The message 200503031055.32927.bdi-emc@ntlworld.com from Paul bdi-emc@ntlworld.com contains these words:
I am (un)fortunate in that I am able to use one of several smtp servers for my out going emails - Primarily due to the occasional and annoying outages that my ISP inflict on me.. One of the servers spits back an error message if I try to send in "8 bit", so I *have* to use "MIME Compliant" with that one.
/snip/
NTL has gone up in my estimation.
Mail is a 7-bit environment. (For better or for worse.)