Sponsored Content WEBINAR: ELECTION 2008: E-mail Tips from a Political Insider   WEBINAR: Becoming the Illusionist: The Magic of Using "Brand" to Drive Response without Results Disappearing in the Process   WEBINAR: Score and Win Through Cooperation   TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Holiday's are prime-time for email marketing - maximize your ROI by getting to the inbox   ON DEMAND WEBINAR--MASTER CLASS: High Performance Online and Off-line Strategies for Large Scale Customer Acquisition   FREE WHITE PAPER - Direct Mail and the Internet Find any supplier you need - agencies, CRM, fulfillment, lists, e-commerce, paper, printers, telemarketing, and more. Featured Categories Lists and Data Telemarketing Database Marketing E-commerce Web Marketing Agency & Creative Services Print, Production & Paper Lists and Data Processing :: view all categories Get free access to more than 50,000 list data cards - one of the most comprehensive databases in the industry. >> Search Now DIRECT Buzz Blog Webinars Buyer's Guide Calculators JobZone ListFinder Promo Calendar Research Store E-Newsletters Print Magazine This Month in Direct Magazine Deal With It Direct had a full house for this year's list roundtable. Considering all the additional responsibilities on brokers' plates, that's impressive... See Full July Issue

With the new rate case that takes effect next May, mailers will have many new rules and regulations to look forward to, many of which are expected to set precedents for future of rate cases.

That was the message from Rose Flanagan, director of mailing services and Bob Rosser, director of integrated solutions at Transcontinental Direct, Hamburg, PA at DMA06 in San Francisco Monday.

In a Federal Register filing late last month, the U.S. Postal Service proposed changes to the way it considers mail and is soliciting comments until Nov. 17.

For example, it wants to base additional charges on the shape of a mailing piece rather than the weight -- partly to make them more compatible, said Flanagan. Some of these could raise current rates by more than 32%, added Rosser.

In addition, the USPS wants things like discounts for carrier route sortation and is considering changes in barcoding in addressing.

The postal service would also like to add a charge of 8o cents per container for periodicals, also a precedent-setting move, said Flanagan.

Another annoying aspects about these changes is that they will likely take place one month after the USPS Board of Governors approves the rate case, said Flanagan, who likened the situation to postal reclassification in 1996, when third class mail became standard mail and other profound changes took place.

Flanagan also complained that the USPS is not giving mailers enough time to test and develop new software to accommodate these changes.

Rosser added that all the proposals are "subject to change and I can't emphasize that enough."