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NEW ELECTRONIC INTELPOST' SERVICE LAUNCHED
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THE POST OFFICE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH CABLE AND WIRELESS (HK) LTD, TODAY (MONDAY) LAUNCHED A NEW ELECTRONIC +INTELPOST+ SERVICE, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FROM TOMORROW.
EXPLAINING THE NEW INTELPOST+ SERVICE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, MR A.G. HEATHCOTE SAID IT WAS +A MARRIAGE BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL POSTAL SYSTEM AND THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION MEDIA.
+ IT WILL PROVIDE FOR THE HIGH SPEED FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION OF BUSINESS PAPERS, DOCUMENTS, ETC. BETWEEN HONG KONG AND 60 CENTRES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, HE SAID.
UNDER THIS SERVICE, FACSIMILE COPIES OF DOCUMENTS, ETC. ACCEPTED FOR TRANSMISSION AT THE GENERAL POST OFFICE OR TSIM SHA TSUI POST OFFICE WILL BE DELIVERED WITHIN A FEW HOURS BY SPECIAL MESSENGER DIRECT TO THE ADDRESSEE IN THE TOWN AREAS SERVED BY THESE 60 CENTRES.
IF THE ADDRESS OF THE RECIPIENT IS LOCATED OUTSIDE THESE 60 TOWN AREAS, ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE FOR THE DOCUMENTS TO BE COLLECTED AT THE NEAREST INTELPOST OFFICE OR DELIVERED BY FIRST CLASS MAIL.
THE INTELPOST CENTRES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE BEEN SELECTED WITH THE TWIN AIMS OF PROVIDING WIDESPREAD GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE MAIN COMMERCIAL CENTRES WHERE THE GREATEST DEMAND FOR THE NEW SERVICE WILL BE EXPECTED.
MR HEATHCOTE POINTED OUT THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF GOOD COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEM WILL BE A VALUABLE ADDITION TO THE EXISTING SERVICES OFFERED BY THE POST OFFICE.
HE SAID THAT EVENTUALLY ALL POST OFFICES WILL HAVE TO MOVE INTO THE ELECTRONIC AGE AND FORECAST THAT INTELPOST, WHICH WAS AT PRESENT AVAILABLE ONLY IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA, WOULD BECOME AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT SERVICE.
HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SERVICE WAS NOT RESTRICTED TO DOCUMENTS BUT COULD ALSO BE USED TO SEND DRAWINGS AND EVEN LETTERS OR GREETINGS IN MANUSCRIPT TO RELATIVES AND FRIENDS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
THE COST OF THE INTELPOST SERVICE, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC TOMORROW (DECEMBER 7) WILL BE $50 FOR THE FIRST SIDE OF A DOCUMENT OF A4 SIZE (210 MM X 297 MM OR 8.2 IN X 11.6 IN) AND $25 FOR EACH SUBSEQUENT SIDE BEING SENT AT THE SAME TIME TO THE SAME ADDRESSEE.
NEGOTIATIONS ARE ALSO PROCEEDING FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE INTELPOST SERVICE TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
FURTHER DETAILS ON THE INTELPOST SERVICE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM
MR P.C. LUK ON TELEPHONE NO. 5-2671202.
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