Flaky non-WebMail email

[#1]

Hi
For the last few days, and especially right now I have flaky email connecting via anything but webmail.  Thunderbird has only just started working after 12 hours without getting aything and my phone is still not picking up (using IMAP of course - does anyone still use POP in these days of multi client emails?)
Last night the last emails I got were PN ones saying I had deleting a redirect (which I had just done) then nothing until just now.  Anyone else have issues like this?
Eserim

[#2]

Our Webmail system is also based on IMAP so should display the same as your local client. Have you checked that any anti-virus or firewalls you may have installed haven't kicked in.

[#3]

Nothing changed on either PC or phone - in fact the phone ain't got virus or firewall and is getting my work exchange emails just fine - phone still hasn't picked u anything since yesterday.

[#4]

Phone still refusing connection - tried two clients K9 and Enhanced Email - simply time outs when connecting. 

[#5]

Desktop not connecting again, cal raised 60648900 Nothing in Windows Event log or Thunderbird error log.

[#6]

As mentioned previously, webmail uses IMAP so as that's working then it's really unlikely to be on our side that the problem exists, add that to the fact we're not receiving multiple complaints about the email platform being down leads me to believe it's not on our side.
When you have these issues can you open up a command prompt and try typing in
telnet imap.plus.net 143
press enter and see whether you get a response.