phone, working my way up the tech team chain, about fifteen years ago when I was trying to get my new DSL service properly configured. Finally, I found a technician who "spoke Mac" and knew how to do it.
Ten percent of all cell phones in use are iPhones. Isn't it time Verizon took this reality into account ?

Answer 1

I agree Stupid Letter if you have made the mail settings change. If you have made the changes ignore the nag! Otherwise see all the links below regarding the same. Stupid me found I did not shnage the POP settings properly on my iPhone. So the nag may have ben well justified. See my notes and comments below.
This Community is for Verizon Residential Accounts, not Wireless. If you wish to change your iPhone Settings, you may find more information in the Wireless Community. I am on AT&T and have Verizon Email. Yea it is Verizon Email on an AT&T iPhone.
I have modified my Email Settings.
https://community.verizonwireless.com/welcome
This web site explains how to configure Email With Apple OSX. It you have it configured, you can go in to the same locations and "Manually" Change Server names, port addresses, and security settings.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1277
iPhone Email settings.
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/assistant/mail/
My iphone configuration settings. May make things faster, if you want to bypass Apple, and the Residential side does not do phones, so may be clueless. It is not their job to know phones.
If you already have Email configured on your iPhone. Otherwise you can just select mail for first time users, and use the settings provided, or go to the Apple link provided above. The settingg changes below are provided if you curently have your Email configured on your iPhone.
Go directly to settings.
Go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars
Select your account.
Incoming Mail Server
Change the Host Name to pop.verizon.net
Proceed to Advanced.
Set SSL to ON.
Select Authentication and check password for the settings, if this step is skipped, you will get an error when selecting Done, and the settings will fail with "the server does not accept APOP authentication.
Delete from Server set to never, it you wish to leave email for Verizon Webmail, or later retrieval from desktop, and storage on a local computer.
Set Server Port to 995
Outgoing Mail Server
Change the Host Name to smtp.verizon.net
When selecting the SMTP Servr to changing the the server name, you will have other settings, which will not require an advanced menu selection.
Select your SMTP server name under the "Primary Server".
Changes if not set.
smtp.verizon.net
SSL to ON
Authentication to Password
Server Port 465.
Action Required Now - Important Changes to your Verizon Email Account - 1/29/13
https://my.verizon.com/central/vzc.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=vzc_help_announcement&id=email_13_01...
Important Changes to your Verizon Email Account - 6/6/13
https://my.verizon.com/central/vzc.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=vzc_help_announcement&id=email130606
First, Second , third, letter or Email is a reminder, but the way it is worded in the Email, implies that you are warned again that your Email will stop working. Verizon does not want a flood of calls about why peoples Email is not working. Thus the NAG message.
It should mention only if you have not made the changes to your Email Settings! Yea I keep getting the second reminder more than once. So how can it be a second reminder.
Important Changes to your Verizon Email Account - 6/13/13
https://my.verizon.com/central/vzc.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=vzc_help_announcement&id=email130613