One down. Only 1,791,941 to goTony Blair e-mailed 1,791,942 people about his transport policy. How much more expensive would it have been to write to them?
One down. Only 1,791,941 to goTony Blair e-mailed 1,791,942 people about his transport policy. How much more expensive would it have been to write to them?
One of the reasons the government launched its petitions website was, apparently, to easily engage with people who joined online protests.
One of the reasons the government launched its petitions website was, apparently, to easily engage with people who joined online protests.
When people brought their paper petitions to Downing Street in the traditional way, responding to each person by letter was a costly and often impossible business.
When people brought their paper petitions to Downing Street in the traditional way, responding to each person by letter was a costly and often impossible business.
The road-charging petition is not the first to prompt an e-mailed response - dozens of others have too - but it has provided this new spirit of e-democracy with its biggest test.
The road-charging petition is not the first to prompt an e-mailed response - dozens of others have too - but it has provided this new spirit of e-democracy with its biggest test.
THE ANSWER... By e-mail: £6,000By post: £427,378.17p* *excludes cost of letters and envelopes
THE ANSWER... By e-mail: £6,000By post: £427,378.17p* *excludes cost of letters and envelopes
So how much did it cost to press "reply all" and how much cheaper was it than sending letters?
So how much did it cost to press "reply all" and how much cheaper was it than sending letters?
The cost of sending 1.8 million e-mails is about £6,000, estimates Chris Lake, editor of e-consultancy.com which advises people on internet strategy.
The cost of sending 1.8 million e-mails is about £6,000, estimates Chris Lake, editor of E-consultancy.com which advises people on internet strategy.
"Last week I had lunch with someone who sends out 180,000 a week as a newsletter, which cost him £600," he says. "That would make it £6,000, but it could be much less or much more. Plus there are the resources to craft it and put it together."
"Last week I had lunch with someone who sends out 180,000 a week as a newsletter, which cost him £600," he says. "That would make it £6,000, but it could be much less or much more. Plus there are the resources to craft it and put it together."
WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
There are lots of variables so we can't be sure, he says. Costs vary according to internet service supplier and may be wrapped up in an annual deal rather than a one-off cost. It also depends on the size of the e-mail.
There are lots of variables so we can't be sure, he says. Costs vary according to internet service supplier and may be wrapped up in an annual deal rather than a one-off cost. It also depends on the size of the e-mail.
The e-mail by Tony Blair was 1,273 words with no pictures, weighing in at a relatively light 24kb.
The e-mail by Tony Blair was 1,273 words with no pictures, weighing in at a relatively light 24kb.
"It's cheaper to send e-mails now than it was five years ago," says Mr Lake. "The market has had a lot of new suppliers - arguably it has too many suppliers - and that has forced a downward pressure on prices.
"It's cheaper to send e-mails now than it was five years ago," says Mr Lake. "The market has had a lot of new suppliers - arguably it has too many suppliers - and that has forced a downward pressure on prices.
"Suppliers instead make their money through consultancies and helping with content."
"Suppliers instead make their money through consultancies and helping with content."
Although sending e-mails is free for most domestic use, the platforms used by people at home have a limit on the number allowed, so a special e-mail provider would be required for a task of this size. To get round this, spammers have their own hardware or hack into other servers.
Stamps
Stamps
A spokesman for mySociety, the non-aligned organisation which created the petitions website after being approached by Downing Street, said the cost of sending the e-mails had not been calculated but the exercise as a whole cost £25,000 plus VAT.
A spokesman for mySociety, the non-aligned organisation which created the petitions website after being approached by Downing Street, said the cost of sending the e-mails had not been calculated but the exercise as a whole cost £25,000 plus VAT.
Mr Blair's emails were sent from multiple servers to ease the time waiting for an answer from the receiving mail servers and lessen the impact if any server crashed.
Mr Blair's emails were sent from multiple servers to ease the time waiting for an answer from the receiving mail servers and lessen the impact if any server crashed.
Other technical considerations included:
Other technical considerations included:
• making sure not to be accidentally blacklisted by internet service providers• coping with the e-mails that bounced back, the number of which has yet to be worked out, and• making sure those who opted out of the mailing did not receive an e-mail
• making sure not to be accidentally blacklisted by internet service providers• coping with the e-mails that bounced back, the number of which has yet to be worked out, and• making sure those who opted out of the mailing did not receive an e-mail
'This could take a while, sir'
'This could take a while, sir'
How much would it have cost to do it the old-fashioned way, by letter?
How much would it have cost to do it the old-fashioned way, by letter?
Sending 1,791,942 letters to arrive the next day would have cost £537,582.60 in postage alone, before estimating the cost of the paper, envelopes and processing.
Sending 1,791,942 letters to arrive the next day would have cost £537,582.60 in postage alone, before estimating the cost of the paper, envelopes and processing.
But the Royal Mail offers bulk discounts and says if 90% of the mail was accurately postcoded then it could be done for £427,378.17p, down to £411,250.69p if all the mail was barcoded to speed up the sorting.
But the Royal Mail offers bulk discounts and says if 90% of the mail was accurately postcoded then it could be done for £427,378.17p, down to £411,250.69p if all the mail was barcoded to speed up the sorting.
Some people have questioned what Downing Street is allowed to do with all these e-mail addresses of people who feel strongly about any given issue.
Some people have questioned what Downing Street is allowed to do with all these e-mail addresses of people who feel strongly about any given issue.
The answer is send them up to two e-mails, according to the terms and conditions published on the website: "We will only use the information you provide us for this purpose, and, unless you ask us not to, to write to you a maximum of two times about the issues raised in the petition."
The answer is send them up to two e-mails, according to the terms and conditions published on the website: "We will only use the information you provide us for this purpose, and, unless you ask us not to, to write to you a maximum of two times about the issues raised in the petition."
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
Add your comments on this story, using the form below.
Having spent a day wondering why I hadn't had my email response, and happened to check my junk mail box, and there is it was, in the right place all the time!Liz Parkinson, Stockport UK
Having spent a day wondering why I hadn't had my email response, and happened to check my junk mail box, and there is it was, in the right place all the time!Liz Parkinson, Stockport UK
Glad to see Mr Blair is making some effort to cut back on expenses, after all we've had to put up with the cost of the Millennium Dome, the new Wembley and the general bureaucracy of his administration has run up at taxpayers' expense. Hopefully SPAM filters will take care of his e-mails!Ged "Gedders" Lavelle, Aigburth, Liverpool
Glad to see Mr Blair is making some effort to cut back on expenses, after all we've had to put up with the cost of the Millennium Dome, the new Wembley and the general bureaucracy of his administration has run up at taxpayers' expense. Hopefully SPAM filters will take care of his e-mails!Ged "Gedders" Lavelle, Aigburth, Liverpool
I received 2 letters from the Prime Minister last year in response to the Make Poverty History campaign card that I sent. So too did all the other people I know who had completed these campaign cards. At the time I thought it was a complete waste of money, and I personally would have preferred the money to be used in the spirit of the campaign rather than to write to me. Reading this report just reinforces my opinion. I don't know how many people responded to the Make Poverty History campaign, but I can imagine it was more than the 1.7 million who singed this petition about road pricing, meaning £1 million or more was spent sending 2 letters to each of these people. Surly this money could have been better spent? How about putting it towards making poverty history?Sarah, Manchester
I received 2 letters from the Prime Minister last year in response to the Make Poverty History campaign card that I sent. So too did all the other people I know who had completed these campaign cards. At the time I thought it was a complete waste of money, and I personally would have preferred the money to be used in the spirit of the campaign rather than to write to me. Reading this report just reinforces my opinion. I don't know how many people responded to the Make Poverty History campaign, but I can imagine it was more than the 1.7 million who singed this petition about road pricing, meaning £1 million or more was spent sending 2 letters to each of these people. Surly this money could have been better spent? How about putting it towards making poverty history?Sarah, Manchester
On the bright side, this is the first evidence of the government reducing expenditure in a positive manner for a while!M Fletcher, Plymouth
On the bright side, this is the first evidence of the government reducing expenditure in a positive manner for a while!M Fletcher, Plymouth
I'm sure one reason why the government is replying to those who signed the petition is to see how many of the email addresses used are actually valid. It will be interesting to find out how many of the 1.8m emails sent bounce back.Paul Abraham, Accra, Ghana (ex UK)
I'm sure one reason why the government is replying to those who signed the petition is to see how many of the email addresses used are actually valid. It will be interesting to find out how many of the 1.8m emails sent bounce back.Paul Abraham, Accra, Ghana (ex UK)
Chris Lake estimates sending 1.8 million emails as costing £6,000. How does he work that out? If I had the time I could send 1.8 million emails from home and it wouldn't cost me any more that I'm currently paying which is £10 per month.Dave Haward, Ipswich, Suffolk
Chris Lake estimates sending 1.8 million emails as costing £6,000. How does he work that out? If I had the time I could send 1.8 million emails from home and it wouldn't cost me any more that I'm currently paying which is £10 per month.Dave Haward, Ipswich, Suffolk
Where's my email then? I signed the petition and have so far received sweet FA from our PM!Jo, Reading
Where's my email then? I signed the petition and have so far received sweet FA from our PM!Jo, Reading
Very nice of him to reply, but mine went straight into my Junk folder and was deleted before I got a chance to read it!Carolyn, London, UK
Very nice of him to reply, but mine went straight into my Junk folder and was deleted before I got a chance to read it!Carolyn, London, UK
I signed the petition and as yet have not received an email form the prime minister. Is it lost in the cyber post?Emma Paice, Norwich
I signed the petition and as yet have not received an email form the prime minister. Is it lost in the cyber post?Emma Paice, Norwich
