Elp, G0AQI posted the following to a ute newsgroup:
"It is with some sadness, and not a bit of dissapointment that I report the demise of Speedbird London SSB LDOC station.The big switch was pulled for good on 26/8/2006 at 23:00Z at the end of the late shift. British Airways, in their wisdom, have given the contract for provision of HF LDOC* services to Stockholm Radio and US based company, ARINC who, strangely, seem to have the worldwide monopoly on the ACARS system. presumably market forces had the upper hand and Stockholm put in a cheaper bid that the previous incumbents, Air Radio ltd who had operated the service for the last three years since BA's communications branch, (Speedwing Communications) was dissolved. Speedbird London has been on the air, barring breakdowns, 24/7/365 since first established by BA in 1968. Stockholm Radio have their own website, their HF and Marine freq's are listed there, or at least they used to be. First Concorde, now Speedbird London. It's the end of an era."
*LDOC = Long Distance Operational Control
