Voice over IP VOIP Help & Advice - Faxing with VoIP, Can It Be Done?

 by: Jason Christensen

Faxing with VoIP can be slightly different than the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). Not all VoIP providers offer Fax capabilities and some charge extra for this feature. Some VoIP adapters or ATA's as they are called allow fax capabilities by simply connecting your fax to the device. If your ATA supports fax capabilities you should not need a second line to send faxes. Beware that unusual amounts of faxing can violate your Terms of Service agreement with some providers and force you to upgrade to their business service, I think the normal user should not have a problem with this. Some providers require you to purchase a second number for your faxing needs and charge a minimal amount for that service usually around $5 or $10 per month.

VoIP Provider Fax Information:

· Vonage: With a Vonage Small Business account, you get a dedicated fax line with 500 local and long distance minutes of outgoing fax service to the US (including Puerto Rico) and Canada, plus unlimited incoming faxes each month. Residential account you get a Vonage fax line for $9.99 per month with a one-time $9.99 activation fee. You get 250 minutes of local and long distance outgoing fax service plus unlimited incoming faxes each month. Extra outgoing fax minutes are only 3.9 cents per minute.

· AT&T Call Vantage: All of their packages offer some level of Fax support. The $19.99 package includes one line for both faxing and calls with unlimited local service. The $29.99 package includes one line for both faxing and calls with unlimited US & Canada service. The $49.99 2-line package includes one line for calls & Faxes with unlimited US & Canada service and the second line has 500 minutes available for either fax or voice.

· Packet 8: According to their website there is no formal Faxing capabilities. I would assume the modem could be connected to the ATA just like a standard phone. There Terms of Service does not limit the use of a fax machine however it does not guarantee functionality either.

· 1 Touch Tone: According to their website there is no formal Faxing capabilities. I would assume the modem could be connected to the ATA just like a standard phone. There Terms of Service does not forbid the use of a fax machine however it does warn against over usage, which could require a business package upgrade.

· Sun Rocket: According to their website there is no formal Faxing capabilities. I would assume the modem could be connected to the ATA just like a standard phone. There Terms of Service does not forbid the use of a fax machine however it does warn against over usage, which could require a business package upgrade or suspension of service

· Lingo: According to their website there is no formal Faxing capabilities. I would assume the modem could be connected to the ATA just like a standard phone. There Terms of Service does not forbid the use of a fax machine however it does warn against over usage, which could require a business package upgrade or suspension of service

This is just a sample of providers to find out more you can search for additional providers online or visit our website. As you can see most providers offer Faxing capabilities for free unless over usage or non-residential use is discovered. If you will be using VoIP for purposes other than the once in a while fax then I would suggest upgrading to a business plan that supports increased faxing.