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Guide to Fax Over IP

Use your PC as a fax and save on paper and long-distance charges
By Tonya Vinas

Your PC can double as a fax, sending and receiving paperless fax messages over the Internet. Sending a fax over IP (for Internet Protocol) can be less expensive and more effective than faxing as a phone call because:

1. You are not paying phone charges – your Internet service fee covers your faxing.
2. There's less equipment to buy and maintain. Faxes can be sent via an e-mail program as an attachment. Use a scanner to convert hard-copy to digital files.
3. It can grow with your business with little intervention. The service can easily scale from 20 people using it to 20,000.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Do it yourself on your own systems One way to set up fax over IP is to buy the software yourself. This can cut or reduce monthly fees or per-fax charges.

I recommend:  WinFax Pro 10 is a highly rated solution by Symantec, maker of Norton security software. Buy it at Amazon or many other online vendors.

Outsource the process You also can outsource your IP faxing for a fee, which can be based on a period of time or on the number of faxes.

I recommend:  Compare services from On Call, Fax Micro and LaunchFax.

Combine with VoIP If you're considering replacing your land-line phone system with voice over IP, take a look at devices that combine VoIP with fax over IP.

I recommend:  MultiTech promises substantial savings for long distance, inter-office communication by using its gateway device that connects your fax, phone and data network.

Get a free trial Some Internet fax companies offer free trials. This is a great way to get to know the service.

I recommend:  RapidFax, Faxback and Snappy Fax give you 30 days to try their products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• E-mail might still be your best bet for most business-to-business communication, but faxes can work if anti-spam software blocks outgoing e-mails or if the information doesn't translate well in an e-mail.
• Be sure to comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 (JFPA), and any state or local laws concerning faxing.
• When you can, ask clients how they prefer to receive information. Don't assume fax is better just because you offer the service.