Fax to email

[taylor2767]

I would like to see VT implement a fax to email function for receiving faxes.

[VTAllan]

We have had many people request this as well. It is most likely something we will be looking into for the future.

Thanks for the great suggestion though, we appreciate any ideas here!

[nativesun79]

I would like to see guidance on the ability to fax over the primary phone line without purchasing a dedicated fax line for $9.95/month. I joined Viatalk because it had good reviews and the price was unbeatable. However, if I have to pay $9.95/month to send/receive a few faxes, I may have to rethink my position once my contract expires.

[dalydose]

We have had many people request this as well. It is most likely something we will be looking into for the future.

Thanks for the great suggestion though, we appreciate any ideas here!

Can I throw my support behind this suggestion??? Is this extraordinarily difficult to make happen? It is my one major problem with Viatalk and about the only reason I don't readily recommend it. It's my humble opinion that this should be at the TOP of the development list and the fact that lots of other people are asking (begging, pleading, offering bribes) for this means that ViaTalk would get all kinds of good karma and happy customers! =)

Jeff

[KLH]

It would be a nice additional I think. Not sure if I would ever use it myself, but it is nice to have if I ever did need it.

[AzAmusements]

It would be a nice additional I think. Not sure if I would ever use it myself, but it is nice to have if I ever did need it.

This was a selling feature for their business package for me and I have major difficulties in sending. They advertise it as part of their package and it works some of the time. My router has Quality of Service and it seems to be on VT's server side. I looks to me like a time out issue once the baude and connection is negotiated.

I agree that they need to put this on their priority list. But then again, when I installed all my equipment, I had to walk the tech through the basics of a structured network so maybe we are asking for too much.

[sincitymedic]

This would be a great feature for me, as well. I have/had a fax machine for my old POTS line, but that is long since been turned off.

[chas3]

I agree, Put fax support on the priority list. Or at least tell us if there is something we can tweak. Is it the PAP2T? Is it at VT?

I just faxed in to VT my request to port my number. It took me 5 calls to get two pages thru. Even with error correction off and 9600 baud, it took 3 tries. I made one attempt with error correction on and 4800 baud, but got a communication error. I don't think turning error correction off is valid, as you don't know if the fax is even readable at the other end. I need to call to see if VT received it.

Voice quality is great on my line. Let's get fax working a bit better.

[lanceaustx]

Many other companies seem to be able to provide faxing and fax to email. Why does ViaTalk find this so difficult?

[Brendan]

Faxing over VoIP is via standard methods is hit or miss almost anywhere you go. Fax to email is quite reliable, and we are well into the process of developing a viable fax to email alternative for our customers.

-Brendan

[dalydose]

Brendan,

I 100% agree with you that faxing out over VoIP has never been an easy thing to do. I don't know anyone who uses any VoIP service that has reliable outgoing fax capabilities. Faxing over ANY digital line is a challenge...offices with phone systems still have to keep the fax line off the digital system, I think.

Personally...I wish the fax would go out of style and people would just put email addresses into the speed-dial of their "all-in-one" and send a PDF with the same amount of ease. Hmmmm...maybe an email to HP/Epson/Canon/etc. is needed!

I can't wait to try out the fax-to-email though. Are you taking early testers? ;-) I manage an apartment building and get like 3-4 faxes per week. Not too many, but I hate keeping track of paper.

Anyway, thanks for the update!!

Jeff

[iampedro]

I would love this service also... I would love this to be the optional voice mail box that we have to be able to press 1 for voice mail and press 2 for fax... Just a idea... Or setup the virtual phone number to be the fax service... Who knows..

[jerryg]

I use Trust Fax and I have been very happy: http://www.trustfax.com/

[dalydose]

jerryg - I would rather have that as a feature of my VOIP than have to subscribe...and pay for...another service.

[VTAllan]

I noticed some posts in here about difficulty when faxing. Here is a thread posted in our Troubleshooting forums that you might find useful:

http://forums.hostrocket.com/showthread.php?t=20060

[iampedro]

I am excited to learn what ViaTalk has to have when it comes to this fax service on the web... I hope that they are competitive verses other online fax companies.

[jerryg]

dalydose: if VT includes it as part of my plan, great. is that their intention?

[shermanay]

I have an Epson CX11NF Laser Printer/Fax/Scanner...anyone has the same as I can't find any documention to set buad rates so that I can fax via VOIP.

How about recieving incoming faxes on my ViaTalk service? is this at least reliable?

[chas3]

I don't receive faxes because I use a free fax to email service. I do send some faxes and am satisfied with it. If you send lots of faxes, you may get frustrated. See also thread at http://forums.hostrocket.com/showthread.php?t=20060
I have upgraded PAP2 firmware, reduced gain, increased jitter buffer settings in the PAP2 and can get faxes to send, but expect some retries if running at 14400. Good enough for now.

[sbradshaw]

Faxing over VoIP is via standard methods is hit or miss almost anywhere you go. Fax to email is quite reliable, and we are well into the process of developing a viable fax to email alternative for our customers.

-Brendan
Brendan, do you have some status on the progress of this feature? It's been a couple months since your post. Thanks.

[dalydose]

How is it possible that this feature didn't make the voting list?? I think it would be a Top 10 for sure! Getting my faxes in email would be a HUGE benefit to me. I hate having paper around...I am disorganized! I hate buying paper and ink...I am cheap!

[jnuzzi]

I agree, this should definitely be added to the voting list.

I think VT could determine that a fax is coming in on my line and then receive it and send it to my email address.

[chas3]

there are already free services to receive faxes, but not for sending faxes.

[sbradshaw]

I agree, this should definitely be added to the voting list.

I think VT could determine that a fax is coming in on my line and then receive it and send it to my email address.

I have added this to the voting system. I have it currently listed under "Features", but this could very well be classified as an add-on "Service" depending on how VT would choose to implement this.

Happy Voting!

[Agrajag]

Scott, I too just added it (I used a bit more descriptive text (Support receiving faxes via e-mail) so I removed yours. heheheh

Regardless, the feature is there.

[sbradshaw]

there are already free services to receive faxes, but not for sending faxes.

There are some free services, but there has been a high-request to have a fax-to-email solution as part of the VT service. Personally, I would like to see what VT could do in this area. I'm sure it would make a good selling point for them as well to offer this additional feature/service.

[jnuzzi]

There are some free services, but there has been a high-request to have a fax-to-email solution as part of the VT service. Personally, I would like to see what VT could do in this area. I'm sure it would make a good selling point for them as well to offer this additional feature/service.

I currently have an efax number but it is not local. It would be nice to be able to use my home number and not have to remember an additional number. :D

[sbradshaw]

Scott, I too just added it (I used a bit more descriptive text (Support receiving faxes via e-mail) so I removed yours. heheheh

Regardless, the feature is there.

:) I just changed a couple more descriptions to be a little more clear as well.

All, your voting results are unaffected by these description changes (fyi).

[GregM]

I use the modem codes when I transmit and my sent faxes work just fine. A local chinese restaurant faxed a menu to the house last night over VT, worked just fine. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

If VT could get the automatic document feeder to work more reliably when I send 12 pages of various paper types to my insurance company, that would make me happy. I hate it when 2 pages get sucked in at the same time.:eek:

[dalydose]

I saw on that this feature has moved to #2 on the voting site. It also has the "Possible consideration" next to it vs. "already in development". I thought this was something that was being worked on, if not being tested.

I *really* would like to see this feature get some attention and love from VT! :D It would help me in my quest to be paper free!

[Agrajag]

I'm still amazed it's second. I'll see if I can get a definitive answer on it. Perhaps the person I spoke with simply didn't want to admit it is actually in development for any number of valid reasons.

[dalydose]

amazed?? =) I think it's the best feature that ViaTalk could do...

[Agrajag]

You must fax a lot. I personally have not sent, or received, a fax in several years.

[SARO91201]

I currently use a fax-to-email service I like it cause its also email-to-fax so I can send outgoing faxes via my email all I have to do is put the item I wanna fax in Doc or PDF or one of several other formats and then send a email too username@sf.smartfax.com and in the subject line put the 10 digit phone number then attach the file and send.

I use smartfax.

[jnuzzi]

Advisory: Due to System Maintenance, Email To Fax Feature is disabled. We are very sorry for this inconvenience.

Not sure I would be too happy about this if I was paying $9.95/month for this service.

[dalydose]

You must fax a lot. I personally have not sent, or received, a fax in several years.

I rarely SEND faxes, but I do get faxes 2-3 times per week.

[SARO91201]

jnuzzi where did you see that as I am sending faxes via email just fine.

[jnuzzi]

jnuzzi where did you see that as I am sending faxes via email just fine.

It is currently at the very bottom of their home page.

[jengunkel]

It is currently at the very bottom of their home page.

I'd checked it out but I haven't seen anything like it. I've tried their service and its good... good 30 day trial.. I'm now thinking what package I'll choose. Oh well if only I could choose the 30 day trial for good that would be great :rolleyes:

[dalydose]

I thought this was 'being worked on'. Any beta opportunities???

[bbeaty52]

I have a fax machine hooked to my line and I am able to send and receive faxes. Most fax machines have a feature that will enable it to use an answering machine with and it will determine if the call is a fax or a voice call. If it is a voice call the answering machine will get it. If it is a fax the fax machine will take it.

I disconnected the landline phone at the box outside. ( You just unplug it.) Inside I plugged a splitter in the phone wall jack, then I took the line coming out of the via talk modem and plugged it into one side of the splitter. coming out of the other side of the splitter I took a phone line to the Line in port of the fax machine and then took a line from the line out port and plugged it into my regular phone with the answering machine.

By plugging the splitter in the wall jack and running the phone line from the viatalk modem to it, it enabled all my phone jacks in the house.

Hope this helps. It is perfect for just sending and receiving a small amount of faxes.

[dalydose]

Hooking up a fax machine is one option...I think the proponents of a "fax to email" have the following reasons for doing so:

1. They don't want another machine in the office.
2. They can get the faxes as PDFs in their email and thus ANYWHERE
3. Waste less paper
4. Easily store and organize documents

I am sure there are more, but these are why *I* want a 'fax-to-email' feature.

[Julie]

I recently signed up for popfax.com and like it so far.
I can't believe I used an actual fax machine for as long as I did. It's so nice to not have to be by a fax machine to get a fax. Log in from anywhere and read/print or forward as needed.You can integrate Popfax.com solution in any environment with email application and send simple or multiple faxes all over the world.

[hrtanya]

I recently signed up for popfax.com and like it so far.
I can't believe I used an actual fax machine for as long as I did. It's so nice to not have to be by a fax machine to get a fax. Log in from anywhere and read/print or forward as needed.You can integrate Popfax.com solution in any environment with email application and send simple or multiple faxes all over the world.

ViaTalk's Fax2Email service is up and running in our new system. Existing members will be migrated over shortly, and the feature will be available to everyone on our network.