There was a time when I would receive all my bills by the mail, electricity, taxes, credit cards etc. Today, even contractors send you bills via email. what I get in the post is mostly flyers and magazine (mostly addressed to the previous owner!).
So apparently yesterday the Quebec branch of Canada Post was on strike (OK it may have been Montreal only!) but I don't think anyone noticed (I certainly didn't). The problem for Post Canada is that its a 20th century service that 21st century customers don't need (like a fixed phone line).
I have not received a personal letter in many years -- 99% of birthday, Christmas and other greetings have become eCards. I ended all newspaper subscription about 18 months ago (thank you Ipad), The FT, The Economist, WSJ, and local newspaper are all delivered electronically.
Bills are all electronic...
the one service I would appreciate from the post office is a package delivery system that actually works well. There is a post office less than 500 yards from my place, and yet all package deliveries are more than 2km away... My guess is that the postal system will die its natural death over the next 5-10 years (as soon as the outlying regions have access to the internet).
Access to the internet is the key here to the death of the internet.
As an aside, last quarter, Amazon sold more ebooks than physical books (a first). Music stores are almost all dead (thanks to iTune), book stores will end up the same way soon.
So apparently yesterday the Quebec branch of Canada Post was on strike (OK it may have been Montreal only!) but I don't think anyone noticed (I certainly didn't). The problem for Post Canada is that its a 20th century service that 21st century customers don't need (like a fixed phone line).
I have not received a personal letter in many years -- 99% of birthday, Christmas and other greetings have become eCards. I ended all newspaper subscription about 18 months ago (thank you Ipad), The FT, The Economist, WSJ, and local newspaper are all delivered electronically.
Bills are all electronic...
the one service I would appreciate from the post office is a package delivery system that actually works well. There is a post office less than 500 yards from my place, and yet all package deliveries are more than 2km away... My guess is that the postal system will die its natural death over the next 5-10 years (as soon as the outlying regions have access to the internet).
Access to the internet is the key here to the death of the internet.
As an aside, last quarter, Amazon sold more ebooks than physical books (a first). Music stores are almost all dead (thanks to iTune), book stores will end up the same way soon.