I just saw an article posted on http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/08/swedes-to-start-text-message-based-postage-system-girl-with-dra/ which says that a new postage system may be used in Sweden which uses text messaging to get a special code that one can write on the package in place of a traditional postage stamp.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? I think it is quite a nifty idea, and as technology steadily becomes the norm, I feel ideas like this is a great way to continue moving forward. Not too mention it seems like a nice time saving simple solution to using traditional postage stamps. I can't remember how many times I've went to sent a letter and found that I have misplaced my stamps, or that I need to purchase more.

i give it less than one day before someone comes up with a "keygen" that allows them to mail stuff for free.

- Pay standard text rate

- Pay for stamp too

Yeah, no thanks. I'm too cheap to pay for both a stamp and a text. when I can buy stamps when buying my groceries without the texting fee. Or, you know, use the http://www.usps.com/onlinepostage/welcome.htm system, once again avoiding the fees.

The only "advantage" to this system is you don't have to print something. I foresee many people with bad handwriting getting returned letters


1. Text sent

2. Text recieved by server, which generates the random number

3. Number is uploaded to a database in all post offices

4. When a letter comes in, it is validated against this database.

5. After the ticket is used, it invalidates itself and is updated across all databases

This still leaves the possibility of someone "stealing" someone else's code, which can be resolved by assigning codes to addresses, but that creates another set of potential problems in the realm of privacy.

This is the equivalent of one-time passwords.

Hasn't Germany already got this? I agree with DEFRON. It is a great idea until you realise that a text is about 30% the cost of a stamp. However if you are on a contract or whatever...

It's a conspiracy by stamp collectors to increase the value of their stamp collections.

But if you're on a contract where you have unlimited texts (which a lot of people are nowadays), it's not really an issue.



I say that like I've ever posted anything in my life.

TBH I never post much anymore, the last thing I posted was in October (The only two things that I post are forms that I need to sign (Student Loans etc) and birthday cards to family) and the biggest pain was having to walk to get a stamp.

It might catch on. If you consider it means avoiding the cost of printing stamps to sell and clerks needed to man sales counters, you could probably make the "text for stamp" service competitive with walking in and buying a regular stamp by discounting the electronic version to reflect the savings to the postal system.