Send a fax without owning your own fax machine? What once seemed unthinkable is everyday life today. Online fax makes it possible to send documents digitally while still arriving as a classic fax on the recipient's side. We explain how it works technically and why fax is still relevant today.
Whether you want to send a cancellation to your insurance company, forward a signed contract to your attorney, or fax a medical certificate to your employer, with online fax you can handle it in just a few minutes without owning a fax machine.
How does online fax work technically?
Online fax combines the advantages of the digital world with proven fax technology. Here 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 is as simple as possible.
Online fax vs. traditional fax: the differences
Why use online fax instead of buying a traditional fax machine? The advantages are compelling:
- No hardware: No fax machine, no paper, no toner, no telephone line
- Location independent: Fax from anywhere - at home, on the go, or on vacation
- Available 24/7: Send faxes at any time, even at night or on weekends
- Digital proof: Delivery reports are automatically sent and archived by email
- More affordable: No acquisition costs, no maintenance, you pay only per use
The only difference for the recipient: they will not notice one. The fax comes out of their machine just like a classic fax.
When is fax still required today?
Despite email and digital communication, fax remains standard or even mandatory in many areas:
- Public authorities and agencies: Registry offices, tax offices, immigration authorities often prefer fax
- Courts: Time-sensitive documents are often filed by fax
- Healthcare: Doctors, hospitals, pharmacies often communicate via fax due to data protection
- Attorneys and notaries: Signed documents and powers of attorney are transmitted by fax
- Cancellations: Insurance companies, gyms, mobile carriers - fax is considered secure proof of delivery
- Banks and financial institutions: Orders and authorizations often require fax transmission
The reason: fax provides a delivery confirmation with proof that is recognized in court, unlike a simple email.