Google fax enables you to send fax online. This is an important service considering that Google has over 1 billion users worldwide. In this guide, we are going to look at how to set up a Google fax number on your Gmail account. Google fax is as easy to use as sending a normal email and with the growing concern over email security, the service is very relevant.
The things you need
There are several things that you need to start Google faxing online. They include:
A Gmail account
For you to faxing online, you need a Gmail account. The best way to go about this is to pen a brand new Google account that is dedicated to just faxing. The good thing is that Gmail is free and comes with both a user friendly interface and great design.
Google fax number
Google fax number is a virtual fax number that will redirect all your faxes into your inbox. This number is gotten from email fax services and on signing up, you have the option of choosing between local and a toll free number. The type of number that you chose is dependent on the kind of business that you are running. The numbers are available for the UK, Canada and USA regions.
Email fax service account
Email fax service account not only gives you a number to receive your fax on through Gmail, but also comes with features that will save you a lot of time and money. The features include:
- Ability to fax from your preferred email address.
- Integration with Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office applications. With this, you can send a fax with a click of a button.
- With mobile fax apps, you can Fax from iphones, Blackberries and Android phone.
- With Fax broadcasting you can send a single fax to multiple recipients at the same time.
- Service also offers fax scheduling, storage and detailed reporting.
You can learn more on this at https://googlefaxonline.com/get-your-fax-number.
Why you need to have a Google number
Sending fax online is possible but through the use of email and a Gmail fax number. The good thing is that, there are many online fax services that you can use to access your own personal Gmail fax number. Once you activate this number, you will discover that sending fax online is a simple thing. This is unlike using a fax machine where you will be required to make a lot of settings before sending the fax. As a result, you can conveniently use it while traveling abroad. In addition, you will not have to worry about sending the fax to the wrong recipient as Gmail saves a list of your contacts.
And as the world gravitates towards a green and paperless economy, Gmail fax will ensure that you can conveniently send fax from the comfort of your office or home.
Therefore, whether you want to replace your old faxing machine or from abroad, Google fax service is ready to serve you.
How to get a free online fax number
For you to fax online, you need to have a fax number. There are several ways of getting this number. Below, we will have a look at the most frequently used ones.
Toll free fax number
Contrary to what the name suggests, this is not a free service. ‘Toll free’ only means that the caller will not be charged for calling. You can get a toll free online fax number through the following methods:
- An online fax service. Online fax services are growing in popularity largely because of their speed, do not require paper and will save you a lot of space in the office.
- Local phone provider. Although this option might be a bit more expensive than the other two, your local phone provider can provide you with an online fax number. However, the costs depend on your area of residence, as well as the policy of the phone provider. The only downside with this is that, you will be forced to stick with one provider for the long term.
- Use a toll-free forwarding number. This is ideal if you have an existing fax machine. In such an event, there is no need for you to switch to a toll free number but instead, you can carry forward with your existing fax number. In this case, you just need to set up a toll free forwarding number before transferring all your calls to the fax machine. However, you need to check the prices from your existing fax line provider before determining whether it is viable.
Online fax number
If you have a fax number, it is important to note that most online fax service providers will let you keep the number. However, there are those that prefer getting you a new one. If you use the traditional fax machine, you should consider switching to an online fax number because:
- Can enable you to Fax locally or internationally.
- You can be able to send and receive faxes while the move, with any mobile device.
- You can easily convert email attachments into a fax.
- Saving money due to the lack of paper involved in the process. there is no printing involved
- Less paper jam and therefore fast service.
- Affordable rates that average about $4 a month.
To get an online fax number, you need to follow the steps below:
- Search for the available providers. There are numerous online fax providers in the market each with their own terms of service, costs as well as the quality of the service. Therefore, it is advisable to go for an online fax service with a quality service, affordable costs as well as a good customer service. You need to look at their monthly plans and other features that they offer before picking the one that suits your needs the best.
- Sign up incentives. Most sign up incentives include things like free faxes, free month subscription as well as unlimited international faxes. Therefore, find a subscriber with the best deal possible.
- Sign up. When you identify a perfect provider, you will be asked to fill a signup form. This contains your contacts as well as payment information. After this, your account will be activated.
- Test the number. The last step in getting an online fax number is testing the number. You can ask a friend to send you a fax.
Get a local fax number
If you want to have a fax number with the same area code as the phone number of your business, you need to get a local fax number. This is important for it will give your business a unique distinction. Local fax numbers are ideals for businesses such as hotels and stores that operate in a specific geographic area. When choosing a local fax number, it is prudent to go for the associated city name and not the area code.
Getting a local fax number provides you with the following benefits:
- You can advertise it on any directory in your area.
- Applicable in multiple locations and you can have more than one local fax number.
- The service is affordable.
How an online fax service works
When you activate the service, you will be assigned a phone number from a city of your choice. The number will be used as your fax number and you can use it to send or receive fax from any fax machine. When you want to receive a fax, it must be sent to your personalized fax number. The message is first received by the fax platform before being forwarded to your email with the fax attached.
To send fax, you should use your registered email. The online fax system will then validate the email used against your fax number before sending the message to the recipient. You just enter the destination fax number in the recipient column and attach the fax as a PDF document. That way, they will receive the message as a fax.
