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Volume of SPAM Doubled in Past Two Years - IDC Expects It Is Only Going to Get Worse

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2004--According to a new landmark study conducted by IDC, The True Cost of SPAM and Value of Anti-SPAM Solutions, the surge in spam poses a growing threat to productivity. IDC estimates that spam represented 32% of all email sent on an average day in North America in 2003, essentially doubling from 2001.
"Spam has become more than just a nuisance; it is quickly becoming both a major productivity drain and potential legal liability in organizations across the globe," said Mark Levitt, research vice president for Collaborative Computing at IDC. "Spam clogs networks, servers, and inboxes with unwanted and often offensive content. The business impact of spam only grows more serious as the volume of spam continues to rise."

The negative business impact of spam is measured in millions of dollars annually for larger organizations. Adding to this, three-quarters of the IT executives responding to an IDC survey feel the spam problem will get worse in the next 2 years. IT executives feel strongly that government legislation will have little to no effect on the spam problem. As a result, investments in anti-spam solutions have jumped during the past year.

Investing in anti-spam solutions yields a positive return on investment (ROI) and rapid payback based upon the research conducted by IDC on the cost of spam and the value of anti-spam solutions. Anti-spam solutions have helped organizations save millions of dollars in lost email user and IT staff productivity (see table).



The IDC special study, The True Cost of SPAM and Value of Anti-SPAM Solutions, explores the financial and business impact of spam on worker productivity, IT and other corporate resources, and the value of anti-spam solutions. To measure the costs of spam and the value of anti-spam solutions, IDC surveyed 1,000 LOB and mid- to upper-level IT managers representing organizations of various sizes and industries in North America. IDC also interviewed 30 senior IT executives at organizations with more than 1,000 employees representing a range of vertical industries, to capture their perspectives in greater detail.

For more information about The True Cost of SPAM and Value of Anti-SPAM Solutions, or to purchase deliverables from the study, including detailed survey findings and IDC ROI Calculator for Anti-Spam Solutions, please contact Mark Levitt, Brian Burke, or Donald Jin (508-935-4594 or djin@idc.com).

About IDC

IDC is the premier global market intelligence and advisory firm in the information technology and telecommunications industries. We analyze and predict technology trends so that our clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on IT purchases and business strategy. Over 700 IDC analysts in 50 countries provide local expertise and insights on technology markets. Business executives and IT managers have relied for 40 years on our advice to make decisions that contribute to the success of their organizations.

IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. Additional information can be found at www.idc.com.

All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Contacts


IDC
Mark Levitt, 508-935-4482
mlevitt@idc.com
or
Brian Burke, 508-935-4252
bburke@idc.com

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