The Norwegian Internet Service Provider (ISP) Altibox has recently announced its partnership with Alinto, a prominent player in the global email industry, to enhance its email services for its 180,000 subscribers across the Nordic region. This strategic move aims to modernize Altibox’s email infrastructure and provide its customers with secured and reliable communication options.
Altibox had previously operated its own communications network, but as the platform started requiring extensive maintenance procedures, the ISP recognized the need for a change. Marius Ekeland, Product Manager for Security and Email at Altibox, explained the options they considered, stating, “We had two options: outsource our email services since we did not have any internal capabilities to design a new solution, or cease the service and erase all the emails, which was not acceptable from a customer viewpoint.”
Considering their primary focus lies in delivering high-quality broadband, IPTV, and VoIP services, Altibox decided to outsource its email services to a trusted third party. Thomas Lunde, Head of Hybrid Cloud Services at Altibox, emphasized their commitment to providing a fully functional and secure email service, stating, “Our primary business is not email service. The only thing left to do is deliver it correctly and securely.”
Altibox conducted a rigorous selection process, including the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP), to identify the best-suited partner for their email modernization project. Ultimately, they chose Alinto’s offerings, which are based on the Alinto-hosted SOGomail server and Cleanmail security service. Altibox appreciated the operational reliability and simplicity of the Alinto solution, as well as the inclusion of an administration portal, insights, and support. Furthermore, the data centers hosting the services meet GDPR compliance and adhere to excellent ecological standards, an essential factor for Altibox.
180 Terabytes of Data
Security remains a top priority for Altibox, and the Cleanmail capability offered by Alinto would align with the ISP’s ongoing efforts to enhance the security of its services. Marius Ekeland noted, “The Cleanmail capability is a huge plus for us since, as an ISP, we’re always working to improve the security of our services.”
The migration of existing mailboxes presented a significant challenge during the transition process. Altibox had to migrate a massive 180 terabytes of data, a task that required meticulous planning and execution. Alinto’s team provided invaluable assistance throughout the relocation, ensuring a seamless technical transition. Thomas Lunde expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “The technical transition proceeded without a hitch. We moved compressed data files while unsure of the volume that would remain once they were uncompressed. Alinto had to make a few last-minute changes, and they showed themselves to be quite responsive.”
Altibox, known for its extensive fiber network connections, operates approximately 35 local networks in Norway and 6 in Denmark. With over 750,000 fiber connections in Norway alone, Altibox has established itself as a major player in the ISP and fixed broadband market. The email services provided by Altibox are available to its customers as an additional offering.
Alinto has been a significant participant in the global email scene since its founding in 2000. The company offers various products, including webmail hosting services, anti-spam software, and email servers. Two of its notable offerings are SOGomail, a carrier-grade mail server catering to businesses seeking a reliable European solution, and Cleanmail, which utilizes advanced email filtering and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to safeguard communications from potential risks and threats. The collaboration between Altibox and Alinto would signify a significant step forward for Altibox’s messaging services.