Mail server firewall option

[#1]

Hi,
I want to suggest adding a further option to the broadband firewall options, to enable use of a mail server. The closest option available now only enables SMTP... so the email can be sent to the server but you cannot then collect it remotely!    I would like the POP3, IMAP4 and SSL versions to be opened in addition to the SMTP port.
As a further enhancement to your firewall options, it would be useful to have SSH as a separate on/off selection so that it can be controlled independently of the overall option selected.
I hope you'll consider implementing these features, as I would like to make use of them to help secure my connection.
Thanks,
Rob.

[#2]

Hi Rob,
The broadband firewall is meant to be a basic service.  We don't currently have any plans for extending it to other ports as it was just a remap of the one that Metronet customes already used.
If you're looking at using something more complex, I'd suggest customising your own firewall in your router.

[#3]

I'm aware of what the product does now, and I'm pointing out that it would be more helpful if it had the option for ALL mail server ports, rather than simply port 25. The description on that option even says its useful for running your own mail server. How do you propose we collect the emails when ports 110 and 143 are blocked? Its a useless option.
I already have my firewall blocking everything else, but there is a good reason for wanting to use your firewall. Last month I saw a huge amount of traffic on my connection, around double the previous month. This took me over my bandwidth allowance. I had no idea why this happened. According to the usage records large amounts of this occurred on days when I wasn't even at home and my computers were turned off. I've taken several measures to reduce the chance of abuse or unwanted traffic on my connection, and using the firewall at ISP level was one of them... as suggested on your website.
I am extremely disappointed at the way you receive suggestions. The whole point of a suggestion is that it involves a change. This is not how I remember Plus dealing with its customers; there was a time when its customers' needs meant something and a suggestion would have been dealt with as a suggestion.
One very frustrated customer, with one more reason to shop around 

[#4]

Sorry - I didn't mean to come across in a way that I was completely disregarding your suggestion.
What I had meant to say was that we had a small amount of development work in intially deploying the broadband firewall, because it was exactly the same as the old Metronet firewall.
I'll certainly pass your idea on, but I'm afraid I can't give you any indication as to whether or not it would be done, or when it would happen.

[#5]

My apologies for missing this topic earlier Rob.
I've now added it to the Usergroup PUGIT database here and you can add your comments to this topic Here
PUGIT responses are not high priority with Plusnet currently, but it does still keep a long term 'memory' of things to be done. 
Maurice