Openwave Announces Easier to Use Solution that Leverages RMail Service

By Christopher Mohr
TMCnet Contributing Writer

Openwave (News - Alert) recently announced that it would include RMail in a new messaging service that provides security features without many of the inconveniences that other systems impose on users. The end result is a solution that is more flexible and that will work with any email system.

San Mateo, California-based Openwave Messaging, Inc. develops various messaging solutions for larger scaled email systems, like those found in large corporations or offered by service providers. The company offers a Universal Messaging Suite that provides a messaging platform, security, identity management, and hosting and managed services.

RMail, which stands for Registered Email, was developed by Los Angeles-based RPost (News - Alert). According to the company’s website, its technology is so sound that, “A team of leading electronic information management attorneys conducted a thorough review of RPost's Registered Email service in 2007 and concluded that Registered Email messages provide sufficient proof as to be admissible in a United States court according to the Federal Rules of Evidence. Their findings state that the Registered Email service is able to prove to a court that a particular message was delivered, precisely when, what it said, and often even whether it was opened.”

In a press release, the company describes more about what RMail doesn’t have or require than what it does. The senders and recipients do not have to be on the same email system, nor does RMail have to know what email system all parties in a given message use in order to provide security. There is also no need for a third party to keep public-private key pairings or to store the messages.

What RMail does provide is simplicity. Users can send an email with normal security levels with the ‘Send’ button or a more secure mail through the ‘Send Registered’ button. Using the latter allows users to include more security features like tracking, e-signatures, encryption, and authentication. It takes nothing more than a single click to add more security to a message. This is a huge feature since users tend to avoid features that are cumbersome, even when it comes to security.

If all the claims are true, Openwave’s messaging with RMail would provide security that’s easy to use and that can work across disparate email systems, and would stand up in court. That’s very compelling to any operation where security and accountability are critical.