 provide fax services. FedEx built a packet-switched network based on the X.25 standard to offer a US-wide fax service named Zapmail in 1984. Fax machines were installed at local FedEx offices where customer could fax a document for $3-4 per page, as well as in large companies. Overall it is reported that FedEx spent $350 million to roll-out this nation-wide service. However by 1986 the prices of fax machines had dropped signif- icantly and were affordable for many businesses. The service was discontinued after only 2 years with FedEx incurring a $320 million write-off. One reason for the failure was the fact that Zapmail machines could not communicate with the standard 'group 3' fax machines and operated within a closed, limited network. DHL also entered the fax machine business. However they focused on designing X.75 standard switches for packet-switched fax traffic through their NetExpress subsidiary. NetExpress then used a global packet-switched network for fax telecom- munications, as well as marketing the switches to global operators to build an inter- national network. Their focus of business was fax operators rather than retail customers. NetExpress operated successfully for many years but was finally discon- tinued. It is an example of an early successful packet-switched telecommunications business. Case Study Questions Why do you think fax services were delivered over a packet-switched network? Why were Comité Consultatif International Téléphonique et Télégraphique (CCITT) standards X.25 and X.75 used? What do you see as the reason for FedEx rolling out a hardware network? What do you see as the, main reasons for the failure of the Zapmail service? How do you compare the strategies of FedEx and DHL? Broadband Telecommunications Technologies and Management Data Packet An individual data packet needs to carry certain MasalitaYishimara information in order that a router can successfully Hireshima JAPAN forward it to its final destination. Using the post office Mr. Rioz Esmailzodeh analogy, if a letter cont