The VoIP plays an important role in lowering down the monthly telephone bills. As a matter of fact, voice over IP uses high speed broadband connection instead of coaxial wires that helps to lower down the communication costs. Considering the inherent benefits of enhanced productivity and cost efficiency, the business houses as well as individuals have started to depend on VoIP services for their everyday communication. This packet switching technique helps the users to access video, voice as well as data over same IP networks. Not only this, this innovative technology can be even used for sending fax messages. Faxing over VoIP is now possible and that too at significantly lower rates when compared to traditional landline phone systems.

Faxing over VoIP is slightly different than the more common procedure that one is accustomed to wherein the Public Switched Telephone Networks or PSTN services are used. In this method however, there are certain initial hiccups and generally requires several attempts to accomplish. As a matter of fact, when the fax tone is digitalized into compressed IP packets, there is a packet loss that results in bad fax, error message or even dropped calls. In comparison, the faxing over the Fax Codec generally minimizes the loss of packets as it reaches the destination efficiently. Before, sending a VoIP fax, the users must check out some important aspects such as:

1. The users must set baud rate to 9600 and turn off the Error Connection Mode. As a matter of fact, the baud rate is kept low so that Fax reaches the destination slowly and without carrying the errors.

2. The users must opt for the provider that supports T.38 – T.38 in audio codec designed. The VoIP phone fax with T.38 – T.38 gives more detail and crisp images accompanied with stability as it create redundancy in the RTP stream.

3. The users must set the packetization to 10 millisecond or even less. As a matter of fact, if there are more headers in the RTP stream, the jitter and instabilities are less likely to come in.

The stability in internet connection plays a curial role in determining the success ratio of the fax. To maintain stability in the connection, the users must track the speed tests as well as analyze the detailed links.

In some instances, the users would not be able to deliver a fax over VoIP even after following all the above guidelines. In such instances, it is best to call the solution provider as there could be some issues related to routing that are causing the problem. As a matter of fact, problem in the routing can be fixed up at the solution provider’s end.

While sending a fax, the users must ensure that they are not using satellite or wireless connections as these kinds of connections are very unpredictable. Moreover, such types of connection adds huge amount of latency that would be a deterrent to the proper functioning of the VoIP fax machines being used.

By: Kristen Kiya