PAF® News

The latest announcements

• PAF Advisory Board news (updated 22 October 09)
• PAF statistics (updated 20 October 09)
• PAF download dates for 2009 (updated 20 October 09)
• Raw data despatch update (updated 20 October 09)
• Postzon - breach of our intellectual property (added September 09)
• Links (updated October 09)
• Postcodes - 50 Year Anniversary (updated October 09)
• Programmers' Guide (was 'PAF Digest') Edition 7 - now live (updated 24 August 09)
• PAF Code of Practice Consultation (updated 24 August 09)
• Opening a WINZIP file

1. PAF Advisory Board news (updated 22 October 09)

   On behalf of the PAF Advisory Board, the independent body overseeing the Address Management Unit, here are details of their annual Open Meeting.  This meeting is scheduled for Thursday 26 November, at the London Phoenix Centre, WC1X 0DG. 

    

   The agenda will include an update by the Chairman of the Board, an update by Royal Mail's Address Management Unit and the opportunity for questions and answers.  Refreshments and registration from 9.30am, with the meeting starting at 10am and closing at 12 noon. 

    

   Please let ian.beesley1@btopenworld.com  know if you'll be attending by Friday 13 November.

    

   Questions & Answers about the Advisory Board Open Meeting
   

   Q: Why there is no mention of this announcement of the meeting on http://www.pafboard.org.uk ?
   A: Ian Beesley, PAB Chair, is currently on holiday and will update the Board website on his return.

    

   Q: Why is the meeting so short when last year it was a full day?
   A: This is the Board's meeting (not Royal Mail's) and they have decided to have a shorter meeting this year.

    

   Q: What update will Royal Mail be giving?
   A: Royal Mail's Address Management Unit will provide an update on current activities and plans for next year including the 2010 licences.

    

   Q: Why is the meeting on Royal Mail premises?
   A: The London Phoenix Centre is available for private hire and provides good value in a central location.

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2. PAF statistics (updated 20 October 09)

   In the Document Library at the bottom of this page you'll find the update on the progress of the latest raw data product despatch, most recent PAF Statistics, plus information on the types of PAF changes.  The PAF Statistics reports are listed below with an explanation of what they contain. 

    

   • PAF Activity Reports - a zip file of thirteen months of reports.  They show the number of Delivery Points updated on PAF per month, broken down to Postcode District level. 
     There are two reports per month: 'Single Changes' and 'Multiple Changes'.  You can compare delivery point growth year on year using the last thirteen months' reports. 
     The titles of the files are written like this
     • PAFSingleChanges_Y08M06.TXT
     • PAFMultipleChanges_Y08M06.TXT (where Y08 = 'Y' is 'year', '08' is '2008',  M06 = 'M' is 'month', followed by the actual month, in this case '06' is June)
   • PAF Delivery Point Change Statistics  - shows the number of last month's changes by type: additions, deletions, amendments etc
   • PAF New Sectors & Localities  - shows any new Sectors or Localities added to PAF in the last month.
   • PAF Statistics - updated monthly to show total numbers of residential addresses, business addresses, towns and postcodes on PAF
   • Number of business and vacant organisations on PAF - these figures are a month in arrears of the other statistics above.  
   • Local Authority Election Postcodes - details of the Postcodes issued for the purpose of returning Postal Votes related to specific wards.
   • Non-Geographics and non-geographic PO Box Sectors - a list updated 6-monthly (April & October) of non-geographic sectors created specifically for PO Boxes and large organisations, ie not related to other postcodes in the area or surrounding geography. A number of non-geographic codes have been removed since we posted the previous list.  This is becuase there aren't any live postcodes in this sector.  They will be reinstated when live postcodes are added.

    

   You can receive an email to let you know when the new statistical information is available on this webpage.  If you'd like to be added to this notification list, please email address.management@royalmail.com and put "PAF raw data mailing list" in the subject line.

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3. PAF download dates for 2009 (updated 20 October 09)

   Data is downloaded from our mainframe onto PAF© products once a  month.  The remaining dates for 2009 are:  

   • Friday 20 November
   • Friday 11 December (1 week early due to Christmas)
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4. Raw data despatch update (updated 20 October 09)

   The despatch of our monthly raw data products usually goes smoothly, but if there are any hitches we'll update you via the pdf document called 'AMU raw data despatch update' in the document library below. 

    

   You can always contact us about raw data delivery on 0845 606 6854 (option 4).

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5. Postzon - breach of our intellectual property (added September 09)
   Some Postzon data was recently leaked onto the internet.  You'll find a Royal Mail press statement concerning this in the document library below.
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6. Links (updated October 09)

   Here are some links to other address management pages related pages that you may find useful.

   • We have a programme of consultations on amendments to our PAF Licences.  For more information, visit www.royalmail.com/consultations.
   • The independent body looking after the interests of all PAF users is the PAF Advisory Board (PAB).  For further information on the remit of the PAB visit www.pafboard.org.uk.  The Board's Chair is Ian Beesley, at ian.beesley@wotaco.com 
   • If you're interested in how we update our Postcode Address File database, visit: www.royalmail.com/quality 
   • For information on other companies providing address management solutions containing PAF: www.royalmail.com/supplierdirectory 
   • To find out more about Royal Mail's products containing PAF and other location data: www.royalmail.com/addressproducts
   • Here's a page on addressing your mail: www.royalmail.com/clearaddressing 
   • Read how your company may be affected by the Data Protection Act .
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7. Postcodes - 50 Year Anniversary (updated October 09)

   The BBC have taken up the story of the 50th anniversary of the birth of postcodes in the UK. Here's the link to the article on the BBC website which came out on 8 October.

   In the document below is a zip file containing the original news release, additional documentation and an image of our campaign mascot, Wilfred the Bulldog. 

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8. Programmers' Guide (was 'PAF Digest') Edition 7 - now live (updated 24 August 09)

   We are pleased to attach in the document library below Edition 7 of the Programmers' Guide - the technical information about raw data products from PAF & Postzon.  This 200 page manual used to be called the 'PAF Digest.  Edition 7  has a fresh new look and layout, ase well as including specifications for our new products:

   • Just Built
   • Not Yet Built
   • Multiple Residence.

    

   This is Version 1.0 - which is a pdf of a Word document.  Version 2 will be online later in the year and will include more interactivity, hotlinks and a glossary. 

    

   If you have any comments on the Programmers' Guide - please email address.management@royalmail.com with 'Programmers' Guide' in the subject line.

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9. PAF Code of Practice Consultation (updated 24 August 09)
   Visit the  Postcomm  website, to see the changes they recommend to the procedures by which Royal Mail abides when making major changes to PAF, or in response to customer-initiated changes, known as the 'PAF Code of Practice'.  Search for 'PAF code of Practice'  under 'consultation A-Z'.
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10. Opening a WINZIP file
    •  To open the Zip file you need to have WinZip software on your PC.
    • WinZip software can be downloaded from www.winzip.com.
    • Alternatively you may email address.management@royalmail.com and ask us to send you an unzipped version
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