Faxing Services Terms and Definitions
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Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of services we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Faxing Services.
Ratings Feature SetThe feature set includes the options and services available through the fax service, which may include send and receive limits, compatible formats and storage options. Ease of Use The ease of use criterion rates how easy it is to find and use desired features. Customer Service The customer service rating not only evaluates the contact methods available but also the response time. How quickly a company responds with helpful, courteous answers to inquiries is an important factor in good customer support. Price/Extra Costs We considered the price of the faxing service and extra costs associated with using the service. These costs include signup fees, cost per fax, toll free charges and any other costs. Extra Costs Setup FeeA one-time cost required to begin using a service. Sent Faxes Over Limit This is the fee charged per outbound fax that is over the monthly limit, usually 5 to 10 cents each. Received Faxes Over Limit This is the cost to receive faxes above the monthly allowance. Fax Storage (Per Month) This is an additional cost associated with storing faxes. Most services store faxes for a certain amount of time free of charge, or additional storage time for a fee. Fax Sending Features Send Free Faxes Per MonthSome fax services will allow you to send a certain number of free faxes every month before charging a per fax fee. Email to Fax These services enable users to send a fax from an email account to a traditional type fax number. Fax to Multiple Recipients You can send a fax to more than one phone number or email address at a time. Fax Delivery Receipt in Email After you send a fax, the service will send a delivery confirmation to your email account. Fax Delivery Receipt on Cell Phone/Pager After sending a fax, the service will send a delivery confirmation to your cell phone or pager. Auto Re-Send If a fax receives a busy signal from the receiving fax machine, the fax service will retry to send your fax automatically. Send Multiple Documents in One Fax You may send more than one document in one fax. International Faxing (Add-On) The fax service will allow you to send faxes internationally. However, some services charge more for each international fax. Fax Receiving Features Receive Free Faxes Per MonthSome fax services support a set number of free inbound faxes a month before they start charging per fax. Fax to Email This feature will allow you to send a fax from a fax machine to an email address. Receive Faxes in Multiple Email Accounts Has the ability to enter multiple email addresses as recipients. Receive Multiple Faxes at the Same Time Since fax services are web based, they can receive many faxes at the same time without a busy signal. Forward Faxes to Other Fax Numbers Received faxes can be forwarded to other email accounts or fax numbers. Toll-Free Fax Numbers Available You can have a toll free number for inbound faxes at an additional cost. Local Fax Numbers Available Many services offer numbers in specific area codes, usually this option cost less than the toll free option. Vanity Fax Numbers Available Some services offer unique numbers, for example 1-800-444-LOAN or 1-800-555-CARS. Web Based Faxing Features Fax via Web InterfaceThis feature allows faxes to be sent through the faxing service website. Fax Storage Some services store incoming and outgoing faxes as a back up option. Fax Storage Duration (Days) The number of days faxes will be stored on the fax service server. Schedule Fax Delivery Time The service is capable of scheduling when a fax will be sent. Additional Faxing Features Create Fax Cover PageThe ability to create a custom cover page that may include company logo or other items. Real Time Fax Reports (Fax Logs) A fax log includes a list of all inbound/outbound faxes and the times sent/received. No Required Contract to Sign The faxing service does not require a signed contract to secure services. Sign Your Faxes The service has the ability to add digital signatures to documents. Print Sent/Received Faxes Inbound and outbound faxes are printable. Email Plugin Available (Outlook/Outlook Express) The faxing service supports Outlook or Outlook Express email accounts. Add Attachments Many fax services support the following formats: Portable Document Format that can be read by Adobe Acrobat Reader. TIFF Tagged Image File Format is a graphic file format for PC and Macintosh. Microsoft Word Developed by Microsoft, Microsoft Word is a word processing program. Microsoft Excel Developed by Microsoft, Excel is a spreadsheet program. Security Password ProtectionProtects web fax access from unauthorized users. SSL Secure Socket Layer is a protocol that is used to securely send data over the internet. VPN Virtual Private Network is a network that uses portions of the internet and uses a secure tunnel to transfer data. PGP Pretty Good Privacy is a protocol that is used to send encrypted emails. Help/Support Toll-Free Phone SupportThe faxing service has a toll-free phone number for customer or technical support. User Guide User guides and brochures usually contain relevant service information in a readable or printable format. 24/7 Customer Support Customer Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. FAQ The Frequently Asked Questions section posts answers to commonly asked questions. Email/Online Forms Customer support has an email address or online form available for questions about their services. Live Chat There is live chat service available on the homepage for quick answers to questions. Free Trial/Demo/Tour Services or information is available without charge for a trail period. ©2003 – 2008 TopTenREVIEWS, Inc. |
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