Many companies and individuals are switching over to online fax and leaving their old fax machines to gather dust. Why is this happening and does it truly mean the fax machine is indeed dead? Perhaps the best way to answer both those questions is to closely examine the differences between online fax and conventional faxing.

First, you must realize, online fax is a relatively new technology which lets you use your current email system and your computer to send and receive all your faxes. Online fax is WEB BASED and can be directly tied into your computer network and the Internet. Your faxing services are out-sourced to a third party provider who handles all your faxes for you. This is one of the major differences between the two... one is web based and the other is phone based.

Plus, with an online fax service you don't need a dedicated fax phone line and since it is paperless faxing, you don't have to bother with any messy inks, toners or papers. You don't even have to have a fax machine for that matter, all your faxing can be done online. But remember, you still have a fax number like you would have in the traditional method and you can still send a fax to a fax machine because your online provider acts as an intermediary to handle the details. And someone using a conventional fax machine can still send a fax to your online account... you will receive it as an email attachment, usually in a Tiff or Pdf format.

So what's the Big Deal about online faxing?

Well, there are plenty of benefits with using this new way of faxing. Since it's web based, your faxes are available anywhere, anytime. This makes it a totally portable or mobile fax system and you're no longer confined just to the office setting and the old fax machine. You have the ability to reach your clients and customers regardless of where you're located. For traveling workers or salespersons, engineers in the field, real estate agents on location, building contractors on site... this complete mobility can make all the difference in the world.

Another major difference between the two has to do with your start-up costs and your ongoing expenses. With online fax, since it is a form of cloud computing, the start-up costs are next to nil. In a matter of minutes, you can have your fax number and be in business without having to install any hardware. In addition, ongoing expenses are much lower than with a traditional fax machine... you don't have the cost of a dedicated fax phone line, you don't have the cost of all those inks, toners and papers, you don't even have to buy a fax machine and/or maintain it.

With online fax, you have a small monthly fee (around $8 to $10) which you pay each month in return for all these faxing services. This can be much cheaper than traditional faxing. This cost-effectiveness is one of the major reasons many companies are choosing or going with an online fax account.

Another major difference, online fax digitizes all your faxes or messages so that they can be easily filed and stored on your computer or in your online fax account. This makes it extremely easy to retrieve a fax, no matter when you initially received it. This can also make your office or company run more efficiently and save you time.

Security is another difference, with online fax your messages can be encrypted when you send them. This can offer your company greater security, especially if you have sensitive faxes dealing with your company's private matters. In addition, you can confirm your fax has been received and only the receiver who has access to this password protected account can see the fax. In the office setting, anyone passing by a fax machine can view your faxes... this is not an ideal situation if you're sending sensitive company messages.

Lastly, with online faxing, you can quickly import a whole list of contacts and broadcast a message to these contacts with one click of the mouse. This can be of great benefit if you use faxing to advertise special sales or discounts. It can also come in handy if you have to quickly reach all your employees and/or clients to give them a special message.

So these are the major differences, one is a computer/web based fax system which is totally modern. It is available anywhere and anytime, so your faxing is no longer limited to the office or office hours. Plus, online fax is much more cost-effective than traditional faxing and start-up costs are extremely low. Internet fax is also more private and much more secure than conventional faxing.

But you have to realize the fax machine is going nowhere, mainly because many companies are keeping their fax machines in addition to obtaining an online fax account. They get the best of both worlds and enjoy the benefits of each.

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Titus Hoskins Copyright.

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.

Internet Fax Service Guide

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