Brief Guide for Toll Free, Local or Online Faxing

There are plenty of options when it comes to where and how to get a fax number. Here are some of the most common ones:

• How to get a Fax Number (Toll Free)
• How to get a Local Fax Number
• How to Get an Online Fax Number
• Using a VoIP Phone Line

How to get a Fax Number – Toll-Free

Despite the name, Toll-Free doesn't mean that there are no costs associated to using this fax number – it only means that the caller doesn't have any charges associated to the call, all of the cost is transferred to the receiver.
There are three main methods of getting set up with a toll free fax number: moving the fax service online, using a toll-free forwarding number and getting a toll free fax number from the phone provider.

Using an online toll-free fax service: Setting up an online Toll-Free Fax service is the easiest and the least expensive way to get faxes – the cost is similar to the cost of sending a local fax no matter where the fax message is sent from.

Online Fax Services have gotten really popular lately, as they require minimal additional training, require no office space and give you all of the documents in digital form, which is a more eco-friendly variant.
Using a toll-free forwarding number: If you've already got an operational fax machine set up, you don't need to abandon that number to switch to toll-free – you can just set up a toll-free forwarding number, transferring the calls directed to your fax machine to the toll-free number without the caller being any wiser. Check out the pricing tables with your fax line provider, as setting up a toll-free forwarding number may be much more affordable than having a separate toll-free line.
Getting a toll-free line from the provider: Your local phone provider may be able to offer you a good deal, just expect the costs to be slightly higher for you than with the other two options. It really depends on your area and the policy of your local provider.
Over the long run, online and forwarding are most likely more affordable options, especially if you want to retain your company's mobility – getting a toll-free line from a local provider locks you to the provider by contract, other options let you move around.

How to get a Local Fax Number

If you're trying to get a fax number, there are two options for you – you either get one from your local phone company or you check out the online fax service out, more often than not, they are able to provide you with a local fax number.

If you've got more than one local phone company in the area, you may get a pretty good deal, comparable to prices for online faxing. Getting a local fax number also involves you getting a new landline connected to your office, as they need to install their own phone line.

One of the more advanced options the local companies may offer is the “dual ring” system, where a line doubles as a phone line and a fax line – the fax machine connected recognizes when the call is an incoming fax and when a phone call, and forwards the call accordingly.

How to Get an Online Fax Number

Online fax services offer great ways to send and receive faxes using PC, if you are not committed to having the physical print copy of the incoming fax (and even then, once you receive a fax you can print it as a regular document).
It's also the best method of faxing PDF documents, which makes most of the modern business communication.

Online fax services often allow you to get a local fax number as well as a toll-free number.

Using a VoIP Phone Line

Using VoIP phone line for a fax machine is not a viable option, as the methods of data transfer are not compatible.
There are some instances where things have worked, but there's no method to do this reliably, there's too much data interference from VoIP protocols for the fax to work as intended.

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Matt Gerchow

Matt Gerchow is an author, marketer, inventor, husband, father and yoga enthusiast. He enjoys travel to distant lands , fine wine, time with his family and dinner with friends.