Rebirth of PC Postage in Germany

While PC Postage companies in the USA have either collapsed or struggle for business, Deutsche Post World Net launched the pilot programme for its PC Postage system on 25 April 2001.
Deutsche Post World Net has begun its practice test for Internet stamps with 48 pilot customers in Bonn and Offenbach. With ‘STAMPIT’ software, letters can be stamped with the help of a normal PC, special hardware is not necessary. STAMPIT is expected to be available for all customers of Deutsche Post World Net across Germany by August 2001.
According to Deutsche Post the objective of the pilot operation is to test the PC stamping in practical deployment. This includes the test of ‘postage points’, the virtual postage stamp counter on the Internet, as well as the
testing of the required reading technology in the letter centres.
The stamps can be printed on the envelope or, in the case of window letters, directly on to the document. It contains, among other things, a matrix barcode which serves mainly as security against counterfeiting. It includes, for example, coded information regarding the series number to identify the sender as well as data regarding the letter such as expedition date and postage amount.
PC Postage innovators E-Stamp withdrew from providing an Internet postal service at the end of last year, and passed on its technology to Neopost. The company’s previous rival Stamps.com continues to conduct business, but it is alleged that this has only been possible because of enormous initial investment in its technology.