Send a fax without owning a fax machine? What used to be unthinkable is everyday reality today. Online faxing makes it possible to send documents digitally and still have them arrive as a classic fax at the recipient. We explain how it works technically and why faxing is still relevant today.
Whether you want to send a cancellation to your insurer, transmit a signed contract to your lawyer or fax a medical certificate to your employer, with online faxing you can do it in a few minutes without owning a fax machine.
How does online faxing work technically?
Online faxing combines the advantages of the digital world with proven fax technology. This is how the process works:
- 1. Upload: You upload your document (PDF, image, Word) to our server
- 2. Conversion: The document is converted into the fax format (TIFF)
- 3. Transmission: Our fax server dials the recipient's fax number over the telephone network
- 4. Reception: The recipient's fax machine prints the document, just like a normal fax
For you the process is fully digital, for the recipient a completely normal fax comes out of the machine. The technology behind it is complex, operation could not be easier.
Online fax vs traditional fax, the differences
Why use online fax instead of buying a classic fax machine? The advantages are compelling:
- No hardware: No fax machine, no paper, no toner, no phone line
- Location independent: Fax from anywhere, at home, on the go or on holiday
- Available 24/7: Send faxes anytime, even at night or on weekends
- Digital proof: Transmission reports are automatically sent and archived by email
- Cheaper: No purchase costs, no maintenance, you only pay per use
The only difference for the recipient: they will not notice any. The fax comes out of their machine just like a classic fax.
When is fax still needed today?
Despite email and digital communication, fax is still standard or even prescribed in many areas:
- Authorities and public offices: Registry offices, tax offices, immigration authorities often prefer fax
- Courts: Time-sensitive documents are frequently filed by fax
- Healthcare: Doctors, hospitals and pharmacies often use fax for data protection reasons
- Lawyers and notaries: Signed documents and powers of attorney are transmitted by fax
- Cancellations: Insurers, gyms, mobile providers, fax is considered a secure proof of delivery
- Banks and financial institutions: Instructions and approvals often require transmission by fax
The reason is that fax provides a delivery confirmation as proof that is recognised in court, unlike a simple email.