Hello

bluejambells

I'm about to start a new business and I have a limited budget. I need a fax machine and a phone line, preferably on the same line. BT have informed me that it may be best to have the fax line on the same line as Broadband as this will avoid blocking the phone line. I was wondering if anyone could offer me advice on what I should get and which is the most suitable provider.

Apologies if I have posted this thread in the completely wrong place, I'm new to this and couldn't decide where or how to post it!

Many thanks.

mlp

Do you really need a fax machine?

Email has 99.9% taken over from the fax. If you need to send a printed document, scan it and email it.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

bluejambells wrote: »

Apologies if I have posted this thread in the completely wrong place, I'm new to this and couldn't decide where or how to post it!

Welcome to MSE. Small Biz & Charity Organisers MoneySaving might be more appropriate.

chattychappy

Unless you really are sending/receiving alot of faxes + telephone calls, I wouldn't worry about line blocking. Just put it all on one line. Afterall, one phone call can block another phone call. I don't understand BT's comment - there is no problem with putting broadband, fax and a telephone all onto one line - unless they are referring to the problem of answering an incoming call and then routing depending on whether its fax or voice.

Not many businesses need faxes these days. Depends what you are doing. You can consider a service like www.flextel.co.uk . You get a free number which you can give out as a fax number. You don't need a machine - the faxes are received by you as email which you can then print out. Free to set up, free to use, and doesn't block a line. The catch is that the number is one of those "slightly premium" rate numbers - 0844 or whatever. So depends whether your people mind calling one of those numbers.

For sending, well scan/email attachment is the way to go. If you must fax out, then there are services that will convert a scanned image to fax format and send. Or if your computer has a modem connection you can use software and your normal line to do it.

Fax machines are relatively cheap. My office in London has one. It's just plugged into the phone line and I use it for sending only. For legal reasons, it can be better to send a fax than an email. But for receipt I give out a flextel number. It's nice that I receive them in on email - saves me having to scan them and I can pick them up wherever I am.

PNPSUKNET

use efax, lot cheaper than paying for an extra phone line and can access anywhere.