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FAQ: How can I send a fax from the Internet?


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Archive-name: internet-services/fax-faq
Last-Modified: 1998/9/17
Version: 1.8

See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge
FAQ: How can I send a fax from the Internet?
Version 1.8 - September 17 1998

Send comments & updates to Kevin Savetz - savetz@northcoast.com

This document is copyright 1998 by Kevin M. Savetz. All rights 
reserved. More legal stuff is near the end of this file. If you know of 
an Internet fax service that is missing from this list, or information 
herein needs updating, please send e-mail to savetz@northcoast.com

*** TABLE OF CONTENTS
Can I send a fax from the Internet?
Free services - International Destinations
Free services - United States Destinations
Free services - Canadian Destinations
Commercial Services
Faxing from the Desktop
Other Internet/Fax Tricks
For More Information About Faxing
Legal Stuff
Where to Find this Document

*** CAN I SEND A FAX FROM THE INTERNET?
Yes. There are many services that will let you use the Internet to send 
a fax. Some are free while others are pay services. Most services 
require that you can send and receive electronic mail, or that you have 
Web access. Some require that you install special software on your 
computer (these are listed in the "Faxing from the Desktop" section.)

Other Internet services that are available include conversion of 
incoming faxes to e-mail. That is, when you receive a fax at a special 
number, the fax is scanned and sent to your e-mail address. Other 
commercial services include bulk faxing, and web page form input to fax. 
(These are not primary concerns of this document, but are noted for your 
convenience.)

*** FREE SERVICES - International destinations
+++ TPC.INT Remote Printing
The TPC.INT "Remote Printing Experiment" is the grandfather of Internet
faxing services. A group effort for the benefit of Internet users, the
service is free. You can send faxes via e-mail or a Web form. You can
send mail to many parts of the world but not everywhere. Check the
current coverage list. A variety of companies, institutions and citizens
around the world have joined the experiment. When an organization joins
as a remote-fax server, it specifies what areas to which they are willing
to send faxes. If any articipating fax organizations cover the area you
wish to reach, your message is routed to the appropriate machine for
faxation. Otherwise, you will receive a message informing you the fax
couldn't be delivered.

Check the coverage list first:
     http://www.tpc.int/fax_cover_auto.html
     tpccover@info.tpc.int

To send a fax by e-mail, send a message
     To: remote-printer.info@phonenumber.iddd.tpc.int

Where <info> contains information for the cover page.  In <info>, "/" is 
turned into a line break and "_" is turned into a space.  For example:
     To: remote-printer.Arlo_Cats/Room_123@12025551234.iddd.tpc.int

Use the following addresses to obtain more information:
     Home page: http://www.tpc.int/
     Frequently-Asked-Questions: tpcfaq@info.tpc.int
        or http://www.tpc.int/faq/tpcfaq.html
     Subscribe to mailing list: majordomo@aarnet.edu.au
         Body: subscribe tpc-rp
     Mailing list contributions: tpc-rp@aarnet.edu.au
     Administrative questions: tpcadmin@info.tpc.int
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Philippines
For information on sending free faxes to the Philippines (Iligan city, 
Metro Cebu and Metro Manila) see:
     http://www.msuiit.edu.ph/fax.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Costa Rica
This site lets you send free faxes to Costa Rica. You can send a fax
anywhere in the country and check the delivery status .The web pages are
in Spanish. 
     http://www.nacion.co.cr/netinc/cortesia/fax.html
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ Kuwait
This service will send a fax to anywhere in Kuwait. Usage:
     To: fax@kuwait.net
     Subject: 7 digit phone number without punctuation
     Body: text of fax
For help, visit http://www.kuwait.net/fax.help or send email
     To: fax@kuwait.net
     Subject: help
[Verified 9/16/98]

+++ Auckland, New Zealand
This service lets you send a fax to Auckland, New Zealand (+64 9). For 
information or to send a fax, visit:
     http://www.faxmail.co.nz/
For a fee, the company also allows you to receive faxes via e-mail, send 
bulk faxes, and other services.
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Austria
This Web-to-fax gateway covers commercial fax numbers in Austria. The 
entire site is in German. You need to search its directory of 150,000 
businesses. If the business is in the database, you can send it a fax. 
If not, you can't.
     http://www.compnet.at/
[Verified 9/16/98]

+++ Romania
This e-mail-to-fax service allows you to send a fax anywhere in Romania.
It appears to be a commercial service, but according to the web site "You
may use this service free several times." To send a fax to Romania, send
e-mail:
     To: 1234567@fax.kappa.ro     (7-digit local fax number)
     Body: text of fax
For more information:
     http://www1.kappa.ro/fax/eindex.html
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ Equador
Free faxes to Equador. Web page in Spanish:
     http://www2.lahora.com.ec/paginas/faxg.html
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ Karachi, Pakistan
Free faxes to Karachi, Pakistan: Send e-mail:
     To: fax@broadcast.net
     Subject: fax2444047     (the word "fax" & seven-digit fax number)
     Body: text of fax
For more information:
    http://members.tripod.com/~faximpex/fax.htm
For help via e-mail, send a message:     To: faximpex@broadcast.net
     Subject: help
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Panama
Free faxes to Panama. Web page in Spanish.
     http://www.prensa.com/cgi-bin/faxman.cgi
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Egypt
Free faxes to Egypt.
     http://haneen.dyn.ml.org/fax/fax.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Israel
Allows you to send faxes to businesses in Israel. You can only send faxes
to businesses listed in their yellow pages directory.
     http://www.yellowpages.co.il/dapaz/info/efaxinfo.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

*** FREE SERVICES - United States destinations
+++ Sacramento (1-916)
This service is a feature of a Sacramento, California-based bulletin 
board system. You can use it to send faxes to areas that are a local 
call from Sacramento, including the California State Legislature. This 
service is run as a hobby and is connected to the Internet by UUCP, so 
it can take from 12 to 24 hours for your fax to be delivered or for the 
help files to reach you. It does not support multiple addressing: only 
one fax number per message. It also does not send a cover page, so be 
sure to start your message with a note directing it to someone's 
attention. It will truncate faxes longer than two pages (that's 132 
lines.)

To use this fax service, send e-mail
     To: faxline@sacto.com
     Subject: local (7 digit) phone number, without area code
     Body: <text of fax>
For complete usage information, send e-mail
     To: request@sacto.com
     Subject: 052
For a list of some legislators' fax numbers in the Sacramento area, send 
e-mail:
     To: request@sacto.com
     Subject: 050
Information about this service is also available on the Web:
     http://www.calweb.com/~argek/fax/intro.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ University of Minnesota (1-612)
The University of Minnesota operates a fax gateway which allows students 
and staff to send faxes anywhere. If you don't go to UMinn, you may use 
the service to send faxes to folks at the University and exchanges local 
to the campus.

The structure for e-mailing a fax is:
     To: /pn=John.Doe/dd.fax=234-5678/@fax.tc.umn.edu

Put the recipient's name, with a period between the first and last 
names, after pn= and put the seven digit fax number after the characters 
dd.fax=. This name will be printed in the "To:" field on the fax cover 
page. The area code for the University of Minnesota is 612, so you don't 
need to supply an area code. For more information, send e-mail to 
ccs@maroon.tc.umn.edu.
[Verified 6/21/97]

+++ University of Illinois, Chicago (1-815)
Lets you send a fax to the University of Illinois, Chicago campus. To 
send a fax, address mail to:
     Arlo_Cats18155551212@fax.uic.edu
[Verified 6/21/97]

+++ New York City (1-212)
Interpage, a commercial fax service listed in the commercial section
below, offers free faxing to any number in the New York City area or any
U.S. toll-free number.
     http://www.interpage.net/wwwfax.html
[Verified 9/17/98]

*** FREE SERVICES - Canadian destinations
+++ University of Calgary
For faxes to Calgary, Canada. Usage is:
     To: John_Jones@5551234.fax.ucalgary.ca
[Verified 6/21/97]

+++ Winnipeg City (1-204)
This service allows you to send a fax to Winnipeg City, Canada (area 
code 204.) To use, send e-mail
     To: fax@umanitoba.ca
     Body:
         FAXnumber: <local 7-digit fax number to dial>
         FAXto:  <Receiver's name>
         FAXfrom: <sender's name>
         FAXcontact: <sender's phone number>
         FAXmemobegin
           <Optional memo text on the cover page, up to 20 lines>
         FAXmemoend
           <Whole fax body>
[Verified 6/21/97]

+++ Quebec and Montreal (1-514 and 1-450)
For faxes to the 514 and 450 area codes. Usage is:
     To: John_Jones@555-1234.fax.cam.org       (for 510 area code)
     To: John_Jones@450-555-1234.fax.cam.org   (for 450 area code)
For more information, see
     http://WWW.CAM.ORG/en/accsupp/most/email/fax.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Quebec City area (1-418)
To send a fax by e-mail, send a message
     To: rp.info@phonenumber.fax.ulaval.ca
Where <info> contains information for the cover page.  In <info>, "/" is 
turned into a line break and "_" is turned into a space. Don't use "." 
and "@" in <info>. For example:
     To: rp.Arlo_Cats/Room_123@14185551234.fax.ulaval.ca
For more information (in French):
     http://www.gel.ulaval.ca/Fax/manuel_fax.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Quebec (1-418)
Send a fax anywhere in Québec city, 35 lines maximum.
     http://ns2.clic.net/fax.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Montreal (1-514).
Send a fax anywhere in Montreal, free. Web page is in English and French.

     http://www.iti.qc.ca/iti/fax.htm
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ Montreal (1-514).
Send a fax anywhere in Montreal, free. Web page is in English and French.
You can check the status of your fax as well.
     http://www.vif.com/run/fax/index.shtml
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ Fax the Feds
For Canadian citizens, lets you send a free fax to your Member of 
Parliament. This is basically a phone book interface to TPC.INT.
     http://www.net-efx.com/faxfeds/
[Verified 9/17/98]

*** COMMERCIAL (PAY-FOR-USE) SERVICES
+++ Faxaway
Allows you to send faxes anywhere in the world, including many types of 
attachments. Fee depends on the destination country (US is 11 
cents/minute, Germany is 35 cents/minute.)
You can test the service by sending a free fax immediately. To do so, 
visit:
     http://www.faxaway.com/testdrive/testdrive.cgi?20100
For more information, e-mail:
     info@faxaway.com
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ Digital Mail
Offers e-mail-to-fax and fax-to-e-mail. Subscribers get a unique phone 
number that accepts voicemail and faxes. 
     http://www.digitalmail.com/
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ FaxMate
Provides e-mail-to-fax, fax-to-e-mail (documents arrive as graphic
attachments), broadcast fax and fax-to-fax (routed over Internet).
     http://www.faxmate.com
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ FaxSAV
This company offers e-mail-to-fax as well as Internet faxing from 
desktop software, web page-to-fax, and fax broadcast services.
Information about their e-mail-to-fax service is at:
     http://www.faxsav.com/faxsavinternet/html/faxmailer.html
General information is at:
     http://www.faxsav.com/
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ GSIS
Offers e-mail to fax, fax-to-e-mail, web-to-fax, and fax broadcast.
     http://www.gsisys.com/services.html
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ HT-NET
Send faxes from the web: service includes personal address book and spell
checker. Provides delivery confirmation via e-mail. They also do
broadcast faxing.

You can also recieve faxes via a personal fax number (650 or 800 area
code). You can view received faxes, including graphics, in your web
browser.
     http://www.htnet.net
[verified 9/14/98]

+++ InterFax
InterFax allows you to send faxes via e-mail within the US or 
internationally. Fax broadcasting is supported as well. For charges and 
further information, send e-mail to
     interfaxinfo@pan.com (automatic reply) or faxmaster@pan.com (human)
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ Interpage
Offers fax-to-e-mail, e-mail-to-fax, web-to-fax, graphical fax-to-web.
    http://www.interpage.net
    info@interpage.net or help@interpage.net or questions@interpage.net
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ fax.co.uk United Kingdom
E-mail-to-fax gateway to United Kingdom destinations. Offers services 
for sender or recipient to pay for delivery. For information:
     http://fax.co.uk/
     info@fax.co.uk
[Verified 9/17/98]

+++ IndiaFax Calport (India)
Send text or graphic (PCX format) faxes to India. For more information, 
e-mail:
     indiafax@calport.wa.com or support@calport.wa.com
[verified 6/21/97]

+++ Iranian and Armenian Post Office
Does e-mail-to-fax and e-mail-to-postal mail to Iran and Armenia.
     Iran: http://www.angelfire.com/biz/irpost/
     Armenia: http://www.angelfire.com/biz/armpost/
[verified 9/16/98]

+++ ITnets
E-mail-to-fax, fax from the desktop, fax-to-fax routed over Internet, fax
broadcasting.
     http://www.itnets.com
[verified 9/15/98]

+++ Mailmail
Worldwide web-to-fax service allows attachments.
     http://www.mailmail.com/
[verified 9/16/98]

+++ NCI (Western Europe)
This fax gateway allows customers to send faxes to most of the Western 
European countries, including the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium 
and many other countries. Accepts ASCII and WordPerfect 5.1 documents.
For more information:
     http://www.nci.nl/     (Web site is in Dutch)
Or send e-mail:
     To: info.fax@nci.nl
[verified 9/14/98]

+++ Syscom
E-mail-to-fax gateway that specializes in broadcast faxing.
     http://www.syscom-corp.com
[verified 9/16/98]

+++ UniTerra
UniTerra does worldwide e-mail to fax, fax-to-e-mail, web-to-fax, web
page fax on demand and mass faxing.
     http://www.uniterra.com
[verified 9/14/98]

*** FAXING FROM THE DESKTOP
These services allow you to send a fax using an application on your 
Internet-connected computer (rather than by accessing a Web page or
sending e-mail, as with the services mentioned above.) All of the following 
services use the Internet to route the fax towards its destination. Some
services simply send your fax from one central Internet server from
faxation; others use the Internet to partially route the fax to save long
distance charges. It usually works something like this: faxes are
transmitted from the sender's desktop fax software to the a special
server. The server routes faxes via an Internet connection to a remote
server located in geographical proximity to the destination fax machine.
From this remote server, the fax is sent to its target address using the
local telephone system.

+++ FaxFree
This Windows 95 software allows users to send and receive faxes from one 
Windows 95 machine to another Windows 95 machine over the Internet. If 
you are in a corporate networking scheme, the software can route 
outgoing faxes to ordinary fax machines for delivery.
     http://www.tacsystems.com/fax.htm
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ eFax
eFax is a desktop-to-fax application for Windows. Includes encryption,
broadcasting, and scanner support.
     http://www.e-corp.com/products/efax/
[Verified 9/16/98]

+++ FaxStorm
FaxStorm is a desktop-to-fax application for Windows. It includes a 
contact manager, a fax scheduler, a cover page builder and an attachment 
manager.
     http://www.faxstorm.com
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ GraphNet MPW
Fax-from-the-desktop for the corporate environment. Windows.
     http://www.graphnet.com/
[Verified 9/16/98]

+++ Tornado Electronic Messaging System
TEMS software provides e-mail, fax, voice mail and paging from one
mailbox.
     http://www.tems.com/
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ USWest FaxPower
Outgoing and inbound fax from the Windows 95 desktop.
     http://www.uswest.com/faxpower/
[Verified 9/16/98]

+++ JFAX
Fax directly from your e-mail software or from your favorite applications
to any fax machine in the world. You can also receive faxes and voice
mail via e-mail: JFAX provides its users with a personal telephone number
which diverts 
fax (digitized including graphics) and voicemail (converted to a digital
file) to an e-mail account. Mac and Windows software is available.
     http://www.jfax.net
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ Telebox
Sends faxes worldwide using Windows. Can handle TIFF, JPEG, BMP and other
graphics files as well as text.  Free trial account available.
Subscribers must prepay for $15 in transmission charges. For information:
     http://www.netbox.com/cpsinfo/telbox.htm
     neocom@telbox.coms
[Verified 9/14/98]

*** OTHER INTERNET/FAX TRICKS
The following services do not fall under this document's primary focus 
(services that can send or receive faxes via the Internet) but are 
included because, well, people keep asking about them.

+++ BCM
Corporate fax-to-fax routed over the Internet.
     http://www.bcmfax.net
[Verified 9/16/98]

+++ Netoffice FaxWeb
Allows you to retrieve your faxes and voicemail messages using the World 
Wide Web. For information, visit:
     http://www.faxweb.net
[Verified 9/14/98]

+++ PASSaFAX
Corporate fax-to-fax routed over the Internet.
     http://www.vocaltec.com/radlinx/prod_paf.html
[Verified 9/15/98]

+++ Protofax
Internet-to-fax server software.
     http://www.protonet.com
[Verified 9/15/98]

*** FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FAXING
For more information about Internet-to-fax gateways, and faxing info in 
general, check out the Usenet newsgroup alt.fax.

For technical information about the data communications aspects of 
faxing, see the newsgroup comp.dcom.fax

Also visit Michael Frost's review of Internet fax services, at:
     http://www.netpower.no/frost/fax/

Did you know that sending unsolicited advertisements via fax is illegal 
in the United States? (Per 47USC227):
     http://www.codemeta.com/tpc/usc47.txt

*** LEGAL STUFF
This document is copyright 1998 by Kevin M. Savetz. All rights 
reserved.

All prices in US dollars, unless otherwise indicated.

Permission for the following types of distribution is hereby granted, 
provided that this file is distributed intact, including the above 
copyright notice:
    - non-commercial distribution
    - posting to Internet archives, BBSs and online services
    - distribution by teachers, librarians and Internet trainers
    - inclusion on software/FAQ/Internet-oriented CD-ROMs

Permission for commercial distribution may be obtained from the editor. 
SHARE THIS INFORMATION FREELY AND IN GOOD FAITH. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE 
MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THIS DOCUMENT.

This document is always in transition. If you notice that something 
important is missing, or information herein needs updating, please 
contact the editor.

The editor and contributors have developed this FAQ as a service to the 
Internet community. We hope you find it useful. This FAQ is purely a 
volunteer effort. Although every effort has been made to insure that 
answers are as accurate as possible, no guarantee is implied or 
intended. While the editor tries to keep this document current, remember 
that the Internet and its services are constantly changing, so don't be 
surprised if you happen across statements which are obsolete. If you do, 
please send corrections to the editor. Corrections, questions, and 
comments should be sent to Kevin Savetz at savetz@northcoast.com. Please 
indicate what version of this document to which you are referring.

*** WHERE TO FIND THIS DOCUMENT
On the World Wide Web
     http://www.savetz.com/fax/

You can receive it via anonymous FTP
     ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/internet-services/

This file is posted to the Usenet newsgroups alt.internet.services, 
alt.online-service, alt.bbs.internet, alt.fax, alt.answers, 
comp.dcom.fax, comp.mail.misc, comp.answers, and news.answers

You can also retrieve this document via electronic mail:
     To: mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu
     Body: send usenet/news.answers/internet-services/fax-faq

###end of document###

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