In recent years, the United States Postal Service deployed about 280,000 Zebra TC77 touch computer devices to replace an end-of-life device that mail carriers used to scan packages once they’re delivered. In 2019, USPS distributed 75,000 of the handheld devices, with the remainder sent in 2020.
The new devices provided increased processing power that would support 4G network connectivity, says Amit Cholkar, USPS senior director of technology development. Scanned information from the devices is relayed via a cellular connection to the Postal Service’s internal tracking system, providing nearly real-time package status information to customers.
Choosing hardware that doesn’t need to be custom-built or excessively configured on the back end can reduce some of the delays involved in device deployment, according to Steve Wright, USPS manager of automation equipment.