After over nearly two years of deliberation and denial, it has been decided by India’s largest telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to forgo the use of messages sent by telegram, a service that to much surprise continues to remain ubiquitous within the country.
Apparently, the FINALLY outdated method of communication is favored by many, not only because the country’s developing networks leave much to be desired — only about 26% of citizens own cellphones — but also due to its “sense of urgency and authenticity.”
When questioned about the company’s decision to discontinue the service, general manager of BSNL’s telegraph services Shamim Akhtar said, “We were incurring losses of over $23 million a year because SMS and smartphones have rendered this service redundant.”
That being said, an industry that once employed approximately 12,500 people, now only requires the efforts of 998 people, some of whom will be accommodated with jobs in other departments.
For a communications technology that has been in use since as early as 1792, telegrams have had an impressive run.
Stop.
(Image: Shorpy)
