On Sept. 1, the Swiss Post will officially launch a new scheme allowing customers to pay for stamps using any phone with SMS capability. Users simply text the word "TIMBRE" (French for "stamp") to a dedicated number and then copy the code received in response onto an envelope. Available through all mobile operators, the solution is billed at 1.20 Swiss francs (around $1.30).
Since it began trialing the new payment method in September 2013, the Swiss Post has sold over 100,000 "SMS stamps."
From Sept. 1, 2014, users throughout Switzerland will be able to buy postage for a standard letter by sending "STAMP" (in French, Italian, German or English) to the number 414. They instantly receive a message with a unique code that they then copy onto the upper right hand corner of their envelope. The code is valid for ten days and can only be used once. At 1.20 francs, the SMS stamp costs 0.20 francs more than a standard Swiss stamp.
The scheme is the latest example of a public service allowing users to pay by SMS, calling to mind the rollout of pay-by-phone parking in several cities worldwide.
