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Postcomm tries simple solution to market domination (UK)
While Postcomm’s measures to simplify its licensing procedures to make it easier for smaller businesses to enter the postal market might be encouraging, is it enough to increase competition in, what many still consider, a monopolised market? Or is Postcomm simply going through the motions?
The independent regulator has amended its licensing procedures to include a reduction in application fees and the removal of the licence requirement on all licensees to have contractual arrangements in place. The move is designed to encourage smaller businesses to enter the market (precisionmarketing.co.uk).
Post-Switch’s senior marketing analyst Jonathan DeCarteret says: “Royal Mail continues to deliver 99 per cent of all mail, so by simplifying licensing and removing the obstacles for smaller operators, it is trying to attract competition and promote self regulation. All of which offers small and medium businesses greater choice and lower rates.”
But OnePost managing director Graham Cooper claims simplifying the licensing procedure alone will not be enough. He states: “This loosening of the requirements for those wishing to obtain a licence is a direct move by Postcomm to assist in further development of the market. Although there have been many enquiries from small businesses about entering the postal market, the numbers of licence holders remain at less than 20.”
He believes the review of the Postal Sector announced by Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (DBERR) at the end of last year is vital to the future of the direct marketing industry and sets out to assess the impact of liberalisation in the UK postal market.
Whether the move will attract new players into the market, remains to be seen, but anything that injects money into direct marketing can only be positive.
Read MoreNigeria: Union Members Kick Against Postal Reform Bill
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transportation and Corporation (SSACTAC) have criticised the proposed postal reform bill currently with the National Assembly, saying federal government should concentrate with the manpower development and deployment of ICT based facilities before embarking on any reform.
The union members who are angry with the dwindling fortune of the Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL), and the Nigerian Mobiletelecommunication (MTEL) since they were sold to Transnational Corporation (Transcorp), urged the federal government to put the postal reform bill in abeyance until required manpower development and ICT based facilities and other basic developments expected from the government are put in place, to serve as a spring board for an efficient postal service delivery.
In addition, SSACTAC member have equally called for the removal of the current Postmaster General of the Federation, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba to make way for expert and seasoned administrator to head the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
The union also agreed that adequate resources should be released for the postal reforms to follow especially to enable NIPOST meet its business plans. “That a performance bond based on quantifiable and achievable objectives should be drawn for NIPOST to guide its management team by the BPE management and organised labour (NUPTE and SSATACTAC)” Adesunkanmi said.
Read MorePIN Group to pay statutory postal minimum wage to employees – report
PIN Group, the troubled German mail delivery company that has put itself up for sale, is to pay the statutory postal minimum wage to its employees, Focus Online reported, citing no sources.
The decision was made by the company’s new management led by Horst Piepenburg and will be announced within the next few days, it added.
Accordingly, the wages will be increased this month.
At the moment, the company pays its employees an average wage of 7.50 eur per hour.
However, since Jan 1, the statutory minimum wage is 8-9.80 eur.
Read MoreNow victims of crime have details lost in post in latest Government data bungle
Sensitive details about victims of crime may have fallen into the wrong hands in yet another lost data bungle by Government officials.
Four computer discs containing confidential details of magistrates court cases are missing after being posted through the Royal Mail.
The missing material includes details of at least 55 defendants and other “restricted” data not released in open court, potentially including the names and addresses of alleged victims and witnesses.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed last night that an urgent inquiry is under way following the latest in a string of blunders, which have seen the personal details of millions lost by the Government.
Last night critics called for a ban on personal data being posted, and called for a new criminal offence of “recklessly mishandling” such material.
In November officials at HM Revenue and Customs lost the entire child benefit database, and earlier this week the Ministry of Defence admitted that a laptop stolen from a Naval officer contained details of 600,000 military staff and potential recruits – leading to a ban on civil servants taking laptops out of offices.
The latest department to come under fire is Jack Straw’s Ministry of Justice.
The courtroom data discs were posted by recorded delivery on December 15 but never arrived, according to insiders.
To compound the humiliation, the discs were being sent as part of an urgent investigation Mr Straw had ordered into a separate fiasco.
The inquiry is into claims that hundreds of magistrates court cases have been quietly dropped when defendants failed to turn up, meaning that many suspects, including sex offenders, may have escaped justice.
As part of efforts to investigate the scandal, court officials put data on the four computer discs which are now missing.
Ministry of Justice officials refused to comment on exactly what “restricted” data had been lost.
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