The article evaluates Deutsche Telekom’s MagentaCloud, highlighting its German server location and data encryption practices. It reviews the application’s features, including storage options, synchronization performance, and file sharing capabilities. While the service offers a secure environment, it suffers from inadequate synchronization indicators and lacks two-factor authentication. Mobile apps are functional but lack comprehensive features. Ultimately, the article suggests that while MagentaCloud has merits, it may not meet all users’ needs, especially regarding data encryption and usability.
When choosing cloud storage, comprehensive encryption and secure server locations are critical. Deutsche Telekom excels in these areas, primarily promoting its MagentaCloud service with a server location in Germany. However, selecting a cloud storage solution involves more than just the server’s location.
Our review assesses the functionality of MagentaCloud and determines whether the service delivers value, even for users who are not Telekom customers.
Overview of the Application
MagentaCloud Free provides a modest three gigabytes (GB) of complimentary storage. Telekom landline or mobile customers can access 15 GB with the MagentaCloud S plan. The storage accommodates various data types and can be accessed seamlessly through Windows or macOS software, as well as mobile applications for Android and iOS. The application creates a designated folder on your device that synchronizes across all platforms, and selective synchronization of specific subfolders is also available.
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Synchronization Needs Improvement
Setting up the software for data uploads and downloads is a quick process, benefiting from impressive server speeds. However, the Magenta software can be quite confusing; it lacks a progress indicator, and users are presented with ambiguous buttons for synchronization and pausing synchronization in the taskbar—making it difficult to discern which action is currently active.
Additionally, there is no list showcasing recently synchronized files. While Windows Explorer displays icons next to files and folders to indicate synchronization status, macOS users do not have this feature. At startup, the desktop application seems to sync data reliably with the Telekom server, but during regular operation, issues arise. For instance, when a file is added to the cloud from one device, it often only appears on another device after manual retrieval—a significant drawback that other tested services do not experience. Frequent synchronization errors related to unsupported file types or naming conventions further complicate the user experience—issues that are not present with comparable services.
Collaboration Features
MagentaCloud allows users to share files and folders through share links. Notably, recipients do not need a Telekom account to view the shared content. Users can also opt to password-protect links and decide whether recipients have view-only access or can edit the content.
File sharing in Windows Explorer is efficient through the context menu. Unfortunately, macOS users must navigate to the website to share files, as this function is unavailable directly in the application. While the website does allow for PDF previews, this feature is lacking for other editable file formats. Collaborative options using an online office solution are also absent.
Mobile Applications
The MagentaCloud apps for Android and iOS are fairly standard in performance. They function smoothly and include a document viewer, unlike the web interface. An automatic photo upload feature is available, although it does not provide any additional advanced options. While individual files can be saved for offline use, users cannot download entire folders.
Data Encryption
In line with industry norms, Deutsche Telekom ensures your data is encrypted during transit using SSL/TLS protocols. However, typically, there is no encryption for data stored on Telekom servers. Customers using the 1 and 5 TB storage plans can secure specific cloud folders with client-side end-to-end encryption.
If this encryption is enabled, users create unique passwords for encrypted folders that must be entered to access the contents. Other folders within the cloud remain unencrypted. Moreover, it’s worth noting that few users require terabytes of storage space.
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Overall, there is a desire for broader encryption across all content stored in the Telekom cloud. The end-to-end encryption available only in the Premium package can also be achieved using Boxcryptor software in conjunction with most cloud storage solutions.
Data Center Location
Deutsche Telekom highlights Germany as the server’s location, benefiting from stricter data protection regulations compared to the USA. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that EU data protection laws apply globally to companies serving customers within the EU.
Thus, U.S. providers like OneDrive and iCloud are held to the same standards as Deutsche Telekom. Furthermore, MagentaCloud is among the few services that do not encrypt all data on their servers.
Another concern is the lack of two-factor authentication—a feature widely regarded as a security standard. Consequently, the robust security claims made by Telekom can be seen more as marketing hype than substantial safety measures.