Big hair, leg warmers, fax machines, and The Dukes Of Hazzard. What do all of these things have in common? They all should have been left in the 1980's. The most surprising 80's trend that is still lurking in the present is the fax machine. With technology developing, improving and changing at such a rapid pace, how did the fax machine survive up until now? Well the truth is, it may be surviving but it is definitely on the endangered species list. With the advances in internet technology the fax machine is being rapidly phased out for a more efficient and less expensive fax solution. A simple comparison between the two technologies makes it clear why.

Efficiency

With internet fax, all faxes can be sent and received without leaving your desk. Faxes can be delivered to one email address or many. Some internet fax providers even offer a web access panel so that faxes can be viewed online from any computer with internet access. Sending internet faxes can be accomplished right from your desktop using fax software supplied by the provider or a web access panel. With a standard fax all of this has to be accomplished with trips back and forth to the fax machine. When waiting for a fax to be received, many trips might be necessary before it actually arrives. The internet fax is especially efficient for home based businesses where space is limited as well.

Internet fax providers range in price of course, but most will have a product within the $10.00 a month range. Providers also differ in how they charge for faxes sent and received. Some are going to charge per page while others per minute. (Per minute usually works out to be less expensive.) That's it. You will have a monthly system charge and charges for your faxes sent and received. With a standard fax you have the cost of the cumbersome piece of equipment, fax paper (that always runs out in the middle of an important transmission.), ink (will go right after you replace the paper during that important transmission), and maintenance for when you have changed the paper and the ink and it still won't work. If you would like, you can also factor in the loss of valuable productive time that is taken up by the trips back and forth to the fax machine and time lost while trying to free up the paper jams.

Every trend and technology has its day. Some technology, it seems, has a couple of decades. Such was the case with the fax machine. It was a wonderfully useful and efficient technology, but has since been replaced by a better technology in internet fax. Internet fax is more efficient and cost effective. So when 1985 calls and wants its fax machine back, shall we give them your number?