A Norwegian company has developed a new service designed to speed the delivery of large files across the Internet. FileFlow’s new FastSend service can compress just about any file type at a ratio of 20:1 to 50:1, making it easier to transmit files across the Internet. FileFlow can even encrypt files using 2,048-bit encryption. Because the technology is developed in Norway, FileFlow can export the encryption to any country; the maximum encryption key length that can be exported is 128 bits. FastSend works similar to Microsoft Corp.’s free e-mail service, Hotmail. Users sign on through a Web page and download a small browser plug-in or Java applet that handles the compression and encryption. Using the applet, a user selects which files or folders to compress and the recipients. A proprietary algorithm encrypts and sends files in pieces, making it more palatable for slow connections. Compressed files are then stored on FileFlow’s servers and an e-mail with links is sent to the intended recipient. Like sender, the recipient also has to download a small applet or plug-in to decompress the file once it is received. The company is also offering a storage service called FastStore for those companies that want to store high-quality digital images. FastSend is priced at US$99 to $250 a month, with a per-megabyte charge that varies in price depending on the monthly fee. For FastStore, the company charges a fee of $500 per month. Users can buy the software and host it themselves for US$20,000. FileFlow is in Oslo and can be reached at http://www.fileflow.com.
Prices listed are in US currency.