IDC estimates the number of U.S. businesses that will be able to offer e-commerce capabilities will grow from six percent in 1998 to 32 percent in 2003. For larger businesses, this figure will be closer to 70 percent. Working through Visa's distribution channels, Compaq will offer merchants the opportunity to take advantage of special discounts on Compaq products and services that are usually reserved for large companies. We are convinced that the Internet Commerce Program is one of the fastest and most cost-effective deployment programs on the market today. In just 14 days, this one-stop shop enables businesses of all sizes to get up and running with a fully configured Compaq server solution.
Merchants can also forget their concerns about downtime or unplanned outages.
Visa is a leader in processing payments initiated by these systems. By combining the capabilities of the two companies, our customers will truly get the best of both worlds. And because ICP is tested, approved and supported by Visa, they get the peace of mind and security they're looking for when processing online payments. We're convinced that the Internet Commerce Program can help any business take part in the dynamic growth of a new economy. Visa plays a pivotal role in advancing new payment products and technologies to benefit its 14,000 U.S. member financial institutions and their cardholders.