MDEC has completely closed.

[CornishCracker]

If you didn't know, they shut up shop back at the end of February. Might want to either archive or set this forum to read only.

[ted_e_bear]

Were they the people who saw an image sent from a sorting machine of a badly handwritten item and their job was to try and decipher what it said so it could be sent on its way ?

I remember being told about that job in my new starter training 25 years ago, presumably these days it's probably no longer required hence it's demise, shame really bet it wasn't a bad job.

[Lockardian]

Yes, that’s right.

So what happens now to mail that the machines can’t read? Is it spat out for a manual sort?

[ted_e_bear]

Yes, that’s right.

So what happens now to mail that the machines can’t read? Is it spat out for a manual sort?

I'm guessing yes and judging by some of the stuff we receive they just send it to random delivery offices to get shut if it.

[SpacePhoenix]

Yes, that’s right.

So what happens now to mail that the machines can’t read? Is it spat out for a manual sort?

I'm guessing yes and judging by some of the stuff we receive they just send it to random delivery offices to get shut if it.

It uses an AI system (not address interpretation) to work out where stuff that would have gone to the MDECs is supposed to go to.

[Basildon Bond]

If anyone is interested, I've found a video (linked below) that has a UK YouTuber (Tom Scott) talking about the US version of routing letters than cannot be automatically read...



If that's similar to the UK job it's rather tricky to get the hang of it.

[Lockardian]

The MDEC procedure was easier, in my opinion, but the principle was the same.