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Wed, 02/01/2006 - 09:27 — kebernet

After 145 years, Western Union has quietly stopped sending telegrams.

On the company's web site, if you click on "Telegrams" in the left-side navigation bar, you're taken to a page that ends a technological era with about as little fanfare as possible:

"Effective January 27, 2006, Western Union will discontinue all Telegram and Commercial Messaging services. We regret any inconvenience this may cause you, and we thank you for your loyal patronage. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a customer service representative."

Live Science

Comments

Wed, 02/01/2006 - 10:34 — atrox (not verified)

RE: Stop

Wow, that is remarkably little fanfare, the end of an era.

Thu, 02/02/2006 - 07:35 — anonymous (not verified)

RE: Stop

With telephones, e-mails, teletype, rtty and who knows what else, are telegrams even used anymore? Or are they more of a novelty?

Thu, 02/02/2006 - 10:33 — cooper (not verified)

RE: Stop

It is really interesting at a certain level. It is, in effect, the first communications medium to actually die in ages. Books, telephone, radio, magnetic tape, phonographs, even scrolls and lithics haven't *completely* died when something has come along.

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