Internet Fax Basics You Should Know

Known by a variety of names, including "digital fax", "email fax", "virtual fax" - the Internet fax has become a staple of American business and personal communication. Simply put, it is a dedicated phone number that converts incoming faxes into digital copies that can then be viewed online and uses the Internet, instead of a regular phone line, for sending faxes.

There are a number of benefits to having an Internet fax account. The most obvious is the ability to connect two different forms of communication - the digital form such as email and the physical facsimile - seamlessly. The Internet fax service can also save money.

Rather than the cost of a dedicated fax phone line, an Internet fax account fee is much lower and uses the existing Internet connection to send faxes. Since the Internet fax account converts faxes into digital copies that can be viewed on your computer, there is no need to purchase a separate fax machine, buy additional paper or even accept "junk" faxes. In fact, with the incoming faxes converted into digital format, the attachments can be saved to digital files, manipulated through software programs on the computer or easily become part of other digital documents.

Efficiency and reliability are also major factors. Because the Internet connection is used to send and receive faxes, there are no "busy signals" or paper jams, which eliminates the frustration of running out of paper at a critical moment. Internet fax systems support encryption technology. Therefore, with documents delivered directly to an individual's computer rather than to an unsecured office fax machine, the process is encased within a secure environment.

There are a lot of companies that now provide Internet fax services. Due to this fact, the marketplace for Internet fax services has created what may be termed, "standard fees and services". For example, a free trial is standard, as is no "start up" fees. Most services also guarantee no hidden fees as well as customer support hours.

The average monthly fee is $10 with an average of 300 pages - both incoming and outgoing - included. There are some Internet fax providers that have service for as little as $7 per month with a 500 page limit, though fees lower than the average are often introduction fees and may rise after a short period. Many companies will also offer a cost break if the user signs a contract for a year or pays for a year of service in advance.

While most charge per page, there are companies that charge per minute. The per minute packages are offered on the notion that it takes approximately about 30 - 60 seconds to fax one page. However, transmission times can vary.

For plans that charge per page, the cost of going over the monthly page limit can be as minimal as 3-cents per page. Companies that charge a per minute rate will usually average about 6 cents per minute for every minute over the monthly package minutes. So whether you go with a per page or per minute provider, your overage rates work out to about the same.

Additionally, most services will store faxes for up to 30 days, though some of the more expensive services will hold faxes for up to two years.

For higher volume users, such as a company with a large office or branch offices, Internet fax companies offer what amounts to bulk discount packages. One example would be an Internet fax service that expands the number of faxes included in a basic plan from 200-300 for $10 per month to 2500 fax pages for $50 to $60 per month, depending on whether the service is paid monthly or annually. This can also be an effective plan for companies that broadcast faxes, or send the same fax to numerous recipients simultaneously.

The most important factor to consider when selecting an Internet fax service is determining whether the solution will be scalable for a specific company's business goals. While there are a variety of affordable and inclusive packages available in today's marketplace, it's imperative to weigh all options in order to ultimately make an educated and economical decision.