Future scenarios....

[Pinky 1]

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binari ... ential.pdf

Scrolling down, existing minimum standards stated as letters delivered 6 days a week but packets only 5 days, perhaps a possibility for some relief on a Saturday!

Packets have always been mon-fri under the USO.
No relief i'm afraid.

I'd always thought that packets (live mail) were Mon-Sat, and that only parcels are Mon-Fri under the USO ?

[fishtank]

To be honest Pinky i think the USO only mentions letters with relation to how many days a week and then mentions that it must have a packet service up to 20kg.

[fishtank]

Royal Mail/Postcomm actually ran a consultation with it's bulk mailers last year along the same lines...the results were interesting.

Impact on acceptability of making one change to the service:Bulk
Change to Service ...........................................Acceptability (%)
Current Service .......................................................80.7
First class quality of service at 85% ..............................78.1
Single tier ..............................................................78.1
First class quality of service at 75%...............................76.4
First class stamp cost 45p ...........................................74.6
Delivery and collection five days (Mon – Fri)....................72.0
First class stamp costs 49p........................................... 66.0
Delivery and collection five days (Sat & 4 weekdays)......... 56.6
First class stamp costs 55p ...........................................23.9

It's not surprising to see that bulk mailers rate cost as the most important issue but it is surprising that they would rather lose a saturday than a weekday.
It is also interesting to see that Royal Mail have considered that option enough to put it in a consultation document to major bulk customers.