Online Fax Solutions – Is It Right For Your Faxing Requirements?
The fax machine is an integral part of an office of almost any size and even useful to have at home. But owning a fax machine takes up space, requires a phone line, and supplies that can make it a pricey gadget for a home user or small company. Additionally, the fax machine is not mobile, meaning you might be stuck at the office waiting for a fax to arrive. With the advent of email and wireless internet, many companies no longer rely on a fax machine. But those that do can choose to leverage their existing email systems and internet service provider to send online faxes. Are these online faxing services for everyone?
How Online Faxing Services Work
There are a variety of popular online fax systems now available. They all work more or less the same. You pay a small fee for the service and download a small application or login to the company’s website where you have the ability to send and receive faxes just as you would emails.
Sending a fax is as easy as sending an email, you can either type out your message which will be sent in a readable format to the recipients fax machine or you can upload a scanned image in PDF or TIFF format. Most services track your faxes and send you email confirmations once your fax has been sent. Some companies allow you to integrate directly with your email service so that faxes can be sent just by writing an email.
Receiving faxes is also very simple. Faxes come in a “scanned” document format like PDF which your computer can open and view as an image. This means you are not limited to receiving only text, but can also view forms and graphical data.
Is Online Faxing Secure?
The security level of an internet fax is a little lower than that of a real fax machine. Although the online fax providers use encryption and secure connections to maintain privacy, you are still sending data across the wider network of the internet. That means your internet service provider and email server’s security can also play a role in how secure it is. Fax services that store your documents online are also less secure since websites can sometimes be hacked.
How Much Does Online Faxing Cost?
The cost of these services can vary. Most of the online fax providers offer a free trial to see if the service works for you. Although a free trial is great, it’s important to understand how you will be charged. Read the fine print. Some “free” services are really only free for incoming faxes. They might charge for outgoing faxes. You might be surprised when your bill arrives if you send a lot of faxes.
Keep track of the costs of using an online faxing services. Many providers have different levels of service at different prices. Finding one that matches your level of usage and needs will end up saving you money in the long run.
The versatility of online faxing is perfect for those who do not always work in a stationary office. Take a look at the offerings of popular online fax companies and free yourself from being tethered to a bulky fax machine without losing your connectivity.
