Archive for November, 2009

Online Fax - Can You Explain To Me Exactly How It Works?

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

For the very computer savvy young person who probably already has more than a few micro-chips permanently coded into their DNA, the above question might sound rather silly. However, for many of us, understanding just exactly how online or Internet faxing works, is still a bit more puzzling, especially for those of us who are used to faxing the old-fashion way thru the good old reliable fax machine in the office.

And that doubly goes for those of us who don’t necessarily keep up to date on the latest developments in technology. For older workers who have always used the traditional fax machine, online faxing can be seen as down-right perplexing. With the traditional way of faxing, we are used to punching in a few numbers and scanning off the fax in the machine in order to send a fax.

Now, with online fax, I have to use computers and the Internet? What’s up with that?

Like the introduction of any new technology there is a learning curve, especially for seasoned workers and small business owners who are set in their ways. Online fax has become extremely popular but there are still many people and many businesses not taking full advantage of this new way of faxing.

Perhaps, the biggest obstacle, a lot of people simply don’t understand how online fax works? They might know it has something to do with computers and the web, but just how does it work?

First, you must understand, online fax is simply using your email system and your Internet connection to send your faxes. You sign-up to an Internet Fax service provider who gives you your own local or Toll-Free fax number and you are also given an online site (interface) where you can view and send your faxes. This online provider acts as your intermediary to handle all your faxing. You use your fax number to receive and send your faxes as email attachments, usually in TIFF or PDF formats.

But how does it work?

This question was actually put to Christian Watts, the co-founder of FAXAGE, an online fax service provider operating out of Denver. Here’s his answer:

“Ultimately, every Internet Fax service works by receiving faxes by having some sort of dedicated phone numbers coming in to fax servers at their site or sites. Once a fax is received on the fax server, it is converted to a suitable format (PDF or TIFF with FAXAGE, PDF by default) and then sent to the customer. In our case, we send these as email attachments and store them in our website as well by default. We offer many customizable parameters around the messaging for received faxes, ability to route ‘fax received’ emails to an unlimited number of email addresses, API methods for receiving
faxes into systems, etc.

On the sending side, the process is reversed – the customer sends in an electronic document (either via email, website, or, in the case of FAXAGE, an API method is also provided), the system converts it to a format suitable for faxing (The fax standard is G3 or G4 TIFF) and sends it out via a fax server. Status is then posted to the FAXAGE website as well as emailed back by default. Again, we offer a lot of flexibility around number of retries, resolution to use, priority control, which users can send faxes in a given account, etc.”

Basically, what you’re doing is switching all your faxing chores over to the computer, the Internet and your email system. You are simply bringing your faxing into the modern computer age. Just as you have modernized many other aspects of your business, you should also modernize your faxing. Keep in mind, you can still send and receive faxes thru the old fax machine but now you have the option of using computers and the web.

Obviously, online fax must have many benefits or advantages, otherwise everyone would still be using the old fax machine. In other words, why has Internet faxing become so popular?

Mainly because with Internet fax you and your business are no longer tied down to the fax machine in the office, you can send and receive your faxes anywhere, anytime. Online fax is also cheaper because you don’t need an extra fax phone line, no need to purchase all that paper, inks and toners since online faxing is paperless.

Internet fax is ideally suited for companies since it is completely “scalable” for your growing business, you can quickly add more lines/numbers without having to install all the needed hardware as with the old way of faxing. It can also make your business more competitive, especially if you depend on faxing to bring in new sales and/or clients… your business is open 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Simply put, online fax works by utilizing all the modern contractions of the workplace, mainly your computer, your email system and the Internet. It uses all of these to give you fast, inexpensive, reliable faxing that’s available anytime, anywhere. What more could you ask for?



For more information on Internet Fax Services use this handy online Fax Comparison Guide to get your own: online fax Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxing try here: internet fax providers. Titus Hoskins Copyright 2009. This article may be freely
distributed if this resource box stays attached.

How To Modernize Your Workplace With Online Fax

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

More and more individuals are setting up home offices and
workplaces in order to save money by running their businesses
from home. Instead of making the daily commute to an outside
workplace, many small business owners are operating right out
of their place of residence. In these troubling economic times,
running a home office makes good sense because it is a simple
way to lower your operating costs and expenses.

One aspect of operating a home business has seen a major revolution
in recent years. We are talking about faxing services which are a
downright necessity when it comes to running any business. No matter
how big or small your business may be, you simply must have a
business fax number where your clients and customers can reach you.
This is where online fax has entered the picture and turned
everything upside down.

Online fax is simply using your present email system and your
Internet connection to send and receive all your faxes. Once you
sign-up to an online fax service provider your faxes are sent
as email attachments, usually in PDF or TIFF format.

Online faxing is revolutionary in many ways:

- connects all your faxing with computers & the web

- you can send/receive your faxes any time

- you can send/receive your faxes from anywhere

- you can send/receive your faxes simultaneously

- there is no need for an extra fax phone line

- there is no need for a traditional fax machine

- it is much more cheaper than traditional faxing

Internet or online fax is often viewed as the modern way to fax
since it is directly linked to your computers and the Internet.
It updates or brings your faxing into the whole computer age
and the age of the Internet. It is faster, easier and more efficient
than the traditional way of faxing… no more paper jams, no more
missed faxes because of busy signals, no more messy inks and toners
and no more late night trips back to the office to retrieve that
all important fax.

By using Internet fax you can modernize your home office and make
your business more competitive, especially if you depend on faxing
to bring in orders and sales. Your business will be open 24/7, 365
days of the year. This will obviously make your business more
productive and competitive.

Online fax is also said to be much more cheaper than traditional
faxing. Some online providers claim their services are 90% cheaper,
but this percentage seems a little excessive. However, there is no
arguing the fact that online faxing is much less expensive than a
traditional fax machine, especially when you take into consideration:
there is no extra fax phone line, no cost of a fax machine and
maintenance, and no cost of papers, inks and toners to pay out
each month.

In addition, if your faxing is very minimum, you can get an online
fax service for around $5 to $10 a month. But remember, rates and
fax plans do differ slightly, so it pays to shop around and compare
before you sign on the dotted line. Checking out the over-all quality
of any given service is also especially important, but you probably
already knew that, didn’t you?

Another great benefit of using this modern way of faxing, most
services are completely scalable for businesses. You can quickly
scale up your services to include more fax lines if you should need
then and all this can be instantly done without having to install
extra hardware - i.e. more phone fax lines and machines.

Overall, online fax is indeed one way any small business owner
can modernize his or her workplace. It can help propel your company
or business into the age of the computer and the Internet; while
at the same time, making your company better able to compete in
this very competitive dog-eat-dog business climate.



For more information on Internet Fax Services use this handy online Fax Comparison Guide to get your own: online fax service Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxing try here: internet fax providers. Titus Hoskins Copyright 2009. This article may be freely
distributed if this resource box stays attached.