It took a lot of digging and a lot of arguing. Eventually though I got a hold of someone in Executive Relations for verizon wireless. I use mobile broadband because I do a lot of moving around and this way I can use it anywhere. Recently mIRC had stopped working with the following connection messages:

* Connecting to irc.sorcery.net (9000)
-
* Unable to connect to server (Connection timed out)
-
* Connect retry #1 irc.sorcery.net (9000) (dns pool)
-
* Unable to connect to server (Connection timed out)

When I initially approached tech support (after trying different irc servers and ports) about this they had no idea and continued to blame my computer and my firewall for this issue. A lot of forum hopping and a lot of digging not to mention a system restore to the last time any irc client worked on my computer and I found a handy little thing called ShieldsUP. This allowed me to see if the ports used to connect to irc were being blocked.. which of course they were. Even with my firewall disabled these ports are not responding in anyway which means that irc will not connect.

After over a week of playing phone tag with a woman from Executive Relations ( I think this is a nice way of saying Legal Dept.) she informed me that IRC is shareware and often used for malicious purposes and that it clearly states in the user agreement that they do not allow shareware to be used on their broadband networks.

However the following statement can be found on their website:

"If you buy broadband Internet access from Verizon Online
• We will not prevent you or other users of our service from sending and receiving the lawful content of your choice; running lawful applications and using lawful services of your choice; or connecting your choice of legal devices that do not harm the network or the provision of Internet access service, facilitate theft of service, or harm other users of the service.
• We will not unduly discriminate against any lawful Internet content, application, or service in a manner that causes meaningful harm to competition or to you or other users of our service." -Verizon website

I guess.. what I want to discuss... is how do we get this assumption changed? I just want my mIRC back.

IRC is not shareware. It is a large number of networks following a given protocol for communication. It is in essence, no different than IM. Yes, it isn't the same thing, but it's still the same type of thing. Just like IM isn't shareware, neither is IRC. Some software, such as mIRC, is shareware however.

Now... Verizon has stated in the past that they block IRC networks that are deemed "bad". Trying to connect to a network like Efnet is probably not going to happen over Verizon unless you're lucky. The reason is that a lot of spammers and flooders are on the network and causing a lot of wasted bandwidth that Verizon does not want to deal with (pay for). So they do block some IRC networks, but not IRC in general. Even so, it can be difficult to connect to IRC with Verizon depending where you live. I can use IRC on my Verizon cellphone, but I can't connect every time... only around 35% of the time.

There are times when you can get in touch with the right person at an ISP and they can get things working for you that are normally either purposely not allowed or just simply aren't set up and they don't want to set them up. But much of the time, no matter what ISP you have (at least among larger ISPs), you aren't going to have much luck getting them to fix the problem.

In the end, the ISP isn't required to let you use any given network protocol (IRC, IM, P2P, etc) if they don't want to. Some laws have tried to prevent ISPs from discriminating certain protocols with only limited success. Others have given more power to the ISPs to do whatever they want. The best thing those who want free use of all protocols can do is to bug your representatives to put forward and vote for bills to provide open internet. It probably won't happen without enough people bugging their representatives across the country... or, in other words, it probably won't ever happen. *shrug*

Wow, you were much more informative than Verizon was. I really think they were just throwing words at me towards the end because I was actually willing to argue my view point. Thank you for the information. It's just very frustrating all in all because everytime I have ever upgraded my devices I was promised it would work.. and of course it didn't. I'm such an irc addict though I really wish I could convince them to let verizon users have it. Their forums are full of people complaining about it.

It is unlikely they will change their policy (which is totally wrong btw)

So you should try a different isp?

Unfortunately the only thing in my area is verizon. I live in the boonies. Just an update, I read back the part of the user policy to the Executive Relations ladies voice mail and today she left me another message saying that they just don't support the software. At this point I really really am sure they just don't know what they are talking about at all and just throwing words at me. They could just say " Hey.. we just don't like it.. sorry" and I'd get over it. Instead they just keep lying.. which makes me angry. When I find an isp that's in this area I will switch asap lol.. no doubt about that!!

You might try getting to a tech support person... preferably not the one who answers the call, but that person's supervisor as the supervisor probably knows a lot more. Then just try to get them to troubleshoot the problem. *Maybe* they'll try and maybe they'll get it working for you. I wouldn't get my hopes up, but every now and then you end up with a tech person who simply helps out.

Unfortunately Tech support has it down that Executive relations has handled my issue and so will no longer talk to me about this issue. Since I've talked to the same lady in executive relations twice and gotten two very different stories and so I told them I'm done. I've found much cheaper local isp that only recently got to this area. Btw if anyone needs to know.. Virgin Mobile claims irc will work with them. They just don't cover my area yet. Of course Verizon claimed that at one time too.

I wonder if your problem is related to this...
http://act2.freepress.net/sign/verizon_blocking

That isn't related. That's tethering, which I don't believe is what is being done here. Even if tethering is involved, that is about the tethering apps and not about any other software. It also only relates to 4G networks (not 3G or DSL)... not sure if the OP is using 4G or not.

As far as that petition goes, tethering is a pay to use service from Verizon and the apps let people do it without paying. That is different from just preventing users from running apps and I'm sure it would stand up in any court as being legal regardless of the requirement to not prevent specific apps from being used. Verizon would allow the apps if the apps didn't let people tether without paying for the service.

Just a thought, Port 9000 is usually used for SSL connections for those servers that support SSL. If you have followed all the other instructions for SSL at http://www.mirc.com/ssl.html then you can try that port, but it should be indicated by +9000 -- don't forget the + sign for SSL.

Just an addition as I've figured out how to make it work much better on a cell phone client... use the IP address. It's beginning to appear that they are using their DNS servers to block IRC. Avoid their DNS servers by using the server IP (or using someone else's DNS servers) and you might get through without any trouble.