Bellsouth Email and iPhone

If you're accessing the mail account via POP3, then no. Only one POP3 connection to a mail account is possible at a time. IMAP allows multiple connections.

can someone help me set up my email on the iphone 3g, i am using bellsouth.net, i am having a problem with the incoming/outgoing mail server

Kitty, I'd suggest you start a new topic with your issue (use the "Post a new topic" link at the top of each main topic page). It's generally better to ask a question as a new topic rather than as a reply in someone else's thread. It's more courteous to the original poster, and is more likely to get your question the attention it deserves, particularly since this is a rather old thread.

Regards.

I copied this from the AT&T's technical support discussions.

iPhone - bellsouth.net

Choose Settings in the main window.
Choose Mail.
Choose Accounts > Add Account.
Choose Other.
Choose POP and enter the following:

Name: Enter what you want to appear in the From field in messages you send.

Address: your_username@bellsouth.net

Description: This will default to what you entered in the previous step. You can change this if desired.

Incoming Mail Server (POP3):
Host Name: mail.bellsouth.net
User Name: your_username
Password: Enter your e-mail password.

Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP):
Host Name: cwmx.com
User Name: Optional (You do not need to enter anything)
Password: Optional (You do not need to enter anything)

Choose Save. The device will check the settings.

Choose Advanced. Check to make sure the following settings are correct:

Deleted Messages: Choose the option best suited to your needs.

Settings:
Incoming Uses SSL: Set this to off.
Outgoing Uses SSL: Set this to off.
Authentication: Choose Password.
Delete from Server: Choose the option best suited to your needs.

Have you found a way to change to IMAP?

Unless the email account provider for an email account supports accessing the account as an IMAP account or as a POP account - the email account provider supports accessing the account as a POP account only, you can't access the account as an IMAP account.

I find it rather puzzling that ATT/bellsouth and apple aren't more accomodating to their customers, especially since iphone is exclusive to ATT/bellsouth!

Accommodating to their customers in which way?

AT&T/BellSouth provides/supports a POP account only, which is the same for most if not all internet service providers in the U.S., and which Apple has nothing to do with whatsoever.

The iPhone is an exclusive with AT&T in the U.S. for cellular service only, which is completely separate from and has nothing to do with you using AT&T/BellSouth as your internet service provider at home.

There are a few that are IMAP, such as AOL. ATT/bellsouth offer insentives so that their customers bundle their phone and internet services.

True for AOL as an internet service provider, but you can get an AOL email account for free without having AOL as your ISP.

Name another ISP - any major ISP that provides/supports IMAP account access. I'm not aware of any.

ATT/bellsouth offer insentives so that their customers bundle their phone and internet services.

True, but this has nothing to do with Apple and the iPhone. AT&T sells a significant number of carrier locked phones, with the iPhone being only one of them. Apple has nothing to do with AT&T's bundles services for phone and internet services, and the same for the type of email account that AT&T/BellSouth provides/supports as an internet service provider.

You can get a free Gmail account, which can be accessed as an IMAP account with an email client on your computer and with the iPhone's mail client. There is no rule or law that requires you to use the email account provided by your internet service provider. I haven't used the email account provided by my ISP for the last 5 years or so, which can be accessed as a POP account only.