New research shows that while businesses are sending more post - with a fifth using other providers as well as An Post, households sent a third less mail in 2006, compared to 2005.
That is the result of the 2006 business and residential postal survey by ComReg (the Commission for Communications Regulation).
The average business spends €8,019 each year with An Post, and a fifth of Irish businesses are now opting to use other providers in addition to the Universal Service Provider.
Among the 600 businesses questioned 15% also use DHL services, while 7% also use UPS, as well as An Post.
The main reasons given for using other providers were guaranteed next day delivery, reliable tracking and a faster service.
The ComReg report found that half of businesses are not satisfied with the the postal service in Ireland. The overall satisfaction score was 75% in 2005 and 86% in 2004.
Of the almost half that were satisfied, financial firms and Government departments were among the most satisfied and 15% of big companies were very satisfied.
Among the lowest satisfaction scores were the length of time An Post takes to deliver letters, and the clarity of information available on postal services from by all providers.
Around 85% of Ireland's domestic post is business mail, and An Post delivers 750 million items each year, the survey found.
The findings from the residential survey which questioned 1,000 users, showed a reduction in the average amount of mail sent from 4.69 per week in 2005, to 3.06 items in 2006.
There was a reduction in mail sent to each home from 9.36 items to 8.11 items a week.
Over 60% of those surveyed in the residential users surveyed expressed satisfaction with collection times and their mail delivery, and nearly half are aware of other postal operators (47%) compared to 30% in 2005.
