Re: Some truth about Comcast - WikiLeaks style

[Brett Frankenberger <rbf+nanog () panix com>]

On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 12:42:09AM -0600, Robert Bonomi wrote:
> > From: Leo Bicknell <bicknell () ufp org>
> >
> > So if it's illegal for you to put a letter inside a FedEx box,
>
> Bzzt!  It's -not- illegal to put a letter inside a FedEx box.  It just has
> to have the appropriate (USPS) postage on it, _as_well_ as paying the FedEx
> service/delivery fee.  

Bzzt!.  It is, in general, as a practical matter, completely legal to
send letters overnight via FedEx, without paying any US postage.  Under
the "Extremely Urgent" exception, any shipment for which the shipper
pays more than the greater of $3 and twice what the USPS would charge
to send it first class, is deemed extremely urgent (whether or not it
reallt is) and is excemt from the requirement to use the USPS or pay
USPS postage.

Except in some pretty rare cases, any shipment of letters sent via
FedEx is going to cost more than $3 and more than double what the USPS
would have charged to sent it first class.

> This is true if it is just the letter you're sending,
> or if it is a sealed letter -inside- a box/package being shipped..

Actually, if the sealed letter relates to the cargo in the box/package,
it's legal to include it, under an exception separate from the
"Extremely Urgent" exception listed above.

     -- Brett