Germany’s de-mail service links to EU digital gateway pilot

One of the developers of the new German digital postal mail service de-mail has said the system could form the basis of a pan-European digital network. Mentana-Claimsoft, a software subsidiary subsidiary of mailroom technology company Francotyp-Postalia Group is part of the consortium of companies, which also includes TNT Germany and Deutsche Telekom, developing de-mail as an alternative to Deutsche Post’s E-Postbrief digital mail service.

The de-mail service was launched in a beta-phase back in March this year, and has been ramping up this summer with a view to a full consumer launch at the end of the month. The service has been looking to undercut E-Postbrief with a 39 cent per digital letter, compared to 55 cents for E-Postbrief’s secure digital mail service.

Mentana-Claimsoft has now said it is working with the European Commission’s cross-border communications project SPOCS to pilot its de-mail system as a platform for cross-border business communications around Europe.

SPOCS – Simple Procedures Online for Cross-border Services – is a EUR 24m IT project launched in 2009, involving 16 EU Member States running various pilots.

Mentana-Claimsoft, which has its HQ in Birkenwerder, north of Berlin, said the project aims to deliver a safe, smooth, cross-border platform for the transfer of digital documents in e-government services and business applications.

The company has been developing its pilot project with Greece, Italy, LIthuania, Portugal and Austria since 2011, but has now linked up its de-mail system to the SPOCS infrastructure.

“Secure exchange”

Andreas Drechsler, chairman of Francotyp-Postalia, said: “The European internal market requires simple information exchange solutions, enabling businesses to act flexibly and exploit opportunities across borders.

“We are offering de-mail as part of SPOCS as an alternative connected delivery and receiving channel, so it can open a secure exchange of information across national borders.”

Drechsler said the project was demonstrating that his company’s de-mail system was not limited to use within Germany.

Axel Janhoff, the Mentana-Claimsoft chief executive, said: “In the last few weeks we have completed the incorporation into the specifications for connecting to the SPOCS gateway. Now we have documented an international application for de-mail, and can demonstrate a working connection.”