World's last telegram to be sent next month
 

World's last telegram to be sent next month

We're not sure if it's more surprising to learn that the last telegram in the world will be sent next month ... or that people are still sending telegrams somewhere. They are, though: 5,000 telegrams are still sent every day in India.

But that's all coming to an end on July 13, when the country's state-owned telecom company, BSNL, will end its telegraph service for good, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

At the medium's peak in 1985, Indians were sending 60 million telegrams a year.

But with the rise of cell and smart phones, BSNL says it's losing $23 million a year to keep the service running. Nevertheless, some devotees believe the telegram still plays a vital role in the country.

"I am a regular user of the telegram and it is an important tool for activists," says fan AP Tripathi. "For example, a telegram to a court informing them of illegal detention of a citizen by the police is taken as a writ petition."

Tripathi is so passionate about the telegram, in fact, he has even threatened to go on a Gandhian fast unless the decision is overturned.

He notified the government of his intentions ... via telegram.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/w...egram/2426373/

I got a couple telegrams when I was a kid; in retrospect, I sure wish I had saved those.

yeah, times are changing for sure... wonder what the last 8 track was... think western union will go out of biz?

Pretty sure I have a few of those out in the garage, would be a few 4 tracks as well

saw a car this morn for sale with an 8 track player...

http://www.customclassics.net/cars-f...d=156940438150

you look over Lar's new project?

Dam that car is clean

I used to get them from my hippy uncle on my birthday, he was always off in the middle east/asia for most of my childhood.

I remember when they removed the telegraph machine at work......apparently was the last machine in Canada....where we would received the daily weather forecasts

After there's another world war which will end the world as we know it, survivors will be clamboring to reset up that telegraph system.

Clamboring!

It would be interested to see dates when each country stopped this service.

Since it is going to be in India, it will probably say, "have you tried restarting your computer three times?"

Interesting that the last telegram in the U.S. was sent as late as 2006 according to what I just read.