Internet Fax Providers - What To Look For Before Buying?

Internet Fax is known by many different names such as email
fax, online fax, electronic fax, e fax or even digital fax.
Regardless of what you call it, Internet Fax simply means
using your email system and the Internet to send and
receive your faxes via email attachments usually in PDF or
TIFF formats.

You have an online interface (site) where you can not only
store your faxes but also where you send and receive your
faxes. In addition, many providers will let you fax thru a
desktop application or directly thru your email program.

Internet faxing has become very popular mainly because it
is relatively inexpensive and it lets you send and receive
your faxes anywhere, anytime. It is more secure than the
old fax machine and since it is web based, you can
basically fax wherever you have Internet access and these
days that's just about everywhere.

If you're looking to purchase an Internet Fax service you
will probably consider some of the more popular brand name
online fax providers such as MyFax, eFax, RingCentral,
RapidFax, TrustFax, Send2Fax, MetroFax and Faxage.

However, choosing an Internet Fax service does take some
consideration, especially since this is usually a
"long-term service" and even a small difference in price
can add up quickly over the long haul. So here are some
certain common features and qualities that you should look
for before buying or signing up to any one fax service.

1. Overall Quality Of The Fax Service

The overall quality of your chosen fax service is very
important to consider. You want a reliable service with a
minimum of problems. Your online faxing should be seamless
and hassle-free; with any issues quickly answered or
solved. Checking customer reviews and ratings will give you
some idea of the quality of the different fax service
providers. Test-driving a service will give you a better
view.

2. Good Reliable Customer Support 24/7

You want good customer support that's available 24/7.
Again, if you should have problems, they should be taken
care of in a timely fashion. Check the Support hours - most
companies have 24/7 service but not all.

3. Competitive Pricing

There are countless fax plans and services so it pays to
shop around for the best price. But again, look first for a
quality service instead of just choosing the cheapest rate.
Consider the number of pages (incoming & outgoing) which
you will receive with the monthly fee. Check what's being
charged for overage or extra pages. Also remember, buying
with an annual plan can save you up to 25% or more.

4. 30 Day Free Trial

Most Internet Fax Providers give a 30 Day Free Trial so
take advantage of this offer to test-drive a service. Try
before you buy. Some companies also offer one month free
but you only get this on your second month into the plan.

5. $10 Monthly Fee

The average monthly fee is around $10. Some plans offer a
small annual fee of around $20, which should be considered
if your faxing needs are very minimum. There are also some
services where you pay around $4 per month with no free
pages, you buy faxes as you need them.

6. No Set Up Fee

Most but not all Internet Fax services have no set up fees.
Check your service plan before you sign up. Keep in mind,
it might be worth your while to pay a start-up fee if the
service you're getting is worth it.

7. No hidden Fees

Most fax services do not have hidden fees but you must ask
or check before you buy. Make sure all your faxing costs
are up-front and you can check these costs at any time.
Some companies will notify you when there are extra charges
over your regular limit.

8. Around 300 Combined Pages (Incoming & Outgoing)

There are different amounts but most companies have around
300 combined faxing pages included in their plans, this
includes incoming and outgoing faxes. If you do a lot of
faxing, it pays to shop around for the best service with
the largest number of faxes each month.

9. 10 Cents Per Minute for Extra Pages

The average for extra pages is around 10 cents per minute
but again it pays to shop around. Also note, some companies
quote rates in pages, while others quote in minutes... for
pages it is assumed that it takes 1 minute or less to
transmit your fax, however, with large faxes it may take
longer.

10. Local and Toll-Free Numbers

Check what type of Fax Number you will be receiving, Local
or Toll-Free. Check to see if there are any extra charges
for the Toll-Free number.

11. Online Interface & Storage Capacities

Most companies have an online interface (site) where you
can send and receive your faxes. But each will have
different storage amounts and different lengths of time you
can keep your faxes online. This is important if you plan
to keep your faxes for a long time or if you want to store
large quantities of faxes online.

12. Scalable Business & Corporate Plans

Most fax providers offer corporate faxing plans that are
completely scalable to meet your growing company's needs.
Also check for special rates if you will be doing any large
volume fax broadcasting or you're operating a large amount
of fax numbers within your company.

All of the above features should be considered when buying
your Internet Fax service. Some of these will vary
depending on your own faxing needs or requirements; but
always keep in mind, you're looking for a good reliable
service that offers quality faxing at a competitive price.
Do a little homework now and it can pay big dividends down
the road.


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For more information on Internet Fax Services try this
handy online Comparison Guide of:
http://www.onlinefaxguide.com
Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxing
try here:
http://www.bizwaremagic.com/internet_fax_service_guide.htm
Titus Hoskins 2008. This article may be freely distributed
if this resource box stays attached.