AOL Broadens E-Mail Authentication

  • January 30, 2006
Expanding on a deal that began last October, AOL's e-mail service will, by next month, phase out a "white list" program provided by Goodmail in favor of the company's e-mail authentication product.

Previously, the e-mail authentication product by Goodmail provided an icon next to certified e-mail messages, indicating that they were from an authenticated sender. When the new system is implemented, certified commercial senders will be guaranteed delivery into a user's inbox; certified messages also will have full e-mail functionality, with all links and pictures active and visible.

According to AOL's Postmaster, Charles Stiles, AOL's previous system--an "enhanced white list"--relies on a single IP address for commercial senders. But such senders often deliver mail from several different IP addresses, resulting in intermittent functionality for the links and images in the mailings. "The difference you're going to see is those participants in the Goodmail system will be able to display their mail to you with full functionality," he said.

Merchants looking to receive Goodmail certification must apply; for a fee of $195, Goodmail will then check the merchant's prior record. --Shankar Gupta

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