When Does Ink/MSN run out?

[Consumer Info]

Question, when does the Ink/MSN deal run out? Seems if that doesnt get renewed Inktomi might as well close its doors, I mean what will we do with all of that valuable iwon traffic?
Or am I wrong does Ink provide results for some unknown source of traffic than what is already stated and hotbot?

[Abrexa_UK]

Consumer Info,
there are other avenues for Inktomi - it is used as a back up for both Overture and Espotting, and it is also (apparently) used for results in a few others of note:

About.com
GOO
HotBot
iWon.com
Looksmart
Yahoo Enterprise Solutions

Inktomi also claim to have 2500 other sites using their search results as well. I suppose that if you add up all of the small bits, it would still amount to a reasonably sized search engine.

[mayor]

So can anyone answer ConsumerInfo's question about when the Ink/MSN contract might be up for renewal? Most contracts of this nature run for a year at a time.

Some of us are paying $25 a year per page for paid indexing on the asumption we will continue to get traffic at current levels ... but the AOL traffic is soon to vanish. If MSN should vanish also, I'll never get my $25 worth of traffic ... not even close.

[martinibuster]

With traffic like I'm receiving now, I wouldn't even notice...

[heini]

FAST 's Knut Risvik has said in an interview a decision would be due in end of fourth quarter 2002.

[Orion]

In October 2001, Inktomi mentioned the AOL and MSN web search renewals in their 4Q summary press release (Inktomi is a quarter earlier than companies that run on a calendar system).

If you assume a 1 year deal, then we could hear who wins the MSN deal prior to the 4th quarter.

I assume MSN remains with INKT, unless FAST makes traction by landing the YHOO deal in the next month or so. MSN-INKT have a long relationship, and frankly INKT needs to renew that deal so badly since the non-search side of INKT's business has been performing so poorly in this market of reduced IT spend. Last thing MSN will do is choose Google unless it has a major shift in strategy.