Perfect Office Suppliers Limited Canal Street, Manchester m14 2kq Fax transmission

From: Mike Wilson

To: Sue Franks

Sue-

I've been in Bournemouth now since yesterday, and our clients seem to be most enthusiastic about our new range of notepaper. Can you send some more samples and about twenty more catalogues? Please send them Datapost, then I'll definitely get them tomorrow.

Also, just to let you know I'll be in Norwich on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th, and back at the office on the Monday,

Thanks, and see you next week.

13.2.2

This fax is an example of an informal message from a sales representative, who needs something to be done urgently by his Head Office. Notice that the fax is kept brief and clear.

13.3

Electronic mail (email)

Electronic mail is a means of sending and receiving messages- internally, nationally, or internationally. In the UK, Telecom Gold is a leading commercial email service. Subscribers to email need a terminal, such as a personal computer, a telephone line, and a modem, which is a device for converting signals to text. Messages appear on the receiver's computer screen.

Email users can also have access to a mailbox, which they can call from anywhere in the world and retrieve messages. They receive a mailbox number and a password for confidentiality. Messages can be printed out and kept for reference or filing.

In comparison with telex, email is relatively low in cost, and does not require a trained operator. It is also fast, relatively reliable, and messages can be sent or picked up anywhere in the world, and stored in the mailbox until they are retrieved. This can be particularly advantageous for users who are communicating across international time zones.

Users of the Telecom Gold system can request a personal telex number, and receive messages through email, or send faxes to users on the same system.

13.4

Specimen email message

Here is an example of one type of message, with the capitals representing data on the Visual Display Unit (VDU) and the italics, the messages.

Notice the codes which are the personal numbers of the subscribers, e.g. ABC 123, and the prefixes, e.g. 70: which is the number of that computer system. Also the dot(.) before the word SEND(.SEND), which is a command to the computer.

13..5

Telegrams and cables

The words telegram and\telegraph are usually associated with internal communication, while cable generally refers to overseas messages. Telegram is a noun and telegraph can be used as a verb or adjective:

We received your telegram. Please telegraph your reply. A telegraph line.

Cable can be used as a verb, noun, or adjective:

I cabled him yesterday.

Please send a cable.

We received a cable message.

There are a number of points to remember when telegraphing or cabling a message. Below is a guide.

BUMAN CARGO SPACE SS FORTUNA AVAILABLE STOP CONFIRM SHIP SAILS 10 FEB STOP DELIVER CONSIGNMENT WITH DOCUMENTS SOONEST TRANSHIP LONDON

Receiver's telegraphic address Message Sender's telegraphic address

13.5.1

Layout of telegrams and cables

Although small letters can be used, cables are usually written out in capitals with the telegraphic address of the receiver at the top, the message following, and the sender's address at the end.

Telegraphic addresses are usually made up from the name of the firm, e.g. Denis Robert can be formed into DENRO, or from the name and trade of the company. Figures are also sometimes added.

13.5.2

The word STOP

Although there can be full stops in telegrams and cables, sentences are often broken up with the word STOP.

NEGOTIATIONS SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED STOP HOME TOMORROW STOP

YOUR LAST SHIPMENT DAMAGED STOP LETTER FOLLOWS STOP

Occasionally, however, the word STOP can create confusion if the cable is carelessly worded. If, in the second cable above, the sender had used the word WRITING instead of LETTER FOLLOWS to indicate that he was going to write a letter later, the message would have read STOP WRITING, with possibly unfortunate results.

13 5 3

The word REPEAT

This word is often used in cables to emphasize a negative:

DO NOT REPEAT NOT SEND ORDER 18551

Or to emphasize an important detail:

FLIGHT DELAYED BY SIX REPEAT SIX HOURS

13.5.4