what electronic stuff is there in UK postboxes?

what electronic stuff is there in UK postboxes?
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Subject Author Date
what electronic stuff is there in UK postboxes? banana 11-01-2005
Posted by banana on November 2, 2005, 11:43 am
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HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes

>
>>banana wrote:
>>> >
>>> >banana wrote:
>>> >> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes

<snip>

>As for radio interference, I only know about such interference in the
>vicinity of a number of business postboxes - as I said, the ones that
>only take franked mail. I have had reports from several. Obviously I
>haven't had reports from all of them...

I should add that in one case, the business postbox is practically
adjacent to a phone booth. I don't know whether anyone has checked to
ensure that interference is not just coming from the latter. I will try
to check this about the others.

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)


Posted by Ian Bailey on November 2, 2005, 1:19 pm
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banana wrote:
>
> >banana wrote:
> >> >
> >> >banana wrote:
> >> >> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes
>
> <snip>
>
> >> >> Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
> >> >> 'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.
> >> >
> >> >My old fella works for the P.O.
> >> >There are no devices. They scan a barcode at each post box, into a hand
> >> >held device. This lets the gaffers know when and which boxes are empty.
> >>
> >> Thanks for this. Also it lets them know what time the worker has visited
> >> the box. Are you saying there's only a printed barcode in the box...no
> >> electronic tag of any kind?
> >>
> >> Why is there so much interference on car radios close to business boxes?
> >
> >My closest post box is visible through my front window I have no
> >interference on either radio TV or wifi signals. I've been there
> >several times when postie opened the box. The letters are held in a
> >wire mesh cage. He puts them in his sack and closes the door.
>
> Maybe it's one in a country wall, the sort that birds sometimes nest in?

Nope. Its a free-standing box on a pole.

> But when collecting mail from ordinary free-standing cylindrical
> cast-iron boxes, posties use a handheld electronic device. I am open to
> the idea that this is simply a barcode reader.

Surely if a system existed it would be on all post boxes - otherwise
what use it it? I can categorically assure you that my post box has no
electronics, no barcodes and my postie has no handheld device.


I am also open to the
> idea that there is at least an RFID circuit together with the barcode
> inside the box. (Barcodes are very easy to print). I assure you,
> however, that there is electronic logging of the visit, involving the
> pointing of a handheld device at what's behind the door.
>
> If the box were an 'ordinary' one, you could not avoid noticing this.

I couldn't - apart from the fact that my postbox has no electronics or
barcodes inside it.

Ian



Posted by banana on November 3, 2005, 12:28 am
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>banana wrote:
>>
>> >banana wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >banana wrote:
>> >> >> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes

<snip>

>> Maybe it's one in a country wall, the sort that birds sometimes nest in?
>
>Nope. Its a free-standing box on a pole.
>
>> But when collecting mail from ordinary free-standing cylindrical
>> cast-iron boxes, posties use a handheld electronic device. I am open to
>> the idea that this is simply a barcode reader.
>
>Surely if a system existed it would be on all post boxes - otherwise
>what use it it?

Maybe the system is being phased in. Maybe it's considered more useful
to the bosses to have it in most postboxes than in none. Whatever,
'ordinary' postboxes do contain (at least) barcodes that the postie
points an electronic device at.

But even the smallest postboxes would have room for a printed barcode,
e.g. on the back of the door - or indeed an RFID chip. Maybe
bureaucratic idiocy is involved somewhere along the line.

>I can categorically assure you that my post box has no
>electronics, no barcodes and my postie has no handheld device.

--
banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)


Posted by on November 3, 2005, 2:11 am
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banana wrote:
> >Surely if a system existed it would be on all post boxes - otherwise
> >what use it it?
>
> Maybe the system is being phased in. Maybe it's considered more useful
> to the bosses to have it in most postboxes than in none. Whatever,
> 'ordinary' postboxes do contain (at least) barcodes that the postie
> points an electronic device at.
>
> But even the smallest postboxes would have room for a printed barcode,
> e.g. on the back of the door - or indeed an RFID chip. Maybe
> bureaucratic idiocy is involved somewhere along the line.

Apologies for my earlier flippancy. The press notice below states
(note 6) that 'Barcode readers are used extensively in the Cardiff,
Flintshire, Newport, Rhyl and Swansea areas.' They seem to be simply
for recording when a collection is made.

A TIMELY REMINDER
15 April 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Collection tabs on post boxes, which tell postal users which
collections during the
day have been carried out, are being reintroduced.
The reintroduction follows a year-long campaign by consumer watchdog
Postwatch.
Says Eifion Pritchard, Chairman of Postwatch Wales "This is what the
public have
been telling us they want. People want to know they are catching the
last post and
their letters will not be left in the box overnight."
"We have been pressurising Royal Mail to bring back tabs on post
boxes for quite
some time. I am glad the company is listening to the voice of the
consumer."
Eifion Pritchard adds, "To help press the case for the collection
tabs to be
reintroduced, Postwatch Wales carried out a survey. The results show
that the
overall picture in Wales is that customers for the most part, can rely
on post boxes
being emptied on time every day."
The survey's co-ordinator, Postwatch Wales Committee member Gordon
Donaldson
says, "Our test letters were posted from boxes around Wales some 5-10
minutes
before the last collection time. The findings show that 6.8% of these
test letters were
delayed. We suspect this is because post was collected earlier than the
advertised
last times."
Eifion Pritchard concludes "It seems the picture for Wales is better
than that for the
UK as a whole. A research project commissioned by Postwatch earlier
this year
showed that UK-wide, 18% of post was collected early."
"Postwatch Wales's findings are good news for postal users in
Wales, but people
want a guarantee that their post will be collected on time."
- ENDS -
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Collection tabs, the numbered metal plates on post boxes, are being
reintroduced during the remainder of 2004.
2. UK-wide research commissioned by Postwatch and published in January
2004, showed that 18% of post was collected early or late i.e. before
or after
the time advertised on the post box.
3. Postwatch Wales conducted an in-depth review into the situation in
Wales.
4. There are 9,000 post boxes in Wales. 477 (5.3%) post boxes were
included in
the Postwatch Wales survey.
5. The 601 test letters for the Postwatch Wales survey were posted 5-10
minutes
before the last collection time.
6. 6.8% of the test letters were delayed because of suspected early
collections.
In areas of Wales were barcode readers are used by Royal Mail suspected
early
collections were as low as 3.3%. Barcode readers are used extensively
in the Cardiff,
Flintshire, Newport, Rhyl and Swansea areas.



Posted by Jay on November 1, 2005, 8:37 am
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banana wrote:
> >
> >banana wrote:
> >> HIS.borve.demon.co.uk> writes
> >>
> >> >I'd be grateful for info as to what electronic gadgetry is installed in
> >> >UK postboxes.
> >> >
> >> >How are visits by Royal Mail workers to empty the boxes logged
> >> >electronically?
> >> >
> >> >Presumably the vans are all satellite-tracked. But what gizmo do the
> >> >workers use to 'shake hands' with the gadgetry in the box?
> >> >
> >> >And what about 'business postboxes' - the ones for franked mail only?
> >> >Just try using your car radio near one. You probably won't be able to,
> >> >because of the electromagnetic interference.
> >>
> >> I've counted 11 replies so far, all of them content-free as far as the
> >> topic goes. I wonder how many of the authors even knew there was any
> >> electronics inside postboxes? (Well you know now, because I've just told
> >> you. Find the information hard to deal with? Well wait around until a
> >> postie opens the door and collects the letters). Or how many would have
> >> sufficient interest to try to use a radio in proximity to one of the
> >> 'business postboxes'?
> >>
> >> Responses from those with something to say - e.g. if you work for the
> >> 'Royal Mail' - would be very welcome.
> >
> >My old fella works for the P.O.
> >There are no devices. They scan a barcode at each post box, into a hand
> >held device. This lets the gaffers know when and which boxes are empty.
>





> Thanks for this. Also it lets them know what time the worker has visited
> the box. Are you saying there's only a printed barcode in the box...no
> electronic tag of any kind?
>
> Why is there so much interference on car radios close to business boxes?

He is sure of no devices, just called him. Just the barcode.
Gonna find out about the business boxes for you.




>
> --
> banana "The thing I hate about you, Rowntree, is the way you
> give Coca-Cola to your scum, and your best teddy-bear to
> Oxfam, and expect us to lick your frigid fingers for the
> rest of your frigid life." (Mick Travis, 'If...', 1968)



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