This number is exceptionally high, the company announced on Wednesday, in previous years only between 200 and 300 telegrams were sent per month.
In the past, the telegram was indispensable for quickly sending messages by post. It was used for political news, but also for news about a birth. The style was concise: the language was extremely abbreviated, personal pronouns or adjectives were often omitted. In the age of smartphones and the Internet, the technology is now considered outdated and also expensive – a written telegram with up to 160 characters recently cost 12.57 euros.
In recent years, the demand for telegrams from private customers has “increasedly declined”, which is why the product has now been discontinued, according to Swiss Post on its website. Recently, the telegram has mainly been used by companies and administrations. In 2008, Swiss Post had already stopped sending telegrams abroad.
(AFP)