Why should I have Telpage protect me from spam and viruses?
THE VIRUS PROBLEM - Eighty percent of computer viruses are distributed by email and over 500 new viruses are detected each month. Every email user needs a powerful solution that prevents malicious email-borne viruses from threatening their computer system and the information stored on it. Whether you are simply a home user or corporate email client, viruses can have a devastating effect. Did you know that 84 percent of computer virus infections result in up to 20 work days lost, 50 hours for recovery, and costs an organization on average, $10,000. Companies also report losing up to 70 percent productivity during a virus attack and losing up to 40 percent of data after the fact. Whether you are a residential user or corporate client, Telpage's Protection Assistant automatically protects you from fast-spreading aggressive email viruses.

THE SPAM PROBLEM - Statistics show that people waste 4 hours per month sorting through spam and junk email. On the Internet, unwanted spam email is no laughing matter. Spam is the common term for unsolicited commercial email -- the Internet version of junk mail. Practically no one wants it, but everyone receives spam. Each day, millions of spam emails are sent. In fact, it's estimated that over 30% of all email messages sent are nothing but spam ? which often includes pornography, get rich quick scams, etc.

TELPAGE'S PROTECTION SERVICES - With Telpage's protection services, we are stopping viruses and spam in their tracks -- BEFORE they ever get to our users. The most effective way to win the battle with viruses and spam is to activate the Telpage Mail Center, a virus protection and junk mail solution provided exclusively to Telpage subscribers.

How much does it cost to have my email protected?
Each email account requiring protection is only $1 monthly. Bear in mind that whether you receive 10 emails each month or 10,000, the cost of the service is only $1 each month. For this nominal fee you will receive extremely powerful virus and spam protection.

How do I log in to the Telpage Message Center?
After Telpage activates the filtering services, you will receive an "Activation Message" containing login instructions with password details. The password is the same as your existing email account. Users will also receive email notifications with login instructions when suspicious messages have been directed to their Telpage Message Center.

What is the interface like?
To check messages or alter settings, you must first log in. After successfully logging in, the personal Telpage Message Center appears, where you can review the messages that Telpage has identified as suspicious. The Telpage Message Center is the web-based application where users find all Telpage service settings and messages. Telpage Message Center settings can be easily adjusted to accommodate end user's unique needs and habits.

How do I get a Telpage Message Center password?
The Message Center password is the same as your email password.

What if I can't log in to the Telpage Message Center?
Try your email account password. If the password fails, check to make sure you have the correct email address listed and that your cap lock is not on. Our passwords are case sensitive and should be entered in all lowercase. If you still cannot access the Message Center contact Telpage Technical Support.

What if I don't want Telpage filtering services?
The Telpage Message Center is user-configurable, allowing you to simply adjust or turn off one or all Telpage email services. As a result you can customize settings if they are too intrusive or not effective enough. If you would like to remove all protection from your email account simply contact us.

Does Telpage filter mail that I send out or only when I receive it?
The current Telpage filters work on incoming email. However, this may change with new applications that are being developed.

What browsers does the Telpage Message Center support?
The Telpage Message Center supports version 4 (v4) and above of Netscape and Internet Explorer.

Why do I need to enable cookies when logging into my Message Center?
The main purpose of cookies is to identify you as a unique Telpage services user and prepare Web pages that reflect your personalized Telpage applications. When you enter the Message Center using cookies, Telpage is generating a customized experience—your application settings, your quarantined email. Some information, such as your login email address, is packaged into a cookie and sent to your Web browser which stores it for later use; for example, the next time you log in, your browser will send the cookie to Telpage so that only your password is required—saving you time. Telpage does not track any personal information in its cookies or request any personal information through the Message Center—cookies are simply used to ensure you are in control of your email.

What makes the Telpage Junk Email Assistant filters different from the spam filters found in my email application?
The mail filters found in email products have a number of limitations and often assume a "one size fits all" solution. Users are often expected to develop their own filter rules from the limited tools provided. Further, users must still download email before the mail client can filter it-possibly wasting time and bandwidth while waiting to read mail, such as spam, that you would not want anyway.

How do I know junk email is being filtered and not my regular (legitimate) email?
Telpage uses an advanced filtering technique built on heuristic rules, lists of approved and blocked senders, and databases of known junk email to maintain the effectiveness of the rules system. Despite these advanced measures, some good email may get caught since the concept of junk email is subjective (one man's trash is another man's treasure). To remedy this, Telpage enables end users the ability to set a lenient-to-aggressive tolerance for filtering suspicious email: lenient filtering potentially lets more junk email through, but also minimizes the risk of legitimate email from getting mistakenly directed to the Message Center; conversely, aggressive filtering catches more suspicious email at the risk of mistakenly diverting normal email to the Message Center. Telpage notifies users with regular summary reports of their filtering activities. With the right configuration, Telpage can be set so that less than 1% of valid email is falsely identified as suspicious.

Does someone read my personal emails when they are filtered?
No. All email processing is handled through automated filters. In the event a "suspicious" email is discovered, it will be directed to your private Telpage Message Center pending your review. 

How does Telpage notify users when email is quarantined as suspicious junk email?
Telpage will send a regular report via email of the activity in the user's Telpage Message Center. However, users can log in to the Telpage Message Center at any time to monitor and review detained messages.

What if users prefer to receive junk email?
You can turn the Telpage Junk Email Assistant off at anytime by simply logging in to the Telpage Message Center, clicking "settings" and clicking "off" on the Junk Email toggle switch. (Other applications, such as virus scanning, can also be turned on or off in this manner.)

How often is email deleted from the Message Center?
Telpage keeps email messages that have been directed to the Message Center for 14 days following the receipt of the message--this includes any messages that have been moved to a user's "Trash Folder" in the Message Center. After 14 days from first receipt, any message will be deleted. We will send an email activity report on a regular basis to remind you to check you Message Center. You can also access their Message Center at any time.

What if I never check my Message Center?
Email that has been directed to the Message Center is deleted 14 days after receipt. Telpage recommends that you check the Message Center frequently to ensure personal settings are appropriate and check messages. You may find that some minor adjustments are required to ensure legitimate email is not falsely identified as junk. It is a good habit to bookmark the Log In page and check your message center at least every week.

What if I receive spam?
You can visit the Message Center and add the sender's address to their "Blocked Senders" list if it appears to be a repeat offender, preventing that sender from reaching the inbox again. It might also be useful to try increasing the sensitivity level in the configuration or turn on specific filter categories.

What if Telpage directs legitimate email to the Message Center?
Unfortunately, some legitimate email may be erroneously directed to your Message Center. This is due to the subjective nature of email messages and what could possibly be considered junk email. If a significant amount of valid email is being misdirected to the Message Center, Telpage filtering services can be used to build a list of approved senders, thereby minimizing the possibility of detaining a valid email in the future.

Does the Junk Mail Assistant watch for obscene language and other questionable content?
The Junk Email Assistant is tuned for identifying unsolicited commercial email (UCE), otherwise known as spam or junk email. This is somewhat different than filtering specifically for content, like most email filtering. For example, a friend sends a joke containing obscenities. This originates from a known source, whereas a message of unknown origin containing obscenities that refers to a pornography site WOULD likely be directed to the Telpage Message Center. Of course, Telpage does have the capability to explicitly block any address--in case you want to restrict email from a known source.

Will Telpage automatically block services which might resemble spam, such as mailing lists?
Most likely not. If it does trigger Telpage filters, we recommend that you add the sender to the "Approve Senders" list.

Is Virus Assistant up-to-date on its virus definitions?
Yes. Virus Assistant updates virus definitions continuously. Not only will virus scanning of malicious email viruses prove extremely valuable to you, but it also saves valuable time by scanning messages behind the scenes. You are only notified when a virus is found in a message. Virus Assistant utilizes McAfee's AVERT (Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team) to stay current with virus definitions. AVERT is a worldwide virus-monitoring network that continuously looks for new viruses and subtle changes in old ones so that virus definitions stay current.

Who is McAfee?
McAfee provides industry-leading protection against today's most dangerous viruses and tomorrow's threats. McAfee and your service provider made this possible by inserting virus-scanning technology into your mail flow. This relieves email providers and you from maintaining individually installed virus detection and the hassle of maintaining current virus definitions.

How am I notified that virus-infected email has been detected?
You are notified immediately via email when an infected virus is detected in an email message. From the Message Center, you can safely review the infected email text.

How does Telpage handle security?
Telpage takes the security and privacy of user data seriously.

Do Telpage services compromise my privacy?
No. Telpage staff members never read an end user's email that is being processed during the course of normal mail delivery.