{{Short description|British email to postal system service}} {{about|the British email to postal system service|the experimental communications satellite|Relay program#Relay 1}} {{Infobox brand | name = RelayOne | logo = RelayOne_logo.gif | logo_upright = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = Logo of RelayOne, 2000 | image = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | producttype = Email to postal system service | currentowner = | producedby = [[Royal Mail]] | country = {{ubl|United Kingdom|United States}} | introduced = {{start date|1998}} | discontinued = {{end date|2000}} | related = | markets = | previousowners = | trademarkregistrations = | ambassadors = | tagline = Welcome to the post office of the future... open for business today | website = {{url|http://relayone.co.uk/}} | module = <!-- or: misc --> | module1 = <!-- or: misc1 --> | footnotes = }} '''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]].
== History == The service launched in the United Kingdom in March 1998, and by April of that year a United States launch was planned.<ref name="zdnet">{{cite news |title=Royal Mail and MS plan US launch for RelayOne |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/royal-mail-and-ms-plan-us-launch-for-relayone/ |access-date=8 April 2023 |work=ZDNET |language=en}}</ref>
The service cost £1.50 per page, and up to 50 pages could be sent for £5,<ref name="newsci"/> which was a significantly higher cost than the price of a [[Postage stamps and postal history of Great Britain|postage stamp]]. The email would be printed by Royal Mail in London and then posted in the regular mail to its recipient.<ref name="newsci">{{cite news |title=A marriage made in cyberspace |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15821301-000-a-marriage-made-in-cyberspace/ |access-date=8 April 2023 |work=New Scientist}}</ref> A selection of [[greeting cards]] that could be printed was later added.<ref name="zdnet"/> Royal Mail's technology partner for the system was the American company, [[Microsoft]].<ref name="reg"/>
The service was discontinued in 2000 as it was not commercially viable.<ref name="reg">{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Tim |title=Royal Mail ditches e-mail operation |url=https://www.theregister.com/2000/08/01/royal_mail_ditches_email_operation/ |access-date=8 April 2023 |work=The Register |language=en}}</ref> At the time of its demise, RelayOne was handling 400 items a month.<ref name="reg"/> Royal Mail did however continue to support a similar free of charge system used to send mail to the [[British Armed Forces]] serving overseas.<ref name="reg"/>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{cite web|url=http://relayone.co.uk/ |title=RelayOne |publisher=Royal Mail |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000608015506/http://relayone.co.uk/ |archive-date=8 June 2000 |url-status=dead }}
[[Category:Microsoft email software]] [[Category:Email]] [[Category:Royal Mail]] [[Category:Telecommunications-related introductions in 1998]] [[Category:Products and services discontinued in 2000]]