Windows Live Mail Error ID: 0x800CCC18 (with Suddenlink email account)

I am using Windows Live Mail (newest version plus all updates installed) and running Windows 7 (all updates installed).

Several months ago I started having problems with a recurring error message when trying to send Outgoing mail. After speaking several times with tech support for my email/internet provider (Suddenlink), even their tech support representatives have run out of ideas.  However, I have no trouble sending & receiving emails from their web-based email interface at suddenlink.net.  So it's definitely Not an issue with my login or password. I has to be something about how Windows Live Mail is set up and/or interfacing with the Suddenlink servers.  I'm hoping someone here might be able to help...

This is the Error message I keep getting:

"Unable to send or receive messages for the Suddenlink (xxxxxxxxx) account. Windows Live Mail couldn't log on to the email server using secure password authentication. Contact your email provider and verify that it supports secure password authentication. To change this logon setting, in the folder list, right-click on the account name, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu. In the Properties dialog, click the Servers tab, and then under Incoming Mail Server, select a logon option.

Server Error: 0x800CCC90

Server Response: -ERR An authentication mechanism MUST be entered

Server: 'pop.suddenlink.net'

Windows Live Mail Error ID: 0x800CCC18

Protocol: POP3

Port: 110

Secure(SSL): No"

Here are my Settings (this is the setup as instructed by Suddenlink, which is my internet/email provider):

Incoming server type: POP3

Incoming server: pop.suddenlink.net

Outgoing server: smtp.suddenlink.net

Outgoing server port = 25  (secure connection (SSL) = No)

Incoming server port = 110  (secure connection (SSL) = No)

Authentication = "Log on using secure password authentication"

NOTE: So far the only thing I've tried that helps is if I change the Authentication setting to:

“Log on using clear text authentication”

However, whenever I've spoken with Suddenlink tech support, they Assure me that the first setting is correct (selecting "secure password authentication"). But I've seen several help articles/discussions here saying that the "clear text authentication" option is correct. Any idea why I'm getting this conflicting information?

So if I use the setup as instructed by my internet/email provider, I can't send outgoing messages. But if I use the setting that seems to "work", am I making my email account non-secure? I want to be able to send/receive email, but I don't want to make myself vulnerable to getting my email account hacked.  Also, I'm not sure why I was told to select "No" for the secure-connection (SSL) setting.

Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated.  By the way, I also completely uninstalled and reinstalled Windows Live Mail, out of sheer desperation, and this didn't change anything.

Thanks!