Internet Fax Service Guide
Internet Fax Providers - What To Look For Before Buying?
If you're in the market for an Internet Fax Service
Provider here are some things you should consider before
buying or signing up for any service. Common
features or standards that you should look for
in any Internet Fax Service Provider...
Internet Fax Providers - What To Look For Before Buying?
Titus Hoskins Copyright © 2008
Internet Fax is known by many different names such as
email fax, online fax, electronic fax, or even digital fax.
Regardless of what you call it, Internet Fax simply means
using your email system and the Internet to send and receive
your faxes via email attachments usually in PDF or TIFF formats.
You have an online interface (site) where you can not only
store your faxes but also where you send and receive your faxes.
In addition, many providers will let you fax thru a desktop
application or directly thru your email program.
Internet faxing has become very popular mainly because it
is relatively inexpensive and it lets you send and receive
your faxes anywhere, anytime. It is more secure than the
old fax machine and since it is web based, you can basically
fax wherever you have Internet access and these days that's
just about everywhere.
If you're looking to purchase an Internet Fax service you
will probably consider some of the more popular brand name
online fax providers such as eFax®, MyFax, RingCentral, RapidFax,
TrustFax, Send2Fax, MetroFax and Faxage.
However, choosing an Internet Fax service does take some
consideration, especially since this is usually a "long-term
service" and even a small difference in price can add up quickly
over the long haul. So here are some certain common features and
qualities that you should look for before buying or
signing up to any one fax service.
1. Overall Quality Of The Fax Service
The overall quality of your chosen fax service is very important
to consider. You want a reliable service with a minimum of
problems. Your online faxing should be seamless and hassle-free;
with any issues quickly answered or solved. Checking customer
reviews and ratings will give you some idea of the quality of the
different fax service providers. Test-driving a service will give
you a better view.
2. Good Reliable Customer Support 24/7
You want good customer support that's available 24/7. Again,
if you should have problems, they should be taken care of in
a timely fashion. Check the Support hours - most companies have
24/7 service but not all.
3. Competitive Pricing
There are countless fax plans and services so it pays to
shop around for the best price. But again, look first for
a quality service instead of just choosing the cheapest rate.
Consider the number of pages (incoming & outgoing) which
you will receive with the monthly fee. Check what's being
charged for overage or extra pages. Also remember, buying
with an annual plan can save you up to 25% or more.
4. 30 Day Free Trial
Most Internet Fax Providers give a 30 Day Free Trial so
take advantage of this offer to test-drive a service.
Try before you buy. Some companies also offer one month
free but you only get this on your second month into the
plan.
5. $10 Monthly Fee
The average monthly fee is around $10. Some plans offer
a small annual fee of around $20, which should be considered
if your faxing needs are very minimum. There are also some
services where you pay around $4 per month with no free pages,
you buy faxes as you need them.
6. No Set Up Fee
Most but not all Internet Fax services have no set up
fees. Check your service plan before you sign up. Keep
in mind, it might be worth your while to pay a start-up
fee if the service you're getting is worth it.
7. No hidden Fees
Most fax services do not have hidden fees but you
must ask or check before you buy. Make sure all your
faxing costs are up-front and you can check these
costs at any time. Some companies will notify you
when there are extra charges over your regular limit.
8. Around 300 Combined Pages (Incoming & Outgoing)
There are different amounts but most companies have
around 300 combined faxing pages included in their
plans, this includes incoming and outgoing faxes.
If you do a lot of faxing, it pays to shop around for
the best service with the largest number of faxes each
month.
9. 10 Cents Per Minute for Extra Pages
The average for extra pages is around 10 cents
per minute but again it pays to shop around. Also
note, some companies quote rates in pages, while
others quote in minutes... for pages it is assumed
that it takes 1 minute or less to transmit your fax,
however, with large faxes it may take longer.
10. Local and Toll-Free Numbers
Check what type of Fax Number you will be receiving,
Local or Toll-Free. Check to see if there are any
extra charges for the Toll-Free number.
11. Online Interface & Storage Capacities
Most companies have an online interface (site) where
you can send and receive your faxes. But each will
have different storage amounts and different lengths
of time you can keep your faxes online. This is important
if you plan to keep your faxes for a long time or if you
want to store large quantities of faxes online.
12. Scalable Business & Corporate Plans
Most fax providers offer corporate faxing plans that
are completely scalable to meet your growing company's
needs. Also check for special rates if you will be
doing any large volume fax broadcasting or you're
operating a large amount of fax numbers within your
company.
All of the above features should be considered when
buying your Internet Fax service. Some of these will
vary depending on your own faxing needs or requirements;
but always keep in mind, you're looking for a good
reliable service that offers quality faxing at a
competitive price. Do a little homework now and it
can pay big dividends down the road.
...
For more information on Internet Fax Services try this
handy online Comparison Guide of: Internet Faxing.
Titus Hoskins Copyright © 2008.
..........
Please Note In gathering information and facts about the different Internet Fax Services, some
online sites proved very beneficial. Mainly sites that rated the different Fax Services - nothing
beats an opinion poll of actual users. These sites include Microsoft Office Marketplace,
FaxBeep.com, (one of the best resources for Internet Fax) and PC Magazine.
If you need further information on the above Internet Fax Service
Providers - Just click the appropriate link: MyFax Metro Hi Speed
RapidFAX Send2Fax TrustFax Faxage and eFax® Internet faxing services.
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