Internet fax service is a highly mobile, convenient, low-cost and practical tool for businesses of any size. Most of the time, documents are faxed via emails in the pdf, tiff or jpeg formats. If you have a computer and an internet connection, you can use this online faxing service. It does not require another fixed telephone line or a fax machine.
It’s easy to get started and there are many internet fax service providers out there in cyberspace. Once you have a provider you fancy, proceed to sign up for an internet fax number and account. The website of these service providers are, more often than not, very user-friendly. Because of stiff competition, you will often see that they do give potential clients full access to their products for a certain period of time – typically 30 days. Once you are happy with their service and support quality, then you can pick the various packages on offer.
For online faxing, you do not need a fixed phone number. Just use the internet fax number which was given to you. It is a virtual phone number and the one which people will use to fax to you. For example, if Mr A sends a fax to you by keying in the internet fax number, what happens is that his fax will be routed to your service provider who will automatically convert that fax into predetermined formats and immediately transmit it to your email. That’s basically how internet fax service works – fast, simple and convenient.
Sending a fax is also equally simple. You just send the document in a predetermined format to your service provider which will then automatically convert it to a fax and route it to your recipient’s facsimile machine or email account (in the event that they are also using internet faxing service). The stuff you want to fax can be written onto the fax itself or send as an attachment.
Don’t worry about the exact details on sending or receiving a fax. Although different providers have different instructions, all of them will be clearly laid out. In some service, you don’t need to install anything on your computer for they are purely web-based. All you need is login into your account and start sending/receiving your fax. Other service providers may require you to install their software on your computer. You will then use this software to send/receive your fax.
Using internet fax service saves a lot of money because there’s no fax paper to worry about, no fax machine to buy, no paper jam frustration, toners are not needed and fax can be printed as and when needed only. This is because all incoming faxes can be stored in the hard disk.
Because there are so man service providers out there, try to do some research to find the top providers and give their offerings a “test drive” before signing up.
