An internet fax is a way of sending a document to a fax machine using a computer or email rather than sending from another fax machine. There are many benefits of sending a fax over the internet, not the least of which is that it produces clearer documents than normal faxes and it does not require the use of a fax machine by the sender. This is ideal for someone who does not have access to a fax machine or printer.
An internet fax is ideal for people receiving the document who have a limited network storage capability and the document is too large to be received via email. While there are advantages of using an internet fax over email, there are some disadvantages of internet fax. The main disadvantage is that internet based faxes are still much less clear than receiving emails. Luckily, there are a few ways to improve the quality of an internet fax. The best ways of improving the quality of internet faxes are as follows:
1) Select a provider which offers higher resolution
2) Select a provider which offers allows the receipt of larger faxes
3) Purchase a better machine
4) Use better paper
Select a Provider Which Offers Higher Resolution
The first step someone should take when trying to improve the quality of internet faxes is to research their internet fax provider and compare them with other providers. Each internet fax provider offers a service which comes with outlines the level of resolution each fax will be displayed in. Resolution is a measurement of picture clarity and can vary by each internet fax provider.
Usually, all internet fax providers will provide resolution of at least 150×150. This should be adequate for most people, but if the receiver tends to receive faxes with detailed charts or small lettering, a higher resolution may be desired. Companies which offer resolution of 250×250 are available, but cost more than lower resolution options. If the fax receiver has a compatible machine, it may be worthwhile investing in an internet fax service which allows the user to receive color faxes.
Select a Provider who Allows Larger Faxes
Many individuals who receive internet faxes complain that they can not receive overly large files. The reason most internet fax recipients have this issue is because they have a cap set by their internet fax provider which limits the amount of data which can be received in one fax. This can be quite an annoyance and delay business operations.
By selecting an internet fax provider who allows larger files or raising the data cap, the consumer will be able to receive bulkier internet faxes all at once. The consumer will also be able to receive faxes which come with colored pictures or detailed graphs.
Purchase a Better Machine
One of the best ways of improving the quality of internet faxes is to purchase a better fax machine. Many electronics stores now offer machines which can print documents, send faxes, receive faxes, and send documents via email. One of these high end fax machines will help digitalize the fax before it is received and produce a high quality image that can be in either color or black and white.
While these high end fax and copy machines are very useful and help streamline a businesses operation, they can be quite expensive. Many high end fax and copy machines cost as much as $5,000. These machines also tend to take a trained individual to maintain and troubleshoot, which can add to the cost of operating the machine.
Use Better Paper
The last tip on how to improve the quality of an internet fax is to purchase a higher quality paper. When most people purchase office supplies, they often attempt to save money on paper as they assume the difference in quality do not outweigh the costs. Cheaper paper is often thinner and less white than high quality paper. The thinness of the paper also makes the piece seem a bit transparent and can ruin display of the image that is printed. Cheaper paper tends to tear in the printing process and is often the cause of a paper jam.
The best type of paper for faxes and for printing is thicker white computer paper. If being environmentally conscious is a concern, then higher end thick white recycled paper can be purchased for slightly more. The thicker and whiter paper will make the printed image seem bolder than the cheaper duller paper.
In conclusion, an internet fax is a very economical option for many individuals and business that do not have the ability to send or receive all documents electronically. While internet faxes are beneficial, historically they are not received with very good clarity or quality. To improve the quality of an internet fax, a consumer can select an internet fax provider who offers higher resolution options, select an internet fax provider who allows larger files, purchase a better fax machine, or use higher quality paper.
This entry was posted on Saturday, June 26th, 2010 at 8:38 am and is filed under Fax, Internet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.