Editing Universal service (section)

==Origins of universal service==
{{Original research section|reason=Need at least one high-quality source to connect 19th century postal rate regulation and modern concept of universal service.|date=September 2024}}
The ''concept'' of universal service appears to have originated with [[Rowland Hill (postal reformer)|Rowland Hill]] and the [[Uniform Penny Post]] which he introduced in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1837.  Though Hill never used the term "universal service", his postal system had the hallmarks of early universal service; postal rates were reduced to uniform rates throughout the nation which were affordable to most Britons, enabled by the [[postage stamp]] (first introduced here) and a [[General Post Office]] monopoly on mail.  Hill's reforms were quickly adopted by postal authorities worldwide, including the [[United States Post Office Department]] (now the [[United States Postal Service]]) which already held a monopoly through the [[Private Express Statutes]].  The service obligations of USPS under current law are commonly referred to as the "universal service obligation" or "USO".  Universal service is also a key objective of the [[Universal Postal Union]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.upu.int/about_us/en/upu_at_a_glance.html | archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090724120039/http://www.upu.int/about_us/en/upu_at_a_glance.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=2009-07-24 | publisher=[[Universal Postal Union]] | title=At a glance |access-date=2009-06-14}} </ref>