Businesses and consumers could be buying electronic stamps on the internet by the end of this year, if Royal Mail trials prove successful. Tests are due to start in the next three months.
"You will be able to buy stamps online and print them on your printer," Royal Mail information systems director Paul Kelsall told vnunet.com"s sister title Computing.
"You will also be able to put your logo or a picture next to it."
The technology is being developed by Lockheed Martin, the company which supplies Royal Mail with its sorting machines.
"It has to interface with the mail sorting machinery so that when an electronic stamp hasn"t been paid for, it can identify that," said Kelsall.
The stamps will contain encryption technology to reduce potential fraud.