There has been an endless disagreement between online faxing and using faxing machines. With the increased number of free fax software online, one would think that faxing has gone fully digital. The truth is, the old faxing machine is still valid and used in so many organizations because of one thing. It eliminates any possibility of malware getting transferred from one computer to the other.
When considering whether to use free fax software or a faxing machine, you need to keep the following in mind.
Access
Typically, anyone will want to be able to access their fax messages wherever they are especially using smartphones. When using a faxing machine, it may not be possible to access your fax at your convenience because you need to be close to your fax machine to retrieve the files. With online faxing services, on the other hand, you have the benefit of viewing your fax messages anywhere at any time.
No upgrades and changes needed
Once you set up your faxing machine and number, you should know that you can enjoy using the services as long as you wish. That is because you will have an established fax number assigned to you. With online fax services like Google fax free software for example, you may need to make a few upgrades especially if you are using an app.
Additionally, you should know that online fax services don't require you to have a fax number. The disadvantage of this is that your fax number can be taken away from you or changed.
Mobile support
In an era when mobile phones are used for almost everything work-related, accessing your fax messages through an app or a phone browser is one of the best things that can happen to any employee or organization. Instead of having someone always present in the office to receive fax messages, online fax services make work easier.
Easy to use
It is safe to say that both online fax services and fax machines are easy to use. You don't need any prior faxing skills. If you can read and understand, then you should not have any trouble setting up your fax machine or your online fax profile.
Cost of service
The cost of faxing in any organization defers depending on the magnitude of work. Signing up for online fax services, for example, will cost approximately 5 USD per month. However, that comes with one or two limitations since it is the cheapest package you can find. With fax machines on the other hand, once you purchase the machine and configure it, the only thing that you need to worry about is the toner used for printing and electricity bill.
Also, don't forget that your fax machine may require regular servicing.
Security risks
Working with online fax services may be convenient but less secured compared to the old faxing machines. First of all, you should know that several con artists pose like online fax service providers. Not only will they rob you but they will also access your messages since you are hosted on your serves.
Compared to faxing machines, online fax service put users at more risk. Remember that while fax machines eliminate the possibility of malware transfer, the same cannot be said for online services.
Multiple users
At times, you may need to allow more people to be able to access your fax messages especially if you are running a company. While it may not be possible to have multiple extensions for a fax machine, online services make it possible to have several people access the same fax address. However, this can come as a disadvantage because once you have included more people to the extensions, they will obtain all the fax messages you receive even if it is none of their business.
Conclusion
The heated argument between online faxing and faxing machine is a hard one since both offer convenience to a certain level. However, when it comes to finer details and reasoning, you will realize that the only disadvantage that fax machines have is that you cannot carry them around with you. Online fax services require you to have a VoIP, and as we all know, VoIP signals tend to tamper with faxed files.
