Tag: Domestic

Postcomm confirms changes following review of 2006-10 Price Control

Posted by | Nov 26, 2007 | |

Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services, has, following a consultation, decided to confirm its proposals made in August 2007 that Royal Mail should be given extra flexibility to increase some retail prices and that access margins should be left unchanged. These decisions are in response to the requests by Royal Mail, TNT Post and UK Mail for a review of some aspects of the 2006-10 Price Control.

As set out in Postcomm’s proposals document published in August, this decision would allow Royal Mail to raise the price of a second class stamp to 29p by 2010, subject to inflation (the original price cap was 26p). The price cap on a first class stamp will not be affected by this decision.

In addition, Postcomm has decided to reject the requests from Royal Mail, TNT Post and UK Mail to change the margin between Royal Mail’s prices for bulk mail products and the amount Royal Mail charges other mail operators for access to its network and delivery of bulk mail over the ‘final mile’. Royal Mail had wanted to reduce the margin and the two Access operators argued that it should be increased.

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Botswana Post: Postal policy coming

Posted by | Nov 23, 2007 | |

The Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Mrs Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi is expected to officially open a two-day National Postal Policy stakeholders consultative seminar in Gaborone.

The purpose of the seminar is to solicit public views on the policy. The ministry says in a press release that the development of the event follows public concerns that the lack of a policy hampers service delivery and infrastructure development.

Consequently, the draft policy will interrogate the need to define a structure for governments vision in terms of service provision in the postal sector.

The ministry says the digital age is believed to have had adverse affects on the role and function of the postal services throughout the world and Botswana is no exception.

The introduction of electronic communication services, such as the Internet, e-mails and SMS messages, has impacted negatively on postal services.

However, it says, the postal service remains an essential tool in delivery of goods in this era of e-commerce, in exchange of information, particularly to the underserved communities countrywide.

In line with Vision 2016 objectives and the draft National ICT Policy, the ministry says, Botswana Post can be used as a platform to effectively reach out to the communities countrywide, as it has the facilities and experience to provide universal services.

In addition, it says Botswana Posts postal network can be used to house Kitsong Centres which are community communication and business centres.

The release further states that in many cases, post offices also serve as banking outlets for the Botswana Savings Banks and that many Batswana use them to remit money to their kith and kin around the country or the Western Union to transact money outside the country.

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Hungarian competition office fines Magyar Posta and Lapker

Posted by | Nov 22, 2007 | |

The Competition Office (GVH) has penalised the state-owned postal service Magyar Posta and regional periodical distributor Lapker Ft 468 million (USD 2.71 milion) apiece, after it proved that the two companies had agreed not to enter each other’s markets.

The cartel began in 1998, when Magyar Posta sold its regional wholesale distribution service to Lapker. The regional distributor agreed that it would not venture into periodical distribution formerly controlled by Magyar Posta, which in return agreed to opt out of wholesale distribution to news sellers. The agreement was cancelled in 2005.

Magyar Posta asserted that it will bring a legal action to challenge the ruling.

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Courier loses 25 million people's data (UK)

Posted by | Nov 22, 2007 | |

When heading to work, most couriers probably don’t expect to find themselves at the centre of a large-scale loss of data leading to a political storm.

But for TNT one misplaced package has caused a national outcry, as CDs containing the personal data of 25 million people is now missing.

Information about anyone registered with HMRC as receiving child benefits is likely to be contained on the missing CDs, including birthdates, addresses and bank details, which leaves them vulnerable to identity fraud.

An HMRC employee sent the child benefit database from Tyne and Wear to London using courier firm TNT in October. They were not sent with a recorded delivery courier and as a result TNT has said it is unable to track the package.

“TNT operates a general internal mail system for the HMRC and other associated government agencies,” a statement for the company said.

“General mail does not carry a track and trace mechanism and hence it has been impossible, in this instance, to conduct an audit to identify if the item entered the system.”

While there are no doubt red faces all round, it is the HMRC employee and chancellor Alistair Darling who are suffering more than the courier. The staff member was placed under police protection, while the chancellor is fending off resignation calls.

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TNT says unclear if it ever had data

Posted by | Nov 21, 2007 | |

Dutch mail company TNT said there was no way of verifying if a shipment with personal data of 25 million Britons and believed lost was actually sent through the mail system it operates.
TNT runs an internal mail system for HM Revenue and Customs, the tax authority, that carries up to 100,000 mail items each night.
Chancellor Alistair Darling told parliament on Tuesday that two discs containing information on 25 million Britons had disappeared after being sent through the mail system.
TNT said the system offered the option for the sender to choose a service that offers full track and trace of a shipment, but for the shipment in question, that option was not selected.
“General mail does not carry a track and trace mechanism and hence it has been impossible, in this instance, to conduct an audit to identify if the item entered the system,” the company said.
TNT said it was cooperating fully with the tax authority and the Metropolitan Police in the investigation into the missing computer discs.
TNT shares were down 3.3 percent at 25.62 euros by 3:40 p.m.
“It’s embarrassing, it was sensitive mail,” ING analyst Axel Funhoff said.
Funhoff said it was unlikely, however, that TNT would lose customers as a result.

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