Technically, Alexander Bain’s 1842 image reproducer (a pendulum moved across one image, and passed along the electric signal to another pendulum which reproduced the image on chemically treated paper) is often considered the first facsimile [Fax] machine. However, it wasn’t until the 1980’s when the fax machine became a common fixture in business, and had its greatest impact in how companies could finally communicate. Need a contract signed fast? Fax it for a signature. Want to let your clients see your newest sales flyer? Fax the circular right over the phone line. Misplaced a purchase order? Have a copy faxed back to you… The bulky machines usually took up far more space on the counters and desks than merchants wanted, and they had that incredibly annoying roll of paper that never seemed to tear off properly – and of course you almost assuredly would have the roll run out right in the middle of the most important documents. Paper jams were plentiful as you would try getting sheets to line up straight, and it usually happened far into the count when you were almost done sending the last sheet. Frantic calls of apologies for having to resend pages and pages multiple times – apologies because fax paper was far from cheap – you could finally breathe a sigh of relief once everything had finally gone through. Of course, during the whole transmission, your phone line was tied up sending the documents, so you had other clients frustrated they couldn’t send you the pages they were battling with. Ah, fond memories. Having a fax machine was a true sign of ‘being in business’, and we were so proud that we had the latest and greatest technology back then. THE FAX IS NOT OBSOLETE With computers, the internet, and email being such a standard part of almost every business now, you might think that the days of the fax machine have long since passed. Well, think again … For proof that faxes are indeed a solid requirement for modern business, simply check the contact information from any major office website. Chances are you’ll quickly spot a fax phone number. Likewise with any sales executive or corporate business card: again, the company fax number will usually be included. When computers first advanced to common usage, they often included a fax modem (connecting over dial-up internet services). Though the computer often replaced the bulkier fax machines in small businesses since it could do basically the same job, there was a temporary decrease in the number of dedicated fax machines. However, with broadband connections now available, most computers just aren’t equipped with straightforward faxing capabilities anymore. There are many outside services which now provide faxing service when needed by the average person (at printing stores, postal offices, and local shops). This is fine for the general once-in-awhile type usage, but to operate a business efficiently, you can’t have the staff running down the street every time to need to fax a client. THE MARRIAGE OF OLD AND NEW TECHNOLOGY Most departments maintain email accounts for each of their departments and key personnel. Using an outside e-Faxing Service to provide your dedicated fax system is not only much more cost effective, it’s also more flexible. Clients can fax their material, just as they normally would to your personal fax number, and the document can be retrieved directly from your email – whether you’re at the office, at home, or on the road. Let’s take faxing even one exciting step further: how about the ability to send and receive all your faxes right from your personal PDA or Smart Phone! Talk about portability, now you never need to worry about missing that critical document. Need to write up some last minute deal closers, and get them to your client straight away? Type, Click, and Send – you’re fax is on its way! It’s like having your office fax with you at all times: for both receiving and sending. Whether from your desktop, your laptop, or even your coat pocket while travelling; you’re no longer tied down to an oversized clunker. Your portable faxing service is with you wherever you go. Now you’re ready to do some real business!

Copyright (c) 2007 Titus Hoskins

Copyright (c) 2009 Titus HoskinsFor 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?

Rarely has any new technology taken root and become so popular with users as quickly as online or Internet Fax. Well, maybe with the exception of email that is, but then again, the two are directly related to each other since efaxing is simply sending all your faxes as email attachments, usually in TIFF or PDF formats. Internet Fax, online fax, email to fax, electronic fax or no matter what name you apply to it, has really taken hold in the business world. It has now become a more efficient way to send all your faxes mainly because you’re no longer tied down to the old traditional fax machine in the office. You can send and receive your faxes wherever you have Internet access and these days that’s just about everywhere. Internet fax is cost-effective, easy and very convenient to use no matter what your faxing requirements are. In order to receive or to start using an online fax system you must sign-up for an Online Fax Service where you’re given a local or Toll-Free fax number. This fax number is given out to all your business associates and used in all your company’s communications. Your Internet fax service provider will act as your intermediary to handle all your faxes whether they’re from another computer or from a traditional fax machine. Once you have acquired an online faxing service provider you’re ready to fax! You will be given an online site (interface) where you can log on to send and receive your faxes. Your faxes are also stored online here so you can access them at any time. There are many well known eFaxing service companies which you can choose from: MyFax, eFax®, RingCentral, TrustFax, Faxage, MetroFax, RapidFax… among others. Each efax company will have slightly different plans so it pays to shop around to find the perfect match for your faxing needs. The average cost is around $10 a month but there are some cheaper plans if your faxing requirements are very small. Online fax saves you time, money and relief from all the hassles connected with running your old fax machine: paper jams, messy inks, busy signals, missed or interrupted transmissions. Internet Fax does have some distinct advantages over the traditional fax machine; online faxing is more secure, more reliable, more convenient and much more easier than the old way of faxing. Online fax is also much cheaper when you realize there’s no need for a fax machine, paper, inks, toners or an extra phone line for that matter. Plus, you can send and receive your faxes, anywhere, anytime. Online fax will make any company or business more competitive, especially if your company relies upon faxing to acquire clients, make sales or communicate with your employees. In this ever increasing dog-eat-dog business climate, you need every competitive edge you can muster; Internet faxing gives you that competitive edge. The business world is constantly changing and you must change along with the times or go the way of the Do-Do bird. Online faxing will keep your company or business in the game. Internet faxing brings all your company’s faxing into the modern age; connecting your faxes with the computer and the Internet. Not only that, but you also save money by using online faxing, what more can you ask for?