Nuke the Fax?

[Colin]

I pay about $33.00 per month for a separate fax line (that's about $400.00 / year!) I've done this for my 17 years in business, but I'm starting to wonder if it's time to pull the plug on this expense, as so much can be transmitted now via email that the ol' fax seems archaic.

Opinions?

 

[Rooster]

Haven't had a fax machine in years. People just email me pdfs now. If I absolutely have to, I run the phone line into the computer and use fax software for those that are still stuck in the 80's.

 

[signmeup]

$6800 eh? I got rid of mine years ago.

 

[Techman]

i have a fax and its run about 3 x's this year.. ITs over for fax machines

 

[iSign]

the 8 tracks of communication technology... I remember in the 80's when I got my first sign job in NYC... and I wanted to sample the fax tones for some cutting edge sounds to work into our bands recordings... (& later I heard my idea used on a Pretenders song)

 

[Fred Weiss]

Guess I'm still stuck in the '80s also. We get orders every day on our fax.

 

[iSign]

for about $10 a month, you can use a fax number & have incoming communications forwarded to (any one of) your email addy's... and you can convert outgoing (black & white) messages to be received by other peoples faxes...

I still have my fax line hooked up though, because the "dedicated" line also runs my CC machine, & the auto-dialer intercom I have at my door, so i can receive cell phone calls from the push of a doorbell.

I plan to cut out this extra bill in January though

 

[R08]

I pay about $33.00 per month for a separate fax line (that's about $400.00 / year!) I've done this for my 17 years in business, but I'm starting to wonder if it's time to pull the plug on this expense, as so much can be transmitted now via email that the ol' fax seems archaic.

Opinions?

My fax machine died about a year ago and I didn't bother getting it fixed.
I think the fax days are over.

 

[joeshaul]

I think I only pay like $5 or $10 for what they call a "teen line". Basically I have one single phone line, but two phone numbers, when someone dials my fax number it uses "distinctive ring", which is kind of self describing, a different style of ring is sent to the phone. I use a device I bought online for about $50 to send the distinctive ring to my fax computer, otherwise it forwards the caller to my regular phone.

While my sign business doesn't use the fax a whole lot, my business partner has all his faxes for his other businesses sent to us and he receives quite a few (mostly from his towing company, which they fax PO information/customer info/etc). I really like having a computer handle all the fax receiving, as sometimes faxes get lost in the shuffle, but the computer keeps em indefinitely, you can also view it beforehand so you don't waste ink/toner if you ended up on some ad list. Only downside to my setup is I can't call someone and send/receive a fax at the same time, but that rarely happens.

 

[royster13]

Fax machine is long gone.....It was replaced by a www.MyFax.com number...If you do not need outgoing www.Kall8.com will also work.....If you want a toll free number that also receives faxes, you can go to www.My1Voice.com

 

[Colin]

joeshaul: Hey.....Utah!.........Anywhere near Moab?

 

[joeshaul]

Nope, quite a few miles away, Wendover.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Fax machine is long gone.....It was replaced by a www.MyFax.com number...If you do not need outgoing www.Kall8.com will also work.....If you want a toll free number that also receives faxes, you can go to www.My1Voice.com

This has me thinking... thanks for the post! I pay $24.95 for our dedicated fax line. Sounds like www.myfax.com may be worth looking at. We still get lots of jobs "faxed" in, as our customers find it easier than scanning and e-mailing. Tried telling them that today, it's the same thing!!!

 

[Colin]

Ya, signmeup really put it into perspective by showing the total over 17 years - $6800.00 Ouch!

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Wow... thanks for starting this thread Colin.
I just signed up with myfax.com. Fax machine will be gone by the end of the year. I'm getting a toll-free fax number for $13CDN per month. I'll save 12 bucks plus all the @#$%@#$ paper I waste from the countless JUNK faxes I receive daily!!! Not to mention the counter space I'll free up! Faxes will come into any e-mail(s) I choose, and faxes will be sent via e-mail! Can't go wrong here!!! Just paid for next year's Signs 101 subscription!!:Big Laugh

 

[Si Allen]

I disconnected my FAX months ago. Got tired of the junk FAXs. Told my customers email only becuse of the better details.

 

[Jillbeans]

I have a fax phone (land line) I keep it not because of the four good faxes and two spam faxes I get a year, but because with my phone company, if you have a business line you get a free listing in their phone book.
I hate YP ads, and this is the only phone number ad I have.
They do let you list your website.
Love....Jill

 

[ddarlak]

i have vonage for business. they have two plans, both include free fax line. $49 plus tax unlimited, $39 plus tax - 1500 minutes a month.

i've used the latter for about 5 years..

 

[Mosh]

I have not had a fax machine for 5 years. If someone HAS to fax us something we use http://www.efax.com/ It is a free service, used it a few times with no problems.

 

[Doyle]

+1 for myfax.com. I have been a subscriber for 3 or 4 years now with absolutely no complaints. Works great, toll-free fax number, $10/mo, no paper,can't beat it.

 

[Mosh]

$10 a month? Ours is free, but we can't send faxes.