June 15, 2022  |   

Despite the ubiquitous use of email, many organizations still want to receive important documents via fax. If you've been asked to fax someone a document but you don't have a fax machine, you might be frantically searching for a “fax machine near me.” But don't worry, you don't need a fax machine to send a fax. You can actually send a fax in the next few minutes for free from your own phone or computer.

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Googling “Fax Machine Near Me?” Use Your Own Computer!

What Is Email Faxing?

With email faxing, your document is uploaded to the fax service provider's server and then delivered via the Public Switched Telephone Network rather than via the internet. So even though it's sometimes called digital faxing, your document isn't delivered digitally. It's sent over analog telephone landlines, just like regular fax.

Your faxed document can then be received on a fax machine at the other end. It can also be received directly into the inbox of a recipient who's also using an email faxing service.

How Does Email Faxing Work?

Email fax is often called Google fax because you usually integrate a fax service provider with your Gmail account. Once integrated, you enter your recipient's fax number and details, compose a cover letter, upload your document, and hit “send,” just like sending an email.  

Your document is then delivered as a fax. You can also receive faxes in this way directly to your Gmail inbox. This means you can have a fully fax-functional business without ever owning a fax machine.

Is It Really Free?

With some digital fax services, such as aFax, you can send a limited number of document pages for free. With other services, such as RingCentral, you can have a free trial for 30 days.

For more extensive faxing, you'll have to pay. But the cost is usually very reasonable when compared to the traditional cost of paper, ink, landline rental, and fax machine upkeep.

The Benefits of Faxing In a Digital Age

You may think it rather old-fashioned to be using fax in today's age of email, social media, apps, and smartphones. But fax still has various security benefits. Because a faxed document is sent over analog telephone lines rather than the internet, it's encrypted, and it's harder to intercept.

For this reason, security-conscious companies and government organizations still value fax. Also, many individuals are simply familiar with fax and aren't in any rush to switch over to purely digital means of document delivery. When dealing with such fax-friendly businesses, you can easily accommodate their preferences with email faxing.

Say Goodbye to Fax Machines

While faxing is still popular, the use of bulky physical fax machines may dwindle and eventually die out. With Google faxing, you no longer need to have a machine in your office, nor even a landline. And there are more clear benefits of digital faxing.

Google Fax Is Super Convenient

No matter where you are, you can now send and receive faxes directly to your computer or phone. No more rushing to the office in order to get a fax delivered in time for some deadline. No more standing by the machine for ages, waiting for a confirmation of delivery notice. You can do it all while on the move.

Store Without Filing Cabinets

Document storage becomes far simpler with Google fax. Whenever you receive a fax, you can store it in Google Docs, Dropbox, Microsoft Office Online, or anywhere else you like. Over time, this is far more efficient and easier to organize than storing hundreds or thousands of printed sheets of paper.

Share Documents More Easily

Digital storage also makes for easier file sharing. You can simply allow your coworkers or customers access to a specific document, or share it with a private link.

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