Does BT (btinternet.com) honor DMARC policies?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email on Acid emphasizes the importance of analyzing DMARC reports to understand how different ISPs are handling emails that fail DMARC. This data can provide insights into BT's specific practices.
Email marketer from EmailDrip highlights that DMARC failures often occur because of SPF or DKIM misconfigurations, causing authentication to fail. They also noted alignment issues are a main reason
Email marketer from Reddit shares that some ISPs, including those in the UK, may not strictly adhere to DMARC policies, especially the 'quarantine' or 'reject' settings. They suggest monitoring DMARC reports to see how BT handles emails failing DMARC checks.
Email marketer from LinkedIn notes that they had an instance where one corporate customer was not following their DMARC records. They note it is not always correctly followed and to be vigilant in these situations.
Email marketer from MXToolbox shares the importance of correctly configured DMARC records for your domain. They imply through their tools that some recipients may reject if DMARC is not set up correctly - which can be tested on their website.
Email marketer from EasyDMARC summarises the benefits of DMARC records in protecting your domain, however notes it is only valid if correctly set up and followed by the recipient.
Email marketer from Super User mentions some older email systems may not fully support DMARC. They suggest it might be an issue if a recipient is using outdated email infrastructure.
Email marketer from StackOverflow notes that the interpretation and enforcement of DMARC policies can vary among different email providers. Some might place emails in the spam folder, while others might block them outright, even with a 'quarantine' policy. Testing is recommended.
Email marketer from Mailhardener noted that DNS propagation can cause inconsistencies in how DMARC policies are applied across different networks.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks and Marketer from Email Geeks explain that the blockage was due to SPF failure, and not DMARC.
Expert from Email Geeks tested btinternet.com and found that they did block it. The message was rejected for policy reasons due to SPF failure and lacking DKIM.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that moving to p=reject is a nudge in the right direction, and hopefully quarantine will send emails to the spam folder.
Expert from Email Geeks tested bt.com and found that it accepted DMARC failing mail that a Yahoo or Gmail would have rejected.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains the setup of DMARC is not enough as you need to look at how the message is handled, they go on to say about different implementations on each system.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that DMARC enforcement can be complex, with variations in how different ISPs and mail providers interpret and apply the policy. While there's no direct mention of BT, it is noted that some providers may have technical limitations or specific configurations affecting DMARC handling.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from BT.com outlines best practices for postmasters and senders, indirectly implying DMARC support through emphasis on authentication and sender reputation. It mentions that BT actively manages its email infrastructure to protect customers from spam and phishing, suggesting an engagement with DMARC policies.
Documentation from UK Government NCSC covers general email security using protocols like DMARC. It mentions some providers might have inconsistent application due to technical implementation or other factors.
Documentation from the RFC Editor, specifies that receivers SHOULD follow the DMARC policy, but there are conditions where this might not happen, especially regarding local policies or other anti-abuse mechanisms. This does not confirm or deny BT follows DMARC but just notes the specification
Documentation from DMARC.org clarifies that while DMARC provides a framework, the receiving mail server ultimately decides how to handle messages failing authentication. They recommend monitoring DMARC reports to understand how receivers are processing your email.