Verizon announced today that it selected the Echoworx e-mail encryption solution and has launched the email encryption service. According to their release, "This new service is a complement to Verizon Online's Internet access, e-mail and security product portfolios. According to market research, 82 percent of business owners and managers who send e-mail over the Internet are aware business and customer data is potentially at risk of interception."

The software is a downloadable plug-in that currently works with Outlook and Outlook Express. If the recipient is another registered Verizon Secure Mail user, the user can open the message after entering a password. Non-subscribers can also receive encrypted e-mail without downloading any software or registering for the service. But in order to view the message, non-subscribers are directed to the Verizon Message pick-up center where they can read the e-mail after answering a secret question known only to the sender and recipient.

The service is now available nationwide for $6.95 per month per mailbox. But I have to ask - does Verizon not know of freeware encryption solutions, such as PGP (Pretty Good Privacy)? Who wants to give Verizon more money when you can get email encryption for free? Leave it to the carriers to continue to make customers pay something for nothing!