MyBell and Bell Email MFA/2FA access

[StevieB]

 I understand the need to implement login verification on the web.  All good.  However it completely baffles me that your system requires a successful text-based authentication to my Bell mobile phone, and then immediately requires an additional e-mail based verification.  This is ridiculous, useless, and a waste a time.  Not even my bank makes me jump through that many hoops for a simple login.   Once again Bell you are demonstrating you are more interested in showing off and spinning your wheels just for the sake of it, rather than focusing on the actual customer experience.  I login to my Bell account often, and this has become such a source of irritation that I'm considering switching to Rogers.  So, my question is, can you setup my account so that I'm not forced to double verify myself when I log in!!??

[BellAntgio · Accepted solution]

Hey there @StevieB , 

Welcome to the community and thanks for your post. 

We invite you to check out Multi-factor authentication for MyBell on Bell.ca to learn more on how to manage your authentication settings.

Let the community know if you have more questions. 

[Luft]

Bell has started asking for verification codes to log in to My Bill or get my paper bill format displayed.  This is a damned nuisance.  You have a password to confirm it's me.  Is this going to be a regular thing because it's extremely annoying?. I have to exit the screen to get the verification code and when I went back to the screen to enter it that screen was gone and it wanted me to log in again.  Then the new log in wanted a different verification code.  I finally had to find the verification code on another device to be able to use it.   Please stop asking for verification codes when you already have my log in name and password.

[SimplyJim]

This 74 y o has yet to figure this out, but, every time I visit bell.ca my stress levels increase way above comfort levels. In fact, I have come to believe that I will likely suffer my 7th heart attack and finally die while visiting this website. The Depopulation Folk out there will most definitely LOVE this account! So please pass it on to them. ..... It has been said by others that the "little things" are what really irk you! Here is one that almost killed me tonight. ...... As a Senior I live uncomfortably fairly well below Canada's official poverty line for a single and tonight Bell ambushed me with multi level security as I logged into the website. Anyway, as I tried to figure all this stuff out, while online within this website, I was hit by a Two Minute countdown which claimed that I would be "booted" from my account due to supposed "inactivity"! I tried a minimum of 20 times to stop the 2 minute countdown but failed every time! ...... Surely an effective way can be found to allow me to STOP that 2 minute countdown on me? The dark almost black screen which appears behind the countdown mechanism is clearly NOT helpful as it blocks my access to my website page and so I cannot type anything onto the blocked page in front of me!! ...... Please allow me to halt that 2 minute countdown as it ticks down to ZERO!!! 

[WelshTerrier]

Good Day.

Thank you for posting your concern. 

At present, there is no method built in to reduce or remove the countdown time limit for logging in to your MyBell account. You must enter the code within 5 minutes of receiving it.

How are you accessing your MyBell account? Computer or device? Browser or application?

Please check your inactivity settings on the device that you are currently using to access Log in to MyBell

 You may need to adjust these settings to compensate for the time it is taking for you to login. E.g. Power & sleep and Lock Screen, screen saver, or inactivity settings.

The countdown timer is there to protect your privacy & security & to prevent others from accessing your account.

I have included the following reference documents for your review.

Bell Support – Security and Privacy

Multi-factor authentication for MyBell (MFA)

Take care.

[Taavi1]

I have a cottage with a Bell land line and Bell satellite TV. It appears that a pass code is necessary to access My Bell Account and which is sent to my Bell.net  email address. However, there is no internet service and only one bar available if I had a cell phone which I don't. This makes the virtual repair services offered within My Account useless, and the client services such as changing TV channels, ordering new services and whatnot. After a triple bypass last August I would like to feel confident that I can contact a first responder for medical assistance .The closet hospital is one hour away in good weather . 

[WelshTerrier]

Good Day.

I wish I could do something more to assist you in resolving this issue. It is unclear to me that I can offer up to you as a quick fix.

To access your MyBell account, yes you do need a passcode. If you do not have home phone or cellular service & do not have access to internet & email services, then you are absolutely correct. This will present a challenge & a problem that we must overcome together.

Do you have any other form of communications beyond your Bell Satellite TV services? Have you looked into alternatives such as Starlink in locations not serviced by Bell? Starlink provides Sat. phone & internet access via satellite in locations that are not serviced by Bell.

Starlink's service availability is determined by its satellite coverage.

This is a peer-to-peer website. The Bell Community Forum is built on a foundation of members helping each other out. Today, you were able to reach out to the Bell Community Forum. We are always here to work with you & assist with any problems you might experience.

Keep in mind, Bell Customer Service & Tech support are always there to assist you. If you need further Bell Satellite TV service, please call: 1 888 759-3474

Take care & thank you for posting your question on the forum.

Take care.

[DavidP]

I've lost access to my Bell email even with attempting to set up Multi Factor! I've added my cell # now, its been recognized, was sent a code which I entered,  but unable to scan the QR code in the next step 😞  Very poor 'help' when calling customer support !!!! I asked if the concern could be escalated, and was asked if there was anything else she could help me with 😞  No Thank you ... I just want to access the email I've been using for the last 25+ years 😞

Is there any additional help available for those less technically savy in having to suddenly adapt to your new requirements ???

[Psych_1967]

I manage my parent's technical issues (this is their account-I am their daughter) because they are in their 80's and the new obligatory MFA that Bell have introduced for email (www.bell.net) is a logistical nightmare. How Bell can expect an older person, with memory problems to remember where their Authentication App is on their phone and/or remember to check their Messages App for the MFA code; it is completely unrealistic.

Moreover, the "email" option (to add another email address) to receive their codes at, means that a friend or family member of this person always needs to be at their device, when the code comes through, and when the older person wants to check their emails. This is completely unreasonable. We cannot always be available to assist them-at all hours of the day/evening. 

Having spoken to the technical team at Bell yesterday, it seems they are unable to disable the MFA-how can this be true? Bell need to consider that not all of their customers can manage the cognitive task of: login to email, wait for code, remember what device/App receives the code, find that App on said device (and quickly-before the code expires)! input code, and login to email. This task is too complex for many individuals. I am so angry with Bell, you cannot imagine. It is making my loved one's life more stressful than it needs to be, for the simple task of checking their emails throughout the day. 

Remembering how to bring up a Browser, type www.bell.net and inputting email address and (remembering and inputting) password, is complicated enough for many older individuals. You really need to make MFA *optional*, as opposed to mandatory.  

[WelshTerrier]

Good Day & Welcome to the Bell Community Forum.

In today's world, there are numerous fraudsters & scammers masking their identify & falsifying who they are and the company they represent. They are contacting you directly & indirectly with every method at their disposal.

MFA was introduced to provide another layer of protection. It is for this reason only there is no option available to turn off MFA.

This is a peer-to-peer website. As such, we do not have access to your parents' account. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds another layer of security to your MyBell account by using more than one method to verify your identity.

When logging in, they will still need to enter their existing MyBell password, followed by the unique one-time verification code that can be sent to their preferred email address.

I trust if you are looking after their technical issues, you are also looking after any MyBell & email account problems that they might have.

I can only offer up a couple of suggestions. None of which may fully meet your needs.

1. Have you considered having them add you as authorized contact?
2. Have you thought about transferring ownership of the account into your name?
3. Have you thought about removing the MyBell app from their mobilie devices & restricting access to their MyBell account by way of a web browser?
4. You can also adjust the MFA settings in MyBell to allow for email authentication only. Simply remove the mobile phone number in the multi-factor authentication section

I wish I could do something more to assist you in resolving this issue. MFA is not optional. MFA was a business decision made by Bell to protect all of us. Policy decisions such as this cannot be changed on this website.

Service provider impersonation scam - Bell

Multi-factor authentication for MyBell : What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Take care.

[Psych_1967]

Thank you for your reply and suggestions but none of these would resolve the issue or are not possible. 

I do not live in Canada, and so I cannot install the My Bell App on my phone (in the country I am-I have tried-it's not available). Adding me as an authorised contact will not make a difference-if it is not possible to disable the MFA in their account, then adding me as an authorised contact is pointless.

Adding MFA might have been a business decision, but it was a bad one for older customers who simply cannot navigate these complex cognitive tasks-many older people do not have anybody close by to help them with these tasks.   

My mother can still (with my help on the phone) login to her email account, but the MFA adds an extra step that makes it more difficult for the reasons I stated.  

Are you saying that if my mother has the My Bell App on her phone, she can disable the MFA on her account? 

To be clear-I would like her to be able to login by inputting her email address and password-that's it. Forget the codes being sent to either another email address/authenticator App or her cell # (Messages App)-that is far too complicated for her and I am not physically with her and so I cannot help her in any way other than on the phone/remotely. As I said, MFA is a logistical nightmare for many older people.  

[Psych_1967]

Luft-I am so sorry to hear that you are having these issues. So is my 83 year old mother. I don't think the Bell technical team appreciate the challenges that older customers face and it is an absolute disgrace. One size does not fit all. Simplifying some of these procedures would be a good start, for older customers. 

[EMM90]

Is there a time frame when MFA will be required when logging in to email?  When logging in we see a "Later" button to bypass the MFA set up procedure.  I'm sure that button will disappear at some point making the MFA set up needed to log in.

Anyway, add me to the list of customers with concerns about this being a log in requirement.  In our case it is because there are multiple family members who use one email address.  

[DavidP]

Very well stated Psych_1967, but how did you know I was a senior as well 😉

I share your rage with the implementation, but it is necessary with some of the online threats today 😞

I do wish they had a little better planning and support with this rollout though !!! There are still a number of bugs in the system, and the need to repeat the process when logging seperately into both your email and My Bell !!  😞 In my case, this is the 2nd time I've had to gain access to both my email and My Bell 😞

I hope they can fix some of this glitches and improve their Customer Support !!!!

[Phones]

Frequently my email app is unable to connect to my Bell email sever with an error message indicaring wrong password.  I then need to access My Bell and simply re-enter my existing password.  The problem now is this:-  In order to access MyBell it sends me a code number which goes to the email address that I cannot access!  Is there any workaround for this?