The large US provider Verizon (3 million DSL customers and 1 million dial-up customers) is systematically blocking e-mail from Europe, as well as from China and New Zealand. On 22 December 2004 Verizon has installed new central spam-filters that refuse e-mail from many large European providers. Attempts from European ISPs to have their mail-servers white-listed have only been partially successful. Internet users that don't use the mail-servers from their ISP, because they run their own mail-servers, don't stand a chance at all to communicate with Verizon customers. Verizon media relations manager Ells Edwards told Wired that he didn't know when the ISP would lift its blockade. And true to the Verizon telephony roots he added: "If it's really important you might want to make a phone call."

At least 1 Verizon customer didn't take the new policy for granted, e-zine The Register reports. He made the Philadelphia law firm Kohn, Swift & Graf, P.C. file a suit. The case seeks class action status: all aggrieved Verizon customers are invited to join and claim damages.

Verizon faces lawsuit over e-mail blocking (21.01.2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/21/verizon_class_action/

Verizon's E-Mail Embargo Enrages (10.01.2005)
http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,66226,00.html