VoIP Now: Fax over IP

December 03, 2005

Fax over IP

Organizations are opting for new applications that can help them to converge their networks. Converged messaging ranks high on the list of applications that can provide tremendous benefit to an organization. Companies that have deployed VoIP infrastructure are looking to incorporate additional features that will help in improving operations and cutting costs.

Fax through IP is an alternative that several organizations are exploring as fax support (T.38) is already inbuilt in several IP routers such as Cisco, 3Com, Alcatel, etc. Fax over IP (FoIP) allows enterprises to leverage IP networks for transmitting documents over secure and boardless fax servers. Faxes can be sent from the desktop where the content travels in a digital form till it reaches the PSTN endpoint gateway. FoIP integrates well with existing applications and works with multi-function devices.

FoIP offers fast ROI which is a function of the faxing volume in a company. It eliminates the use of paper for faxing which itself is a major cost saving. There is no longer any need for dedicated PBX line cards and additional telephone lines for the fax machines. Since FoIP does not require dedicated hardware, fax boards, toner, paper, etc it results in a lower total cost of ownership. Boardless solutions also lead to less downtime as installations are easier and no reboots are required.

Boardless fax solutions also provide VoIP encryption and virus-free transmission that facilitates compliance with regulations like HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, and Gramm-Leach-Bliley. A centralized archiving system ensures easy tracking and management of documents. techweb.com reports:

As the market heats up there are a range of VoIP solutions with various price points. For such companies also looking to roll-out network fax functionality, a review of the actual cost of a VoIP system as well as a comparison of a boarded fax server versus one that is boardless should be added to the IT checklist.