One of the biggest and common misconception in today’s technology obsessed world is that fax machines died when the Internet started to breathe life. The truth, however, is that fax is still the quickest method to send, receive and sign-off an important business document. Moreover, the true reality is that the internet adopted faxing as a family member as it proved highly efficient when using a labour intensive stand-alone fax machine that drinks ink on a regular basis. Based on this, the question that everyone asks themselves is what is the best internet fax service available for you to use – as there are rather a lot to choose from. And all have from the feedback I receive different pricing, service options, and hidden fees. Very few have clear transparent pricing I am told.

We all like to buy ease and convenience and would prefer I expect to receive everything, such as our post via email and then simply print, sign-off, scan and then email the signed document. But again we have another hardware dilemma to face, just as we have technical problems with fax machines, scanners can also go wrong and need repair and some maintenance. Or you just bin it and buy another. So when you next Google “internet fax” or “email fax” or even “pay as you go internet fax” your search will deliver a varied range of organic and ppc search results asking for your business.

Once subscribed you will have your own personal fax number, which requires NO additional phone line as your faxes are sent and received via your designated email inbox.

Filefax benefits are:

· Your own local fax number to send & receive your faxes as emails.
· Send & Receive faxes wherever and whenever you can send your email.
· NO more paper needed and NO more paper jams. Only you see your faxes.
· Store, manage and forward your faxes just like you do emails.
· Delete spam and junk faxes with 1 click. NO lost faxes.

Your own Filefax Number costs just £5.00 per month and allows you to receive 1500 pages per month. Providing you with the added flexibility to access, retrieve and view all your faxes online “anywhere in the world”. To try, please call: 0208 123 9575 or email: info@filefax.co.uk

Do you still send and receive paper faxes via a stand-alone fax machine, if so, please add your findings on why you do here. Or ask any questions that you may have also.

And now a strange posting for you.

Sadly upon returning to the office on Monday (January 4, 2010) I received a call from a customer based in the North West who immediately asked me to send him copies of all the faxes he’d received over the last 4-6 weeks. As when visiting family over Christmas, he had “foolishly” (his words, not mine) left his laptop in his car. This obviously was deemed too much of an opportunity, so the passing thief stole it. Now a quicker and shiny new laptop can be bought, however, the information that he kept on it, such as meeting times and orders received for Air Conditioning Units (YES Air Conditioning Units in December) had been lost. Now, the faxes were overall retrieved, but a valuable lesson also learnt on why you should try and keep your laptop safe. The following points I suggest are:

1. Always keep your laptop close to you and never lose sight of it: We all place our bags on the floor when ordering our Latte or just put it down with all out other bags on the floor or under a table when chatting. It is thereafter when it is the easiest for Ali Baba and his 40 thieves to strike and steal your bag. Therefore, always try and keep your laptop bag on your shoulder, or keep your laptop in a rucksack or sports bag instead of a laptop bag – this isn’t ideal for business meetings but when going home isn’t such a bad idea. 

2. Always, and I mean always, back-up your data: Undertake regular backups of all business critical information and data just in case your laptop is lost, gets damaged or as the case can sometimes be, it gets stolen. Replacing lost data is very, very, very time consuming and not easily retrieved based on our sometimes hectic schedule.

3. Another option is to use a portable storage device: To ensure you nearly always have the necessary business critical information, always carry a copy of this on a USB stick – these are all competitively priced nowadays. But remember make sure the portable USB stick is carried separately from the laptop, as this can be just as painful if the data is business sensitive – so ideally use a password protected USB stick.

4. Always encrypt your data: Should your laptop fall into the wrong hands, always make sure that your hard drive is encrypted.  This may sound to some “over the top” but not to those who wished they had encrypted their data once their laptop is stolen. As laptops with Windows Vista Enterprise installed already have BitLocker drive encryption. So if you aren’t using this version of Windows Vista, then either use an open source solution such as TrueCrypt or http://www.gosecure.eu to protect your sensitive data.
Also, always use strong passwords: Please review the following webpages on how best to do this: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/fraud/passwords/create.aspx
http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_5044822_make-good-password.html?cr=1
The above webpages explain and detail how best to create a strong and secure password. Ensure that your password cannot be easily guessed (for example, your favourite football team or your name) if your laptop is lost or stolen. From searching the web, a programme that comes highly recommended for helping you securely manage your passwords is Password Vault, which works very well for Windows. And always change your passwords on a regular basis.

5. Or use a BIOS Password: This stands for basic input/output system (BIOS) and is also known as the System BIOS. So that using this ensures that not even the laptop can be turned on without the correct password inputted.

You may wonder why I highlight or write about this. But as this was my first call to the office, after the Christmas break and if by briefly writing about this somebody can avoid this experience. I, and my air conditioning customer will be very, very happy. As after 12 months on the road, my customer said that his guard was down and so a lesson learnt.

The answer I believe depends on the reason you are still using your fax machine. For example, do you receive and send faxes every day, or do you have your fax machine to send or receive a fax once or twice a month or so. If the latter then I would say NO, but then others may say YES. I would then of course say, why pay for a fax machine and all the associated costs such as paper, toner and phone line rentals. When in fact, all you need to use is your email client such as Outlook or web-based such as Yahoo or Hotmail.

Also, if you are in business and send and receive documents on an ongoing regular basis and the Sales Department requires a customer signature or sign-off then it maybe easier to keep your fax machine. Or you could just scan it and then send it via Filefax – the decision is yours. However, it won’t be on the same phone line as your broadband connection, so you would have to subscribe to an extra line rental for the fax machine.

If your forms, documents etc just require a signature then there isn’t really much to say or argue in favour of putting the fax machine in the storeroom to gather dust with all the other hardware that technology makes redundant. And YES you could also cancel the other phone line/s. But the other thought in my mind is that when sending a document via a fax machine it can take longer given the manual procedure when an email takes just seconds to send.

But then again nearly every company has a scanner, so obtaining a digital copy is no problem. So if you have your document as a computer file such as Word, TIFF or PDF you can send it via email with a simple click. Or on the other hand, if it has to be delivered as a paper fax for their signature the other end etc then subscribe to an email fax service as these enable you to send and receive your faxes via email.

As I said the decision is yours, but there is nothing wrong with making life easier is there.

The recent Ofcom 0870 Announcement and how it will affect your 0870 fax number.

Should you subscribe to an 0870 number we suggest that you read this email completely, as it details the Ofcom changes with non-geo 0870 numbers.

On 1 August 2009 based on the Ofcom rules set here: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/features/0870rules the cost for calling an 0870 number will be significantly reduced to that of the same price as a national rate fax number. Put simply, this means that there will no longer be any rev-share mechanism to fund the forwarding of any calls to 0870 fax numbers to any forwarded number. Your current provider will be charged for receiving any calls on this 0870 fax number and will no doubt pass these charges onto you – the end user, but above all and how we see things the valued customer.

The 0870 Filefax fax number alternative is as follows….

Based on the Ofcom ruling and should you wish to avoid the additional forwarding costs associated with an 0870 fax number it is now the ideal time to choose a Filefax 0844 fax number. Or if you are scared of 08 fax numbers you could simply choose the more commonly used Geographic 01XX fax number as we have literally hundreds of STD area codes available.

Filefax understands that these changes are problematic and can appreciate that this will cause additional expenditure when businesses sole aim is to make money rather than to have to spend more of it. But stress these changes are industry wide and are actioned at the instruction of Ofcom.  The newly enforced Ofcom rules make it extremely expensive for businesses to use an 0870 fax number. Which is why Filefax offers 0844 fax numbers and a varied range of 01and 02 STD codes, and will enable you to avoid any additional set-up fees, as Filefax charges NO set-up fees for any fax number purchased.  Please goto: www.filefax.co.uk/shop and select your preferred 01, 02 or 0844 fax number from the drop-dowm menu.

Filefax 0844 numbers are different to the 087 fax numbers as these number types allow you to call forward to any UK landline and other european destinations completely free of charge which is yet another benefit for using an 0844 fax number.

Prior to the Ofcom ruling 0870 fax numbers were more expensive to call when compared to other 01 or 02 numbers. The new changes however mean that the fax numbers are now cheaper to call, the same as you would normally pay to call a 01 or 02 national-rate fax number. Good news for the caller, but not so good news for the companies who operate 0870 fax numbers and generate revenue from doing so.

The change also complicates things for numerous telecoms operators as previously 0870 fax numbers and the associated call forwarding was free of charge based on the revenue share. But now many operators have a pricing model whereby each number is charged a monthly/yearly rental and charge a per-minute fee to call forward all received calls. Which is not easily costed for a company using an 0870 number as their fax number – as they are unable to foresee how many calls they will receive.

I hope the above is clear and straight forward and if our Sales Team can assist you in providing you with an alternative fax number then please call us: 0208 123 9575 or email: sales@filefax.co.uk and we will assist you further. Or simply visit our website: www.filefax.co.uk/shop

Should you have any questions or require assistance please do not hesitate to make contact with us.

Research suggests that SOHOs and SMEs can reduce their capital expenditure by as much as 75% when spending money on fax machines and their associated costs such as additional phone lines, toner cartridges and paper costs. In comparison, Internet fax services are available 24/7 and use the same Internet connection as your email client such as Outlook and Eudora. Also when they go wrong there are no call-out charges as the responsibility lies with the service provider. So if you can’t send a fax, they don’t make any money. Hence downtime or service outages are rare.

The big question is however which Internet faxing service is the best one to use? The answer to this is to do your research and have valid search criteria that meets and satisfies the requirements of your monthly fax activity. For example, type in “internet fax” within Google and the search results will deliver both Internet fax service and various pieces of software – these I hasten to add will require either a download or installation - whereas an Internet fax provider such as www.filefax.co.uk doesn’t. In addition, internet fax services enable you to gain access to your Internet Fax service from “anywhere in the world” whether you are at home, on the road travelling or away on business or holiday. And of course software is usually installed on 1 specific computer.

Always ensure you check all the pricing and small print and review your monthly costs on your statement on a regular basis. As some costs are hidden in the “small print” such as set-up fees and hidden cancellation fees unless you subscribe for 12months. One idea to avoid this is to evaluate and test the Internet fax service before you decide who to use. Should the company you are interested in request your credit card details or perhaps not offer a trial then the decision is yours as to whether you pursue your interest in them. But perhaps a worthwhile question is to ask yourself why they are asking for your credit card details straight away? Even if you do eventually find a company that offers a free trial, make sure you are aware of how many faxes you can send or receive as you may just find that they will charge you for this. After all they may have taken your credit card details already so can do this. So check the Terms and Conditions within the small print.

Finally ensure that the Internet Fax provider you choose offers a varied selection of Supported File Types you can use to send your faxes. For example, if they don’t allow you to send MS Word or PDF then what’s the point! Or even TIFF so make sure you have the software applications installed so that you can view the documents – these are listed on our Supported File Types page.

In addition a quick check list to ask yourself is:

1. Does the Internet fax provider charge a set-up fee? If NO that’s more money saved
2. Does the Internet fax provider have any hidden fees? Such as cancellation fees as some do!
3. Does the Internet fax provider offer an evaluation or complimentary trial?
4. Does the Internet fax provider provide free 24/7 UK based customer support?
5. How many pages does the Internet fax provider include in their plan?
6. How much are the additional page costs? Avoid unexpected Bill Shock!

Fax machines are still used today and are used by businesses throughout various industry sectors. A fax machine can be bought relatively cheaply with prices starting at just £60.00 upwards and these are found in homes, home offices  and businesses throughout the UK and the rest of the world. However no matter how inexpensive they become and are used in everyday business, over time alike any other piece of Technology they will go wrong and your faxes will stop being received. The decision for many then, is do you fix the fax machine or not? Or seek an alternative?

However let us review and look at some of the advantages a fax machine offers. A fax machine  in reality is like a photo copier, and is an electronic piece of hardware that scans a paper image, but then enables the User to transmit the image via modem to another fax machine alike a voice phone call to anywhere in the world.

Any document sent via fax machine has a single row of light detectors review and scan the document.which produces an electric signal of voltage that then creates the light/dark parts of a page. This pattern is then sent via a telephone line to the recipient fax machine which will then decode the signal and tconvert it into a copy of the original image known as a fax copy.

However alike any hardware alike your car in order to keep it ruuning at optimum performance it will need ongoing routine maintenance. Which should help reduce and avoid most problems that are experienced with everyday operation.

If a problem exists and a repair is needed. The initial symptoms that are experienced by the user will help you or a service engineer identify the cause. For example, the power supply cord may be perished and so only a power supply is needed if the fax machine has no power. However if the power supply cord is not the cause, and you are unable to send or receive your documents then make sure that the phone line you are using is still connected and not down.  If after all these checks the fax machine still doesn’t function properly your only option to call a Service Engineer, or take it to a Service Repair Center for repair or if the unit is old and had a number of faults recently it may be wise to simply replace the fax machine.

Or if there are numerous marks or spots displayed on incoming documents then open the fax machine cover and clean the glass. Or again if a paper fax displays marks or spots on any documents you’ve received, then again open the cover and remove any spilt toner. It may even be sensible to replace the fax machine drum.

Or you can ignore all the above and simply replace your fax machine with your email, cancel your telephone lines and use your internet connection to send and receive your faxes via your email instead. So save money and time by using  www.filefax.co.uk

Non-geographic 0870 fax numbers were first introduced in the 1990’s and for very good reason.

An advantage of using an 0870 fax number allowed smaller companies to promote themselves as a national player, when in fact they were actually located in a small relatively unknown town or village. However 0870 fax numbers gave the impression they were on the same playing field as their bigger competitors and so increasingly gaining comparisons to their competitors. Whereas the actual truth was that they were just around the corner, as indeed some were.

The real excitement with the 0870 fax number was that it was portable. So if a business relocated, as so many are today, and no matter where the company relocated within the UK it would be able to retain it’s existing number and simply point it to a new line. Based on this, another clear and over whelming benefit was the associated cost savings from just advertising and stationary alone. As just advertising an 0870 number instead of the local STD geographic number where the company was based, the business would then never have a need to ever change fax numbers again - even if it did decide to relocate. And so it was, those companies who did continue to use their geographic fax number suffered additional costs every time they relocated and moved to new offices, as the geographic numbers could not be moved away from the local exchange.

However as the UK Telecom market was deregulated and became more competitive the actual cost of making a phone call, sending a fax fell quite considerably. Then with the introduction of pre-paid calling cards and VoIP solutions such as Skype etc most call rate plans dropped in price to the point whereby you can call almost anywhere in the world for just a few pence a minute. And as you know Skype to Skype is completely free of charge.

Initially everything was going smoothly and there were no consumer complaints or signs of protest as the related call costs were inexpensive, and the benefits still outweighed any possible pitfalls. That is until the telephone companies who had access to this mass pool of 0870 numbers started giving them away to companies so that nearly every company was operating in some way using an 0870 number for their holiday reservations line or customer support orders line and so the 0870 number was no longer being used for the right reason.

As businesses and more alarmingly various government bodies started to use the 0870 numbers to gain significant rev-share income from the volumes of traffic their numbers were already generating. This would help reap them real financial rewards if 0870 numbers were adopted. Based on the size of any potential return some less desirable companies even adopted bad work practices in order to improve the rev-share kickbacks by keeping callers in a queue for unacceptable lengths of time. We’ve all experienced this at some point and even seen it on the BBC’s Watchdog programme.

So the abuse of the 0870 numbers began, as did the consumer complaints and protests about companies using the 0870 numbers. After all we’ve all heard of http://www.saynoto0870.com

Based on the consumer storm an in-depth enquiry was held by Ofcom (The UK Telco Regulatory body) and so from midnight on July 31st 2009 the cost of calling an 0870 number will decrease significantly. The current call costs are charged at 7.74p per minute (Peak Call & VAT Included), from 1 August 2009 this will cost approx. just 1p-2p per minute. As also, by law the cost of calling an 0870 number must cost no more than the cost of calling another landline. Therefore companies that operate a 0870 number will bow have to pay to receive their own 0870 calls – instead of having their rev-share payouts for having the number. Because of the fast approaching changes many companies are planning to move away from 0870 numbers to the lower priced 0844 numbers. So if you currently have an 0870 number, and do not want to pay a per minute charge from next month then you would be sensible to purchase an 0844 fax number instead. For more detailed information on these changes please visit:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/0870calls/0870statement/
http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/default.aspx

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