Telegraphy - Worldwide Status of Telegram Services

Worldwide Status of Telegram Services

• In Australia, Australia Post closed its telegram service on 7 March 2011. In the Victorian town of Beechworth, visitors can send telegrams to family members or friends from the Beechworth Telegraph Station.
• In Bahrain, Batelco still offers telegram services. They are thought to be more formal than an email or a fax, but less so than a letter. So should a death or anything of importance occur, telegrams would be sent.
• In Belgium, Belgacom still offers telegram services within the country and internationally.
• In Canada, Telegrams Canada still offers telegram services. AT&T Canada had discontinued its telegram service in 2001 and later became MTS Allstream.
• In Germany, Deutsche Post delivers telegrams the next day as ordinary mail. Deutsche Post discontinued service to foreign countries on 31 December 2000. A private firm, TelegrammDirekt.de, offers delivery in Germany and service to a number of foreign countries.
• In Ireland, Eircom – the country's largest telecommunication company and former PTT – formally discontinued telegram service on 30 July 2002.
• In Japan, NTT provides a telegram (denpou) service used mainly for special occasions such as weddings, funerals, graduations, etc. Local offices offer telegrams printed on special decorated paper and envelopes.
• In Lithuania, telegram service was closed by the only provider Teo LT on 15 October 2007.
• In Malaysia, Telekom Malaysia has ceased its telegram service effective 1 July 2012.
• In Mexico, telegrams are still used as a low-cost service for people who cannot afford or do not have access to e-mail.
• In Nepal, Nepal Telecom closed its telegram service on 1 January 2009.
• In the Netherlands, the telegram service was sold by KPN to the Swiss-based company Unitel Telegram Services in 2001.
• In New Zealand, New Zealand Post closed its telegram service in 1999. It later reinstated the service in 2003 for use only by business customers, primarily for debt collection or other important business notices.
• In Russia, Central Telegraph still offers telegram service. "Regular" or "Urgent" telegrams can be sent to any address in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. So called "Stylish" telegrams printed on an artistic postcard are also available.
• In Sweden, TeliaSonera, still delivers telegrams as nostalgic novelty items, rather than a primary means of communication.
• In Switzerland, Unitel Telegram Services took over telegram services from the national PTTs. Telegrams can still be sent to and from most countries.
• In the United Kingdom, the international telegram service formerly provided by British Telecom was sold in 2003 to an independent company, Telegrams Online, which promotes the use of telegrams as a retro greeting card or invitation.
• In the United States, Western Union closed its telegram service on 27 January 2006. Western Union's telegram service was acquired by iTelegram, an independent company. Telegrams are also offered by other companies such as OpenText and American Telegram.