Online Fax - How To Find A Quality Fax Service Provider?

By: Titus Hoskins Click author's name for more of his/her articles

Just like email has totally changed how we send our mail; so too has online fax totally changed how we send our faxes. Actually, the two are intertwined since with online or Internet fax we send our faxes as email attachments, usually in TIFF or PDF format. We simply use our email system and our Internet connection to send and receive all our faxes.

However, there is one other player in this whole scenario - your Internet fax service provider, who acts as an intermediary on your behalf. But first you have to sign up to a service provider where you will be given a local or Toll-Free fax number which you can give out to all your contacts.

This number works in the same way as a traditional fax number except all your faxes are handled online so there is no need for an extra fax phone line. You can still send a fax to and from the old fax machine in the office since, as mention before, your online service acts as your intermediary.

You are also given an online site (interface) where you can logon and view your faxes. This is where you can send and receive your faxes. Most services also let you send faxes directly through your email system and many also have desktop applications you can use.

Still the main question remains - how do I find a good quality online fax service?

Well, there are certain norms, or average standards you can expect from all these providers. Mainly, you have to look for a provider which has 24/7 customer service, runs around $10 per month with approximately 300 total (incoming/outgoing combined pages) with extra pages going at 10 cents or less. You should note that some services charge per page, while others charge per minute and they assume that 1 page takes 1 minute or less to transmit. However times will vary depending on what your page contains, large graphics/files may take longer.

Ideally you will want a service with no start-up and no hidden fees. You should also look for a service with a 30 Day Free Trial so that you can thoroughly check out the quality of the service before you buy. Fortunately, most services do provide these free trials.

However, there are slight differences in the pricing and/or services so it definitely pays to shop around before you sign on the dotted line. Mainly because this is usually a long term business service and doing your homework now can save you big bucks over the long haul. In addition, if faxing plays a vital role in your company for acquiring sales, contacting or communicating with clients, then it is essential to find a good quality reliable service to take care of all your faxing needs. Pricing should be a consideration but your main goal should be to find a quality service with good 24/7 customer service that will quickly address any problems should they arise.

As more and more businesses switch over to online faxing or use it to supplement the old fax machine in the office; can you really afford not to get it? Can your business or company stay competitive in this dog-eat-dog economic climate is the real question you have to ask? When you consider Internet faxing is more convenient, more secure, more mobile and more environmentally friendly than the old traditional way of faxing, it really becomes a no-brainer. Just choose wisely when you go looking for your own online fax service.

Copyright (c) 2009 Titus Hoskins

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: For more information on Internet Fax Services use this handy online Comparison Guide to get your own: online fax Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxing try here: internet fax services Titus Hoskins 2009. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.