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A Guide to Virtual Fax

In the past, many homes and businesses relied on fax to send documents and other vital information to others. With a fax machine, individuals could scan printed material and transmit the data through a telephone signal. Though many businesses still rely on fax, the traditional fax machine has been slowly circumvented by alternatives made available through the Internet. Nowadays, companies are able to fax over the web, through virtual fax.

Virtual fax allows individuals to send and receive fax over the internet, without any need of a dedicated fax machine. Generally, the only components needed to run virtual fax are a computer, fax software, and an internet connection. With benefits such as simplicity and flexibility, virtual fax a popular alternative for many businesses today.

How Does Virtual Fax Work?

Virtual fax operates through a relatively straightforward method, utilizing the Internet in order to transmit data to the receiver. The sender uploads their data to the computer, whether through a scanner or flash drive. Data can be transmitted through various formats, including TIFF and PDF files. However, the individual should look into which file formats are supported by their fax software. Afterwards, the document is sent to the receiver through a fax gateway, straight to their email inbox. From there, the receiver can choose to view or print the information on their own. Practical and efficient, many homes and businesses are turning to virtual fax for their everyday use.

The Benefits of Virtual Fax

Virtual fax offers a wide variety of benefits for both homes and businesses. The following are examples of the advantages that the party can obtain:

Flexibility:
Virtual fax offers flexibility and mobility, due to the fact that the individual does not have to rely on a dedicated fax machine. No longer does the individual have to stand beside a machine, waiting for messages from the other party. Through virtual fax, individuals can send and receive a document at any time or place, as long as they have an Internet connection. Individuals do not have to leave their computer on, as the messages will be waiting in their inbox when they return. In addition, a number of virtual fax software also allows individuals to check for messages through email or their mobile devices, allowing for greater ease of access.

Energy Efficiency:
Fax machines can use a fair amount of paper in its lifetime, and expend a fair amount of energy in printing the documents. For environmentally friendly companies, fax machines can become quite a waste of energy. Virtual fax is an attractive alternative, as information is transmitted directly on the Internet. When one message is sent to another, a copy of the document is sent to the receiver’s computer, in a digital format. If the information does not need to be printed, the receiver can read and understand the data through the computer, saving paper, money, and energy.  

Affordability:
With the need for paper, ink toners, and valuable office space, maintaining a fax machine can take a fair amount of an office’s budget. In addition to supplies, the office must also maintain a telephone line for the fax machine, leading to additional costs. However, virtual fax is relatively affordable, and removes many of the costs seen with a traditional fax machine. Documents can be viewed and read through a computer screen, and requires no paper or ink. If the individual wishes to print their documents, they can simply use their printer associated with the computer. In addition, virtual fax software offers flexible pricing, and will often include several virtual fax numbers dedicated for faxing.