Westpac goes live on Digital Mailbox

Nine months after announcing that it would participate in Australia Post's Digital Mailbox service, Westpac has activated a service that allows its customers to receive statements and other bank communications in their Digital Mailbox accounts.

Westpac is the first bank on Digital Mailbox, which was launched in 2012 and now has 45 providers.

The secure electronic message service is free for customers, who can use it to receive electronic mail from government agencies, telecommunications and utility companies.

Consumers will also be able to use the service to make payments and also for the safe-keeping of electronic documents.

Most of the providers are local councils and utilities. The only other financial institution on the service is AMP.

What makes Digital Mailbox different from email is that it is a secure private network and consumers choose who can send them electronic mail.

Australia Post will not reveal the number of Digital Mailbox users.  It said customer registrations were up 86 per cent in the past eight months.