Send real letters from the Internet to anywhere in the world.
# Wednesday, 08 April 2009

A PC2Paper real letterbox is as the name suggests a real postal address here in the UK. When letters arrive we open them and scan them in for you and then send you an email so you can login and read your mail online. There are many reasons why you might need a real mailbox.

  • If you travel a lot reading your mail is just a case of logging onto the Internet. No more waiting for your letters to be forwarded to you overseas or reading them when you get back home months later.
  • If you live abroad and have relatives in the UK who don't have Internet access and prefer sending you a letter, you can have them send it to your PC2Paper Letterbox and read it the next day from the Internet.
  • You usually change accommodation quite frequently and need a permanent address.
  • You prefer reading all your mail from the Internet.
  • You need a UK address for your business for faster correspondence.
  • You are partially sighted and need your letters scanned in for you to read from your screen reader.

How Does the Service Work?
When you sign up for a real letterbox we provide you with an individual address. This is usually your user ID, followed by our PO Box address although in some cases we can give you an address based on your company name. You can then use this as a regular address. Any letters received will be scanned and applied to your account. We can also forward letters depending on your requirements.

What happens to my letters after they are scanned in?
The original letters are destroyed after one month of being received. If you prefer we can forward the original letters onto a postal address of your choosing. The charge for this is the postage price of the items and a 20p service charge per forward. Items will be forwarded on a monthly basis. If you require us to do this please inform us as soon as you set up your letterbox.

How private are my letters?
At PC2Paper we take privacy very seriously. When you read your letters online they are encrypted so no one but you can read them. When we scan your letters in we do have to briefly read some of the contents to make sure the scanning of the letters are clear we usually make this the senders address and the first paragraph. We will never divulge the contents of your letters to anyone or use the contents of your letters in anyway or form not sanctioned by you. The letter is considered your property we only provide a service for you to read its contents.

How much does it cost?
The cost of your letter is worked out on how many pages there are to scan. So a 1 page letter will cost you 50p to read online. Letter larger than 10 pages are subject to additional charges. We also charge a one time only setup fee of £5.

Is there a size limit on what I can receive?

We do not have a size limit on the letters that can be received at your mailbox, however we are currently only able to scan documents up to 50 pages long. If we receive any letters longer than this we will contact to you and you have the option to have the letter forwarded to you.

I am partially sighted or blind can you provide my letters in a format I can read?
We can optically scan your letters provided these are typed or printed letters and provide them as Word documents for you to use in your screen reader.

Where will my mailbox be located?
Your mailbox will be located in Surrey, England, UK.

What will you do with my mail if I decide not to use the service anymore and more mail arrives?
For a short period we will forward this mail onto you. After that period we will return all mail to the sender.

How do I sign up for a Real Letterbox?
To get a real letterbox you need to sign up for a PC2Paper account. If you already have a PC2Paper account all you need to do is login into your account and select the My Letterbox option found in the left hand menu.

What will my address look like?
Your mailbox will be in the following format:
MB #(Your mailbox number)
PO BOX 229
EGHAM
TW20 8WZ
UNITED KINGDOM

If I already have a PC2Paper account how do I get a letterbox?
When you sign up for a PC2Paper account you automatically get a letterbox with us. After you have signed in to your PC2Paper account just click on the My Letter Box option.