Ordinary fax machines are handy tools to have in the office, but an increasing number of business concerns now choose to fax and receive documents using their computers instead. This reduces investment costs because the need to invest in fax machines is avoided. Expenses on fax paper is also kept low as all documents can be read on screen. Broadly speaking, there are two ways to make computers operate as fax machines as well.
(a) Using Faxing Software. (b) Online Faxing Services.
Using Faxing Software
If your existing computer has a dial-up modem, then all that is needed to turn it into a fax machine is to install a fax software. Such programs can easily integrate seamlessly with many common applications such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Adobe Photoshop, and they are very easy to use.
If you leave the computer and modem on, it can also receive faxes. Faxes received are all stored in the computer hard disk and can be retrieved at any time. This can reduce paper wastage significantly because you can view the fax on the screen and delete those you don't want. In contrast, ordinary fax machine prints out everything it receives.
Virtually all fax softwares are now sold online, and buyers can download it immediately. Installation is very easy and seldom requires any technical know-how.
Many of them are sold as sharewares, meaning you can use it legally for a specified period of time without having to pay anything. If you want to continue using it after the specified period expires, then you need to purchase a license. Otherwise, you need to remove that program from your PC.
Online Faxing Services
Online faxing, which is sometimes referred to as "Internet faxing", uses the power of the Internet to send and receive faxes, often as email attachments. Such faxing services normally require a monthly membership fee, and members are allowed to receive and send a predetermined number of faxes per month. If your company has an international clientèle, then online faxing is an excellent choice because it is inexpensive when compared to the other methods of faxing.
More often than not, it is not necessary to install any proprietary software, as literally all of these services are web-based. This means faxes are sent or received by accessing the service provider's website. Some of the key advantages of Internet faxing are:
(a) faxes can be sent or received anywhere in the world an internet service is available; (b) fax tracking features; and (c) bulk faxing (sending faxes to multiple recipients via a single transmission).
However, like everything else, online faxing service quality differs between different providers. Hence, there is a need to pick the best service provider which can meet the needs of your company. Here are some important factors to take into consideration when screening a service provider:
* Quality of customer support service. * Reliability of faxing service. * User friendly interface. * Pricing. * Number of allowed faxes to be sent or received per month.
Many of these online fax service providers do offer free trials. It is advisable to sign up for these trials to evaluate their customer service support quality and also the ease by which to send or receive faxes.
In 1843, Scottish inventor Alexander Bain received the first patent for the fax machine. Short for facsimile machine, Bain's invention worked by scanning a flat metal surface with a stylus mounted on a pendulum. The stylus picked up images from the metal surface and reproduced writing on an electrically conductive surface. Several people made modifications in Bain's invention and took part in inventing the fax machine we have today. Elisha Gray, Arthur Korn, and Edouard Beeline are among the inventors who have contributed to what the fax machine has become.
It took almost 140 years for the fax machine to become an everyday appliance. Several companies tried to develop the fax machine, including Xerox, the company that made significant innovations to the fax machine in 1966. It introduced a smaller version that works by sending transmissions over existing phone lines, enabling documents to be sent from one fax machine to another in about six minutes. Back then, it represented a significant step toward improving long-range communications. For several years however, the fax machine was costly and was difficult to operate. These difficulties were probably the reason why the fax machine was never used in the business sector prior to the 1980s.
Today's fax machine usually consists of an image scanner, a modem, and a printer rolled together in one contraption. The scanner converts the printed content on a physical document into a digital image and the modem works by sending the image data over a phone line to another device. The printer at the receiving end produces a copy of the sent document. Fax documents nowadays usually require five to ten seconds to transmit one page.
The introduction of the Internet in the 1970s took faxing to greater heights. The Internet has introduced cost-effective faxing for business owners and other individuals. Online faxing is proving to be efficient and productive in the business sector. Internet faxing has allowed individuals to receive faxes through e-mails, mobile phones, hand-held organizers, and PDAs. Internet faxing has solved the dilemma of jammed papers, expensive inks and toners, and other problems consumers encountered while using traditional fax machines.
To avail of Internet faxing services, an individual simply has to sign up with an Internet fax service provider, such as Freeifax. Freeifax is one of the fastest-growing providers of Internet messaging and boasts of thousands of satisfied consumers around the world. Signing up with Freeifax enables consumers to gain access to online faxes.
By signing up, freeifax will provide consumers a control panel ability that allows then to check incoming and outgoing fax messages. This Internet faxing service does not require additional devices to function properly, eliminating the need for a bulky machine and cables. These messages are accessible to most parts of the world, provided there is a working Internet connection. These messages are confidential and can only be accessed by specific recipients, therefore maintaining confidentiality and security of messages.
Freeifax offers consumers all the conveniences without paying monthly fees. Packages include free unlimited faxes for only 2.5 cents per send. A minimum reload of $5 is required to keep an account active. These accounts come with free and unlimited incoming messages.
People who use fax machines daily grow accustomed to the flaws that they encounter. Internet faxing has become a wonderful feature on the web for businesses and many individuals due to the reduction of those flaws. This service has bridged the gap of traditional fax machines and web-based communication. It has enabled consumers to save time and money, making their time more effective and efficient. To know more about Freeifax Internet faxing services visit www.freeifax.com.
Both Lydia Tan & Cathy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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