The Swiss post office is an independent public institute of the federation and the largest post office enterprise of Switzerland. It carries at present annually scarcely 3 billion addressed transmissions, over 100 million packages, transports 100 million travelers and administers on the average 32 billion CHF. These tasks are mastered with a personnel status by approximately 52 ' 000 persons. Thus the post office is second largest Swiss employer.

Stamps over Internet

The post office launched on-line stamp for private ones, which can be arranged with own Sujets also on 11 April 2006. The Internetfrankatur is world-wide absolutely singular in this kind according to data of the post office. Via Internet the ten postage values for A and B-post office-letters can be downloaded and be printed out on the labels, envelopes and Fenstercouverts. Beside the actual Frankatur can also own photos or diagrams be inserted. Because each person must register itself can the post office with abuse proceed - about if a pornografisches or racistic picture is used as Markensujet. On-line stamp is falsification safe, each mark has a code, which goes through during the read reading only once. The payment of WebStamb private ones takes place without surcharge to postage with Postcard or credit card.

History

See also: Post office history and stamps of Switzerland

Former PTT

The Federal Postal Administration was created on 1 January 1849 to the transport of letters, packages, persons and cash remittances. After 1903 motor vehicles were used for the first time, the last horse post office stopped its enterprise in Avers GR 1961. Starting from 1906 a post office check service (current account, the forerunner of the today's Postfinance (yellow account) existed. 1920 were folded up the Telefonie and Telegrafie with the post office, the authority were called now PTT (post office, telephone, Telegrafie). Since 1939 the characteristic of the Swiss post office is the yellow color. Since that time mail boxes and stamp automats appear in post office yellow. 1964 was introduced the postal zip codes. 1978 set up the PTT the first pos tomatoes (ATM machines) and offered the first Natels (in-car telephones).

Liberalisation

On 31 December 1997 in connection with the 1988 introduced liberalisation the PTT was divided into two companies. The transportation of passengers with post office cars, how also letter, package and financial services became in the today's Swiss post office transfer, while the Swisscom since that time the telecommunication service achievements furnish.

The former is today publicly organized, with a small business clearance. A privatisation is not at present intended, probably however an outsourcing of certain services.

Monopoly

By 1 January 2004 the post office enjoyed a monopolistic position with transmissions up to 2 kg. Since that time the border (like also with the national post office enterprises the European Union) up to 100 g was lowered. In response the post office is obligated to offer a surface covering service Public. For 2009 a restriction is expected on 50 g or the abolishment of the letter monopoly. This leads to the fact that the post office must place itself to the competition already now with the packages over 1 kg and this competition pressure is understood in the rise.

Services

The post office is arranged into seven business fields:

1. Mail (PostMail)
2. Logistics (parcel post)
3. Financial services (PostFinance)
4. Passenger traffic (post office car)
5. Internationally (transnational traffic)
6. Post office net
7. Stamps and Philatelie (stamp-collect)

In the last years the post office offers also to more financial services and entered a co-operation with the UBS. The Swiss post office possesses however no bank license and may even no credits assign. On the search for further sources of income the post office in its 2600 sales offices sells additionally also to Nonfood article from papetery goods to Apple Macintoshs to their customers.

The services of the letter post since longer less and less are inquired, the volumes are declining with the arising of E-Mail and SMS and point also for the future into the direction. Therefore the core business of the post office is endangered. The post office tries to concentrate logistics at three locations (Zurich H¤rkingen and with the project REMA (Reengineering Mail processing, reorganization of the letter processing). There 2006-2008 new sort centers with more efficient machines are to be built. Together with planned six new regional distribution centers (so-called Subzentren) becomes with an investment volume of 1 Mia. CHF counted. One the Subzentren comes to Gossau SG. For the coworkers concerned social plans exist

Criticism

The post office is lately more frequently in criticism guessed/advised. Among other things ever more expensively becoming post office dispatch was criticized, the long waiting periods before the Postschalter like the locking of post offices first in weakly settled areas.

The criticism flowed in an initiative "postal services for everything ", which in the Federal Constitution wanted to embody a surface covering post office net and a deficit warranty. In September 2004 the initiative was very scarcely rejected, which must be rated as partial victory of the Initianten. Over the concrete effects to the initiative disagreement prevailed.

Likewise for criticism the locking of stamp printering ensured 2002. Since that time Swiss stamps in private printering are printed.

Zurzeit provides the paging of the post office autoenterprise and the valuable article dispatch for unrest. The employees fear worse employment conditions, since these were so far clearly better than usual in the private we shank.

Letter and package costs

A standard letter (B-post office) costs 85 black horses (approx. 55 cent), a Priority (A-post office) letter, which is set on the next day, 1 Franconia (approx. 65 cent). Package dispatch is possible starting from 6 Franconias (approx. 3,85 "€).

Related links

• The Swiss post office
• Article about monopoly

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