Fax machines continue to play a valuable role in the modern workplace. While usage varies by industry, many companies still fax important documents because this method is known to be private and secure. One study found 7 in 10 hospitals use fax machines to send sensitive patient data to stay compliant with HIPAA regulations. However, fax technology is modernizing and improving. One advancement that can benefit countless organizations is Fax over IP (FoIP) technology. Learn more about the eFax services and how they can support your business operations.

FoIP brings faxes to the internet era

Many companies utilize Voice Over IP (VoIP) systems that enable employees to make phone calls over the Internet. This makes it easier for remote workers to use company phone systems without the old-school phone lines. The concept of Fax over IP (FoIP) is similar. Employees can fax documents over the internet instead of relying on dedicated landlines.

If your company continues to use traditional phone lines because you need to send and receive faxes, FoIP technology could enable you to fully transition to the digital era. You can move calls over through VoIP and send faxes through FoIP, allowing you to cancel your traditional phone services. This will make your communications more secure, reliable and affordable.

How do eFax services work?

The process to send an eFax is simple. When you send a fax, the machine creates a digital packet of information and sends it to the desired recipient. The package is then unpacked and either printed through the fax system or saved in a digital folder.

With traditional fax systems, one fax isn’t sent between machines. However, with eFax systems, documents can be sent to different destinations. For example:

• Send a document from one fax machine to another fax machine.
• Send a document from a fax machine to an email inbox.
• Send a document from an email inbox to a fax machine.

With these options, your employees can email documents to your fax system. Similarly, they will simply receive the received faxed documents in their email inboxes.

Email is the most common fax integration

FoIP systems make sense because the majority of companies that build integrations into their fax systems use email. Out of 253 responses in a survey by TechGenix, 66 percent said they have already integrated their fax machines with their email systems. This allows them to send and receive faxes through employee inboxes. Meanwhile, 22 percent of companies didn’t have any integrations at all.

Using eFax services can allow employees to fax documents whether they are using their desktop computers or mobile work devices. Wherever your team has access to their email inboxes, they can use fax technology.

The FoIP technology is secure

FoIP systems allow you to send documents through your Internet. You can still enjoy the security of a traditional fax system – allowing you to keep up with regulations like HIPAA guidelines – while modernizing your faxes to make sending and receiving documents easier.

Not only are eFax services convenient, but they will also give you peace of mind that your documents and secure.

Implement eFax services for your company to significantly reduce busy signals

One of the main drawbacks of traditional fax machines is that you cannot send documents if there is a busy signal. If someone is using the fax line, the document you are trying to send needs to wait. Many companies have dedicated fax numbers to prevent disruption, but busy signals can still cause delays in document sharing and hurt productivity.

With eFax services, you never have to worry about a busy signal. The internet-based system can receive documents and save them until you are ready to review or print them.

FoIP eliminates the inconvenient parts of faxing, like busy signals or lack of email integration. This makes sending faxes easier and more enjoyable for all parties involved.

Centralize your faxes with VoipNow & Hubgets

Your desire to send a receive faxes shouldn’t prevent you from embracing VoIP and advanced Unified Communications. You can protect your business and streamline your operations by switching to internet-based communications. With an advanced Unified Communications platform like VoipNow & Hubgets, you can set up an eFax  for your company that makes document sharing easier.

To learn more about FoIP technology, including how to check received faxes, search for specific fax messages, and remove fax messages, visit our wiki. Discover how easy these processes can be with our Unified Communications platform.