How Stable/Reliable is the SMTP "beta"?

[hutchingsp]

As subject really.

I've changed broadband providers today and the new provider does some horrible proxying/hijacking on mail sent through their own SMTP service, so I'm looking for another.

I looked at the sticky thread but there's no firm or recent updates that I can see on how stable/reliable i.e. "production ready" the smtp facility is?

I don't send much mail at all, but what I do send, I want to be 99.9% sure it's arrived (or at least that if it hasn't the problem isn't with me).

Thanks in advance.

[DavidT]

I've been using SpamCop's SMTP for quite a while and it's working just fine for me (I use port 587, bypassing my cable provider's port 25 restrictions).

DT

[petzl]

I don't send much mail at all, but what I do send, I want to be 99.9% sure it's arrived (or at least that if it hasn't the problem isn't with me).

I'm using it for well over 12 months My email is to and from a USB drive

I find the USB drive saves me having to take a laptop with me in my travels. SpamCop Email has proved to me in all its years of operation to be 100% in providing a very fast near spam free email and the only email address I have ever needed. My method of use is so far proved secure on any windows computer

I do have a throwaway hotmail address I use on first internet contact though

I'm in Sydney Australia and another of many satisfied SpamCop email users

SpamCop email servers will be the last to go down in the event of any catastrophe Power off generators take over, generators fail, UPS kicks in This fails BIG Gyro's keep them alive for considerable time By the time SpamCop Email system drops out the planet will be uninhabital

A SpamCop email address is the only email address you will ever need

[Tommy]

I don't send much mail at all, but what I do send, I want to be 99.9% sure it's arrived (or at least that if it hasn't the problem isn't with me).

Echoing others, I have been using it for many months with no problems; in fact, a number of my other email accounts have been blocked by Comcast and other providers as potential spam sources, requiring a message to the relevant ISP asking the ISP to beg Comcast to remove the block. So far that hasn't happened with Spamcop (aka cesmail.net). I use imap.cesmail.net for everything because it works well.

HOWEVER... two cautions:

1) Unless it's been fixed since February (2008), if you cc or email an item to yourself AND you use the Spamhaus PBL, Spamcop will flag your incoming message as spam. If you then accidentally report it, the report will go to your ISP with your IP address on it. The workaround is to either turn off Spamhaus in the Spamcop options OR add your own email address to your whitelist.

2) Email is not usually considered a "reliable" communication method. There are many ways a message can be intercepted, blocked, or fail to be delivered. The standard you cited, however (one failure in a thousand or 99.9%), doesn't sound like it would be too hard to live up to, but I don't think anyone will guarantee it. Trust but verify!

SpamCop email servers will be the last to go down in the event of any catastrophe Power off generators take over, generators fail, UPS kicks in This fails BIG Gyro's keep them alive for considerable time By the time SpamCop Email system drops out the planet will be uninhabital

Very impressive! However, if your messages MUST get through, maybe you should inscribe them on the back of cockroaches, which are reputed to be able to withstand just about any calamity.

[hutchingsp]

2) Email is not usually considered a "reliable" communication method. There are many ways a message can be intercepted, blocked, or fail to be delivered. The standard you cited, however (one failure in a thousand or 99.9%), doesn't sound like it would be too hard to live up to, but I don't think anyone will guarantee it. Trust but verify!

Appreciate the response and totally understood - I configured/run/admin works mail server so I guess I get used to having access directly to logs of inbound/outbound mail, though sadly I can't use that for personal mail.

I guess what I was trying to say was that as you say delivery is fallible, but if a message isn't delivered due to something under the remit of the SMTP service I wouldn't want to find it just got silently discarded and I didn't receive an NDR only to be told "It's a beta", IYSWIM.

[petzl]

QUOTE(petzl [at] Mar 5 2008, 09:44 PM)

SpamCop email servers will be the last to go down in the event of any catastrophe Power off generators take over, generators fail, UPS kicks in This fails BIG Gyro's keep them alive for considerable time By the time SpamCop Email system drops out the planet will be uninhabitable

Very impressive! However, if your messages MUST get through, maybe you should inscribe them on the back of cockroaches, which are reputed to be able to withstand just about any calamity.

I'm in Australia not easy to please. But give credit when credits due. The reliability of SpamCop email when you commit to using just the email address SpamCop gives one, you will also find it to be The only email address you will ever need I have used this as my last email address since before last millennium (how old is yours?) SpamCop is also continuously improving to defeat and cripple spammers and also aids in prosecution of those in attacking you

I make a crust off the share market, with SpamCop I successfully communicate with my "deep throats" from any part of the world including cruise ships, unstable nations, etc

Make no error SpamCop Email service is secure very powerful and extremely reliable

Most in this group will testify that I do not intentionally lie (SpamCop is that good and is ALWAYS improving)

[Spamnophobic]

I've been using Spamcop SMTP Auth for 15 months now, with never a problem.