question

f-x-flinn6455 avatar image
f-x-flinn6455 asked michel5476 answered

Fax from VOIP (digital) vs POTS (analog) expectation table

VOIP = Voice over IP, digital lines, internet phones -- Ring Central is VOIP, cellphones are VOIP

POTS = Plain Old Telephone Service -- traditional landlines; uses copper pairs


As the Ring Central documentation carefully explains, Faxing over VOIP has issues and customers with intensive fax requirements should stick with a POTS line.


Our company's reliance on faxing has diminished considerably so we are taking the plunge and going all-VOIP.


Here is an expectation table I derived from my testing of our small (<10) user Ring Central system that some may find useful:



To: RC fax # (VOIP) POTS fax number

From


POTS fax machine works fine traditional faxing not relevant to RC

RC # autodetects

fax call and processes

per settings

VOIP fax machine        may not work        works fine
                        especially if 
                        on same RC account
                        





fax
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michel5476 avatar image
michel5476 answered
We have experienced the same issues in many different setups, not just RC.  The most problematic issue being physical fax machine -> anolog-to-VOIP-convertor -> VOIP-fax  (ie. voip to voip fax)   Lots of these type of connections seem to answer, but not acknowledge properly, so the results is the first 1 or 1.5 pages go through and then the receiving VOIP fax line disconnects.
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Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 1.0 MiB each and 10.0 MiB total.

f-x-flinn6455 avatar image
f-x-flinn6455 answered
I was tempted to add to the VOIP to VOIP box "why are you doing this in the first place, just email a PDF" but decided not to because some may be using a fax machine without realizing it is tied to a analog to digital converter like the Cisco ATAs Ring Central sells. 
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Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 1.0 MiB each and 10.0 MiB total.

michel5476 avatar image
michel5476 answered
exactly correct - we have several small offices that need to quickly sign a form and have reception fax it off - this is much quicker workflow to just use a physical fax machine with an ATA.
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Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 1.0 MiB each and 10.0 MiB total.

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