Types of communication

Advertising through radio and television is also a form of oral communication. Messages intended for a great number of people may be transmitted through radio. It is more economical than by ringing everybody.

Tanzania Post Corporation provides the main services of carrying written communication. Written communication is usually through letters, parcel, newspapers, samples, postcards, telegrams and other items. These may be analyzed as follows:

1. Letters and printed matter

   These may be sent to any destination in or outside Tanzania by surface or airmail through the post office. Express letters are given priority in sorting and reach their destination faster than ordinary letters.

   N.B ordinary letter/ordinary post is the kind of letter sent by ordinary post by fixing the necessary postage stamps. These postage stamps can be purchased from any post office; sometimes a postal franking machine can be used.

   Ordinary post may be:

   • Surface mail - letter sent within the country
   • Airmail - letter sent to other countries

2. Telegrams

   This method of communication is used in transmitting information by filling a special form. The person to whom the message is sent gets the copy of the message the same day or the following day. This message is dictated to the post office over the phone. The charges are higher than those charged on letters and depend on the length of the messages.

3. Business reply cards

   This is the device by which a business can send out a prepaid card for a reply. In this case, postage is payable only if the card is actually posted. A license is to be acquired for the use of special design including the license number of the firm.

4. Franking machine

   In order to save time in affixing stamps to letters, a franking machine can be obtained. This prints stamps; the firm using this machine does not have to buy postage stamps. The machine prints the amount of the postage on the envelope with the name of the sender. The post office is paid the total shown by the machine at the end of each month or at intervals agreed by the two parties.

5. Registered letters / registered mail

   • If the letters are registered and payment made to the post office, it undertakes to compensate the sender if the letter is lost.
   • The letter or parcel can be sent anywhere within the country or abroad and is insured by registration fee against damage or loss.
   • This is the service offered by the post office in which letters are registered and posted to the destination place. In case the letter is lost on the way, the post office compensates the sender. Thus, the sender must pay registration fee and postage. He will be given receipts to prove that registration fee has been paid so compensation will be done when the letter is lost on the way.

6. Telex services

   This provides a direct link between subscribers and other users all over the world. Messages typed at the sender's machine are automatically printed at the receiver's set.

This is the kind of communication without words. Non-verbal communication is important in communication. In this communication, one expresses feeling, emotion or ideals by using body language, gesture.