| RelayOne | |
| Producttype: | Email to postal system service |
| Producedby: | Royal Mail |
| Tagline: | Welcome to the post office of the future... open for business today |
RelayOne was an email to postal system service run by the United Kingdom's Royal Mail from 1998 until 2000. The company described it as a modern-day telegram.
The service launched in the United Kingdom in March 1998, and by April of that year a United States launch was planned.[1]
The service cost £1.50 per page, and up to 50 pages could be sent for £5, which was a significantly higher cost than the price of a postage stamp. The email would be printed by Royal Mail in London and then posted in the regular mail to its recipient.[2] A selection of greeting cards that could be printed was later added.[1] Royal Mail's technology partner for the system was the American company, Microsoft.
The service was discontinued in 2000 as it was not commercially viable.[3] At the time of its demise, RelayOne was handling 400 items a month.[3] Royal Mail did however continue to support a similar free of charge system used to send mail to the British Armed Forces serving overseas.[3]