Residents of Block 202 Clementi Avenue 6 will, in a fortnight's time, be notified on their mobile phones when their mail has arrived.

They will also collect their mail from a central vending machine-style unit at the foot of their block instead of their traditional letterboxes.

These Housing Board (HDB) dwellers will be the first in Singapore to take part in a year-long trial of a smart letterbox system that SingPost envisions will replace traditional units.

Called PostPal, each machine will store mail for an entire housing block, with items auto-sorted into storage slots.

Instead of using a key to unlock their designated letterbox, residents will scan a QR code generated by the SingPost app to retrieve their items from the machine.

Through the app, residents will be notified of mail delivery and the number of items awaiting collection. They can also use the app to authorise others to collect the mail on their behalf.

PostPal's features will reduce delivery mistakes as well as the postmen's workload, SingPost said yesterday when announcing the public trial.

Instead of having to sort and slot mail into individual letterboxes, postmen can load items into the machine to be sorted automatically. Mail addressed to homes involved in the trial will be affixed with a data matrix code - similar to a QR code - that will be scanned by PostPal for sorting and notification.

The trial will start with two HDB blocks in Clementi: Residents of Block 202 Clementi Avenue 6 will begin using the system on Dec 18, while those in Block 205 will follow in the weeks ahead.

PostPal is a newer iteration of the smart letterbox prototype unveiled by SingPost last year. It was developed in collaboration with PBA Group, a robotics and automation firm headquartered in Singapore. The storage modules in PostPal units can be customised to the mail profile of each individual block, SingPost said.

A block that sees consistently high e-commerce volumes, for example, can have smaller modules in its PostPal replaced with larger ones that can accommodate bigger postal packages, it added. This configuration can also be made during the year-end online sale peak season.

The postal service provider has said that traditional letterbox units are not equipped to meet the growing demands of e-commerce, especially since smaller items are often sent by mail instead of courier services, which can be more expensive.

Mr Vincent Phang, SingPost's Singapore head and chief executive of postal services, told the media at PostPal's unveiling yesterday that the system will provide added security as only postmen will have access to the machine's mail deposit, and each machine will have a closed-circuit television camera.

When asked about accessibility for the less tech-savvy, he said those without smartphones can use a one-time password sent by SMS to retrieve their mail.

SingPost and grassroots volunteers will be engaging residents in the lead-up to PostPal's launch, Mr Phang said, adding that public acceptance will be key to the system's success.

"We do acknowledge that there may be some apprehension in some people at the start, but we will work through those issues."

The PostPal trial will be progressively rolled out to more precincts, depending on the performance of the units in Clementi and approval from the authorities, SingPost said.

It declined to disclose the cost of the project.

Mr Foo Kia Jong, a resident at Block 202, said he is looking forward to the notification features and flexible storage space offered by PostPal.

His letterbox, which he checks once a week, is often stuffed with his children's online shopping orders, the 61-year-old said.

"We don't know (if there will be) any problems ahead, but we must have the courage to try new things," said Mr Foo, who is self-employed.