TelstraClear reconsiders e-mail policy after snarl-up

26.01.2006
Following major delays to email over the holiday period, TelstraClear is reassessing policy on e-mail delivery through its ISPs in New Zealand.

The problems related only to Paradise, because of its policy of trying to deliver everything.

Spam is marked as such and placed in the customer's "spam" folder, and every effort is made to deliver mail that has an address which is difficult to recognize. TelstraClear's other ISP, ClearNet, adopts, a more cautious policy and does not deliver such questionable items at all, so the delays did not occur there.

During the congestion, caused by a large increase in overall mail -- not just spam, says TelstraClear spokesman Mathew Bolland -- the Paradise policy was changed and apparent spam and mail with an inaccurate address was not delivered.

At the peak, old undelivered genuine mail was also temporarily shelved, with preference being given to current mail.

The company is now reconsidering how it deals with spam, says Bolland.