Tag: Europe

UK’s Post Office targets BT with new phone service

Posted by | Jan 10, 2005 | |

Royal Mail launched a home telephone service in a bid to steal customers from BT Group, the country’s former telecoms monopoly. Royal Mail said it hoped to sign up 1m customers, or about 5 per cent of BT’s residential business, to its own HomePhone service by 2008. The company is only the latest entrant into the UK’s domestic fixed-line market where BT’s dominance has been under attack in recent years from a string of new competitors such as Carphone Warehouse and Tele2.

Read More

Austrian Post Office may be privatized, says holding company

Posted by | Jan 10, 2005 | |

The Austrian Post Office may be partially privatized in just over one year’s time, said the holding company for state industry OEIAG on Monday. OEIAG supervisory board chief Alfred Heinzel said in the newspaper Die Presse that up to 49 per cent of the Post Office could be sold on the stock exchange around May 2006. “Intensive work” was already being done for this, he said. There were two alternative plans. Fristly, between 25 and 49 per cent could be sold on the stock exchange, or secondly, 25 per cent could be sold to a strategic partner, and 24 per cent on the stock exchange. He did not say who would be the best strategic partner, but sources recently said the German Post Office would be an ideal choice.

Read More

Postal watchdog angers UK Royal Mail boss with split suggestion

Posted by | Jan 9, 2005 | |

Britain’s postal watchdog is pressing for the carve-up of Royal Mail to encourage fresh competition into the market. Under Postwatch’s proposals, Royal Mail would be divided into two companies, with separate chief executives. The consumer watchdog has taken its cue from the gas industry, which has seen the creation of separate businesses owning pipes and billing customers. Under its plans for Royal Mail, Postwatch would like to see the state- owned company’s marketing operations split from the pipeline business, which includes sorting and delivery. It argues that splitting Royal Mail in two would ensure that the fee rivals pay Royal Mail to access its sorting and delivery services would exclude marketing costs. “This is not an anti-Royal Mail move, it is pro-competition,” a Postwatch spokesman said. “We have got to get transparency at Royal Mail, to know that there is no cross-subsidy between the businesses.” The watchdog’s proposals are set to increase tensions between the Royal Mail chairman, Allan Leighton, and the Postwatch chairman, Peter Carr.

Read More

Vat plan may add 5p to cost of stamps

Posted by | Jan 9, 2005 | |

Postal regulators are calling on the government to levy Vat on stamps that could add 5p to the cost of sending a first-class letter. Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that Postcomm is in “negotiations” with the Treasury and the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). The regulator believes the special exemption from Vat for Royal Mail stamps will have to be scrapped when the postal market is opened up to full competition next year. A reduced rate of 5% has been proposed but the European Commission may insist the full rate of 17.5% is levied, according to the papers. The exemption is not available to other mail companies hoping to enter the market so would prevent a level playing field. The EC is understood to be pressuring the government on behalf of European companies that are planning to start collecting and delivering British mail from 2006.

Read More

NTMA wants cut in 40m An Post bill for bonds and savings certs services

Posted by | Jan 8, 2005 | |

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) is seeking a 20pc cut in its 40m-a-year payments to An Post for handling savings certificates, bonds and regular deposits. The NTMA is responsible for managing the funds raised through these products on behalf of the Government, but An Post markets them and sells them in post offices. It charges its fellow State agency 2.75pc of the value of the transactions. This is more than the certificates and bonds pay in interest to savers, and many times the 0.1pc which ordinary depositors in An Post savings receive. It also compares with the 0.5pc charged by the international managers of the national pension fund. NTMA officials believe the fees are too high and are seeking an 8m reduction. A spokesman for An Post would say only that the matter was under discussion. An Post is likely to argue that there is considerable work involved in handling retail products such as these, where amounts are often small, and that the charges are justified.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest