Vodafone customers who use IMAP email may want to consider smoke signals at this point.
For nearly a week, the company's email servers have been moving slower than a snail on vacation.
And, of course, Apple's shiny new iOS 18 update is being blamed. While most people are excited about new software updates, it appears that Vodafone's email servers are not as enthusiastic.
The issues began on September 18, when Vodafone admitted that its IMAP mail servers were struggling due to a sudden load spike caused by the iOS 18 rollout.
Email is still functional for those who are fortunate enough to be using another operating system, albeit at a slower pace than watching paint dry.
However, iPhone users who have not yet updated to iOS 18 bear the brunt of this technological disaster.
So, what does this mean for everyone using Vodafone's email services?
Basically, unless you use Vodafone's web interface or app to access your email, your inbox could be locked in a digital time capsule.
The company has advised users not to use Apple's Mail app for the time being. But, let's face it: no one wants to trade convenience for a barely functional alternative.
In their defense, Vodafone assures customers that they are working on a fix and that everything will be fine by the end of the week.
It is unclear whether anyone believes that. Some users have even reported their webmail crashing with the dreaded HTTP 5xx error, indicating that IMAP isn't the only issue.
While Vodafone deals with this fiasco, support forums are flooded with complaints from users all over the world who are experiencing similar problems after updating to iOS 18.
Apparently, this isn't just a Vodafone issue; Apple's latest update is proving to be a real boon for email servers worldwide.
Until then, Vodafone customers will have to cross their fingers and hope that their email eventually catches up with the 21st century.