UK Royal Mail to launch internet access pilot
The Royal Mail plans to kick off a pilot program to provide Internet access through kiosks at post office branches. The pilots will be launched in partnership with Internet café chain easyInternetcafe in the next two months at some unspecified post offices.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said the Internet pilots would last a year.
The pilots are designed to assess the demand for Internet access service at the post office. Depending on the response, the post will expand the Internet access service. It has yet to decide on the number of post offices where it’ll offer the pilots or the pricing during the trial. “We’re still working out the finer details,” a spokesman said.
easyInternetcafe offers several pricing plans starting at eight cents and it’s likely the Internet access at the post office will be the same.
The post is looking at different ways to get people to come into the post office and the net access project appears to be part of that strategy.
The pilot is part of its ambitious plans to offer additional commercial products at its branches including a range of financial services.
In the coming months, the post plans to offer a personal loan program, credit card and motor and life insurance at its branches. “Post Office reinvention is now truly underway…and I want it to be based on the entrepreneurial skills of our sub-postmasters backed by new products, new incentives and new advertising,” said Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton
