First Empirical Global Spam Study Indicates More Than 80 Percent of Mo

First Empirical Global Spam Study Indicates More Than 80 Percent of Mobile Phone Users Receive Spam

    Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

    ST. GALLEN & ZUG, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2005--

Subscribers Are More Likely to Change Operator Rather Than Mobile Phone Number to Combat Growing Problem
    A consortium representing industry and academia today announced the results of the first empirical global study on mobile spam. The study titled "Insights into Mobile Spam, World's First Collaborative Empirical Study" was released today by the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Intrado (NASDAQ: TRDO) subsidiary bmd wireless. Results show that spam -- a well known problem from the Internet and e-mail world -- will increasingly infect the mobile world. The study indicates that more than 8 in 10 mobile phone users surveyed have received unsolicited messages and are more likely to change their operator than their mobile number to fight the problem. With complaints about mobile phone spam on the rise, both consumers and businesses see wireless operator self-regulation as the most important action against unsolicited mobile messages or spam.
    With joint collaboration from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the objective of the study was to analyze differences in the perception of mobile spam issues between consumers and mobile network operators and assess how well the problem is being managed. The study also documents the effects of mobile spam on consumers and network operators and identifies regional variations from Central Europe, North America and Southeast Asia.
    Using a comparative research approach, the study analyzes perceptions based on 1,659 completed consumer surveys and 154 surveys from mobile service company professionals. Conducted in November and December 2004, the study includes results from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, the United States, Singapore, China and Saudi Arabia. Key findings are listed below:

--	Consumers worldwide indicated that mobile spam has a negative impact on the brand of the mobile network operator (MNO). Subscribers would rather change their MNO than apply for a new cell phone number.
--	Most complaints about mobile spam are directed toward the MNO. In addition, consumers perceive mobile marketing messages from mobile operators as mobile spam.
--	Both consumers and mobile operators expect mobile spam to become more of a problem in the future. 83 percent of telecommunications industry respondents perceive mobile spam to be a critical issue today or within the next 1-2 years.
--	Both consumers and corporations see MNO self-regulation as the most important action against spam. Customer-initiated actions are perceived to be less effective.
--	Cancellation of roaming agreements and customer complaint hotlines are the most frequently named actions that MNOs take today against spam.
--	MNOs are currently well aware of the effects of mobile spam on consumers. However, most MNOs are presently in a trial-and-error phase, applying reactive measures and testing various technological alternatives for avoiding spam.

    "The GSM Association welcomes this first comprehensive study of the increasing phenomenon of mobile spam," said Tom Phillips, Government & Regulatory Affairs Officer, the GSM Association. "Whilst there is no single solution to the mobile spam problem, there are a number of key components to any real solution, including identifying the spammers by rejecting anonymous or spoofed access and making them pay through clear and suitable charging mechanisms."
    In addition to the empirical evidence, analysis and survey results, the study provides points of action for companies active in the mobile communication services market and offers insights into likely future developments and implications of mobile spam on product and communication strategies. A press reception will be held on Monday, February 14, 2005, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 3GSM Cannes to discuss the findings in further detail and provide interested members of the media with copies of the entire study. For more details of the study "Insights into Mobile Spam, World's First Collaborative Empirical Study" please visit www.mobilespam.org.

    About the University of St. Gallen

    The University of St. Gallen, founded in 1898 as a "business academy," is one of the oldest universities of its kind and enjoys an unrivalled reputation in the German-speaking area. In this setting the =mcminstitute, founded in 1998 with support of the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Heinz-Nixdorf Foundation, has established itself as a leading international centre in the field of media and communication for research and consulting. Additional information on the =mcminstitute and the University of St. Gallen can be found at www.mcm.unisg.ch.

    About Intrado

    Intrado Inc. (NASDAQ: TRDO) provides the core of North America's 9-1-1 infrastructure and delivers innovative solutions to communications service providers and public safety organizations, including complex data management, network transactions, wireless data services and notification services. bmd wireless AG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Intrado and a leading global provider of core network messaging solutions. Additional information on Intrado can be found at the Company's Web site: www.intrado.com.

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CONTACT: Ketchum PR (London) for Intrado Inc. Mark Pinnes, +44-0-20-7611-3661 mark.pinnes@ketchum.com or Ketchum PR (United States) for Intrado Inc. Alexis Garbeff, 415-984-6164 alexis.garbeff@ketchum.com or =mcminstitute, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland Torsten Brodt, +41-71-224-27-72 mobile@unisg.ch

KEYWORD: COLORADO SWITZERLAND GERMANY INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS Technology_IT SOURCE: Intrado Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2005