The system is designed to de-clutter spam-infested mailboxes. Unlike others, which require users to select a different e-mail address, the SpamTrap service will actually download mail from a user's account and filter it in-line, and is not based on a challenge-response system.
Under a challenge-response arrangement the sender is asked to verify themselves before e-mail delivery. After the message is sent, the sender receives an automated "challenge" requesting verification, which they must respond to if they want the original message to be passed through to the recipient. Some find these systems quite frustrating, according to Kent.
Currently the system will only work with traditional ISP-style post office protocol (POP3) mailboxes, and not corporate mail gateways because they sit behind firewalls. Messagecare's chief executive officer, Andrew Kent, says that although similar technology has been applied to corporate systems, they are focusing on consumers.
"We're really focusing on the consumer market at the moment. the system only supports POP," he said.
The new service will no doubt be of some concern to ISPs. If their customers choose to subscribe to the SpamTrap system, their mail will be leaving the ISP's network and re-entering it after it has been received, turning what was a single download to their mail server of the original message into a three-step process.
But Kent says that Messagecare plan on getting the ISPs in on the act, installing their servers on their sites and managing those servers themselves.
"It gives them a revenue opportunity. we do it all [run the SpamTrap system]," he told ZDNet Australia.
The service is priced at AU$33 per year for a subscription, but 30 day trials are currently available for Australian users.
The founders of Messagecare are Sean Howard, Malcolm Turnbull, Trevor Kennedy and Andrew Kent, the team that started OzEmail, which is one of Australia's largest ISPs.
Spam from the spam monitors - I betcha that will happen!
So a 3rd party can read any and all of the email too eh? NAH, I'll pass thanks!