As the modern world becomes increasingly digital, it may be tempting to assume that technologies like faxing will be consigned to the past. But in reality, faxing is more critical than ever for many businesses. This is especially the case in highly regulated industries like financial services, healthcare and legal, which rely on faxing to securely share sensitive information like patient data and financial records.
The good news is that business users no longer have to rely on bulky physical fax machines to securely share information with clients and colleagues. To get started with online faxing, users will only require a fax number that enables them to send and receive fax messages.
If your business relies on sharing secure data and you’ve wondered, “How do I get a fax number? “, then this guide will explore how to get a free fax number.
What is a Fax Number?
A fax number, like a phone number, allows people to send messages to their contacts’ fax machine, fax server or online fax provider. Fax numbers follow a similar format to phone numbers, including area and country codes, but transmit faxed messages to a machine that enables the recipient to read the fax.
Businesses can technically use the same number for their phone and fax communications, but it’s advisable to have separate lines. Maintaining separate phone and fax numbers to have a dedicated business fax number enables you to take customer outreach and communication to the next level.
There’s no need to maintain physical landlines just to get a fax number. You can now get a free fax number online, which solves issues like how to get a fax number to email or how to get a fax number for my printer.
Why Do You Need a Dedicated Online Fax Number?
A dedicated online fax number offers many business benefits, from saving money to environmental advantages. Here are some of the main reasons why so many businesses are setting up online fax services:
- Environmentally friendly: Businesses are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and approaches that help them become more environmentally friendly. Securing an online fax number to send and receive fax messages enables companies to go paperless and remove the need for physical fax machines, which require large volumes of paper, ink and toner.
- Simple setup: An online fax number is easy to set up and roll out across an organization.
- Easy accessibility: Every employee who uses faxing to interact with clients and customers can be provided with a unique online fax number. Rather than clamoring over access to the office fax machine, they only require a dedicated online faxing app or a login to the service’s website. As a result, business users can send and receive faxes at any time and from anywhere.
- Cost reduction: A dedicated online fax number enables users to access online fax services, removing the costs of physical fax machines. Physical fax machines are expensive, require regular maintenance and a steady supply of paper, ink and toner.
Can You Get a Free Fax Number Online?
In the modern digital world, businesses struggling with how to get a free fax number have a simple solution thanks to online fax providers like eFax. You can quickly get a new fax number and start using it immediately or transfer an existing fax number to your online fax account. Getting a free fax number online offers business benefits like:
- Online Security: A message received on a fax machine could be picked up by anybody in the office, risking sensitive data being shared with unauthorized individuals. Online faxing removes this risk and is highly secure, protecting sent and received messages via high-grade encryption. The approach is ideal for organizations operating in highly regulated industries to share sensitive data like medical records and employment contracts.
- Quick Setup: Getting phone lines is a lengthy and expensive process, especially when businesses require multiple numbers. Getting a free fax number online makes it simple to sign up for a service, download the faxing solution app and start sending and receiving faxes.
- Enhanced Productivity: Traditionally, fax communication relied on employees being based in a company’s office and having access to a physical fax machine. This approach is no longer viable for most companies, with employees increasingly working remotely outside of standard working hours and spending less time in the office. Getting a free fax number online means users can send and receive faxes online at any time without going to the office.
How to Get Fax Number Online?
Online fax numbers help businesses provide seamless communication for their users. When a new eFax account is created, the user is assigned a free dedicated fax number that’s automatically linked to their account. Securing the right fax number will depend on the organization’s target audience and geographic reach.
The following information can help you get a fax number online that works for your business:
Getting a Free Fax Number Online
Upon signing up for a new eFax account, users can choose a toll-free or local fax number, depending on their business requirements. Existing fax numbers can also be ported into the eFax online faxing service. Users can then send and receive faxes from any device using the eFax portal or mobile app.
Steps to Get a Local Fax Number
A local fax number helps businesses connect with customers in a specific area. Having a local fax number can help companies appear more professional and reliable, establish a strong presence within their community and build trust with customers in the region. They can also add the local fax number to marketing and branding materials to appeal to locally-based customers.
Local fax numbers can help companies get set up quickly and efficiently and can be obtained via:
- Local Phone Line: A traditional option is to connect a fax machine to a local phone line. This approach enables businesses to use their local fax number to send and receive fax messages, but it can become costly if they require multiple phone lines or send large volumes of faxes.
- Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Businesses can also obtain a local fax number through their Internet-based VoIP provider. The approach can be cost-effective and flexible for companies that need to send and receive multiple faxes simultaneously. However, VoIP systems can be complex to set up and maintain.
- Online fax services: Online providers like eFax provide an excellent way for businesses to get a free local fax number and easily send and receive fax messages. This approach enables users to send and receive fax messages and manage their documents at any time and from anywhere. eFax provides local fax numbers in 49 countries, allowing up to 10 fax numbers per account, enabling businesses to connect with partners and build credibility and trust worldwide.
How to Get an International Fax Number?
Businesses can also secure international fax numbers that enable them to easily share fax messages with people all over the world. An international fax number looks similar to an international phone number, using the country code and the local prefix, so it will vary based on the country.
Alternative Methods to Obtain a Free Fax Number
Businesses can also secure a free fax number by using an alternative approach. Other free fax number options include:
Google Voice: While Google doesn’t specifically offer fax services, it is possible to use a Google Voice number for faxing solutions. A Google Voice number can be ported over to an online faxing service like eFax and used as a fax number, enabling users to send and receive faxes online. eFax is also compatible with Google services like Chrome, Drive and Gmail, allowing users to combine their preferred productivity tools with the convenience and efficiency benefits of online faxing.
Phone providers: Businesses can also obtain a free fax number by contacting a local phone service provider. Mobile operators can assist with securing a local number or a toll-free international line, depending on the organization’s requirements.
Why Choose eFax to Get Online Fax Numbers?
eFax makes it easy to secure an online fax number and send and receive fax messages at any time and anywhere on any device. The benefits of using eFax to get online fax numbers include:
Secure Faxing: It’s critical to use an online faxing solution that keeps all sent and received messages safe from prying eyes. eFax encrypts data and fax messages on devices and while it’s in transit via AES 256-bit encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption. eFax also enables you to securely monitor and audit fax usage and compile reports on specific clients, employees and fax numbers.
Keeping Costs Down: Managing fax communication becomes costly when businesses have to purchase and maintain physical fax machines and keep them stocked up with supplies like paper, ink and toner. eFax removes the need for fax machines, enabling users to use their online fax number to send and receive messages online via their laptop or mobile phone.
Cloud Storage: In addition to making fax communication more convenient, eFax also provides unlimited cloud storage. Users never have to worry about their critical documents being lost or deleted. They can store all sent and received messages in the secure eFax cloud environment, which is accessible at any time and on any device.
Tech Integration Options: eFax is compatible with a wide range of applications and workflows, ensuring the technology easily integrates with businesses’ existing infrastructure. Therefore, users with a fax number can use the online service in conjunction with popular collaboration tools, email and social media services and cloud storage solutions to maximize user productivity.
Regulatory Compliance: Businesses must ensure their communication processes comply with increasingly stringent data privacy regulations. eFax is ideal for companies that require robust auditing and reporting processes. The online faxing solution eFax simplifies bringing faxing communications in line with laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
FAQs Around Obtaining a Fax Number
You can get a fax number for free. A free fax number enables users to send and receive fax messages from fax machines or online via digital faxing services.
You can get a fax number for free through eFax, an online faxing solution. To get a free fax number through eFax, download our free app from your mobile phone’s app store and sign up for an account. eFax will then assign you a free fax number, which you can use to send and receive fax messages. You can also get a free fax number via local phone operators or through a VoIP service.
Printers can be used as fax machines by scanning a document into the printer and sending it as a fax message. Some printers will have a specific fax number included on the machine or in its settings or user manual. Other printers will include the fax number on every page they send and receive. Another solution for how to get a fax number for my printer is to use the number provided by an online faxing service to send and receive faxes.
Online faxing services enable you to use your mobile phone as a portable fax solution. When you sign up for an online faxing provider like eFax, you’ll be automatically assigned a fax number you can use to send and receive fax messages in the same way you share emails.
Your cell phone number can’t be used as a fax number, but you can easily send and receive faxes through a mobile app. For example, the eFax app is user-friendly and optimized for Android and iPhone users to make it simple to send and receive messages from your phone. eFax also provides access to cloud platforms like iCloud and Google Drive, making it easy to fax documents that have been saved online.
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