SMTP server doesn't advertise STARTTLS in the EHLO - can't send secure

[#1]

Hi,
I finally decided to switch to SSL-secured SMTP mail sending after reading about this in the Ironport blog
(http://community.plus.net/blog/2008/11/04/ironport_technical/) but couldn't get it to work. After a little poking
around I discovered the reason
---
>telnet relay.plus.net 25
220 relay.plus.net ESMTP Exim Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:21:58 +0100
>EHLO
250-ptb-relay02.plus.net Hello [xx.xx.xx.xx]
250-SIZE 104857600
250-PIPELINING
250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN
250 HELP
>HELP
214-Commands supported:
214 AUTH STARTTLS HELO EHLO MAIL RCPT DATA NOOP QUIT RSET HELP VRFY
>QUIT
221 ptb-relay02.plus.net closing connection
---
If the server supports STARTTLS, why isn't it advertising it in the EHLO response like a
normal Exim SMTP server does ?
(http://www.exim-users.org/forums/showpost.php?p=121370&postcount=2)
I can only assume that this is deliberate ?
Can someone at PlusNet fix this or explain, please ?

[#2]

You're not connecting to the IronPort boxes, you're connecting to our old relays that are currently configured to smart host via the IronPorts. AFAIK when we point relay straight at the IronPorts then we can look at allowing SSL but that's not likely to be for a month or two I'm afraid.

[#3]

er, OK, thanks for taking the trouble to reply.
So there is no way to use SSL with PlusNet e-mail at the moment, then ?
I'm still a bit confused...why do the 'old relays' advertise STARTTLS via the HELP query if they don't support it, then ?
adie:quote

[#4]

Quote from: disfroot

So there is no way to use SSL with PlusNet e-mail at the moment, then ?

Nope.

Quote

I'm still a bit confused...why do the 'old relays' advertise STARTTLS via the HELP query if they don't support it, then ?

Not sure tbh, they never have done and as we're getting rid of them I doubt it's something we'd consider doing either.