Internet Fax Features

Features Offered by Online Fax Services

Getting rid of the fax machine is easier than ever.  With so many online fax providers out there, making the transition from a dedicated fax line to internet faxing is as simple as choosing a online fax company.

One word of caution –  Be wary of online fax review websites that list pricing and specific terms of service.  Prices vary over time, as do terms of service.  You will want to get that information directly from the provider.

Common Features – Online fax service providers normally offer the feature sets listed below.

Choice of Fax Number

a. Port your existing number into their system
b. Select a number with a local area code
c. Select a number with a different area code
d. Select a toll free number

Online Fax Storage

a. Your sent and received faxes are stored on the provider’s servers
b. Length of storage varies widely
c. Once deleted, not retrievable

Receive and Send Faxes by Email

a. Designate who can send online faxes
b. Designate who can receive internet faxes
c. Limits on number of email addresses per account varies
d. File formats for received faxes
e. Acceptable file formats for outbound email faxes (attached documents)

Fax from Any Application

a. Fax printer driver

Edit and Annotate Faxes

a. Provided application for managing faxes offline

Integration with Microsoft Office applications

a. Office Button : Send : Internet Fax
b. Help with setup

Alerts

a. Incoming fax triggers alert text message to cell phone
b. Choose to get email alert or email with fax attached

Logs

a. Access logs of all inbound and outbound fax activity.
b. Download logs to your computer
c. Archive logs on the provider’s server

Web-based account management

a. Manage your account
b. Configure options

Online Fax Security

a. Data transfers protected by secure link layer (SSL)
b. Online storage secured by redundant servers
c. Backup power at server location in case of power failures

Support for multiple operating systems

a. Windows
b. Mac
c. Smartphones: iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, WebOS