RelayOne was an email to postal system service run by the United Kingdom's Royal Mail from 1998 until 2000. The company described it as a modern-day telegram.

History

The service launched in the United Kingdom in March 1998, and by April of that year a United States launch was planned.[1]

The service cost £1.50 per page, and up to 50 pages could be sent for £5,[2] which was a significantly higher cost than the price of a postage stamp. The email would be printed by Royal Mail in London and then posted in the regular mail to its recipient.[2] A selection of greeting cards that could be printed was later added.[1] Royal Mail's technology partner for the system was the American company, Microsoft.[3]

The service was discontinued in 2000 as it was not commercially viable.[3] At the time of its demise, RelayOne was handling 400 items a month.[3] Royal Mail did however continue to support a similar free of charge system used to send mail to the British Armed Forces serving overseas.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Royal Mail and MS plan US launch for RelayOne". ZDNET. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b "A marriage made in cyberspace". New Scientist. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Richardson, Tim. "Royal Mail ditches e-mail operation". The Register. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RelayOne
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