5_Elements_You_Need_in_FoIP_web

5 Elements You Need in a Fax over IP Service i
5ELEMENTS YOU NEED
in a Fax over IP Service

5 Elements You Need in a Fax over IP Service 1
1
5 Elements You Need in a Fax over IP Service
Executive Summary
As more companies move to voice over IP (VoIP) solutions for telephony, faxing
has become more complicated and less reliable. Rather than simply faxing over
the phone line like the old days, office workers have to deal with faxing on VoIP
systems that present difficulties both technically and for the end user. This is a
major drawback for businesses that rely on faxing for day to day operations.
Fax over IP (FoIP) has the potential to bridge the gap between VoIP phones and
traditional faxing. FoIP can make things easier and smoother for employees, as
well as less expensive and more reliable for organizations. But not all providers
are created equal. This white paper will discuss five elements you need to
consider when selecting a FoIP solution, and show why FaxxBochs is a superior
service.
Element 1: Plug and Play
Some of the problems with faxing on VoIP systems come from the technical
challenges of setting up the systems. Many VoIP solutions have FoIP support with
in-band relay or T.38 that allows you to use your regular fax machine — if you can
figure out the infrastructure. Doing so takes time to set up and may be difficult.
Faxing is simply not the primary purpose of a VoIP system. While VoIP can help
companies save time and money on their telephone service, faxing will always
be an “extra.” Companies need a dedicated fax service without having to worry
about the infrastructure.
What they need is a “plug and play” service. A FoIP
service that plugs in to existing fax machines means
that employees do not have to be retrained. They
simply use the same fax machine they have always
used. It also means that the company does not
have to worry about the system’s infrastructure; these
are handled by the service provider. From the user’s
perspective, faxes are sent and received as normal.
KEEP USING YOUR
FAX MACHINE
No Retraining Required

The only difference is that faxes are sent over the Internet, but that does not affect
the senders or recipients. Companies have a reliable fax service to go along with
their VoIP system.
The plug and play feature of a reliable FoIP system makes it a service
rather than a product. That is, it is not simply the unit your company
purchases. It is an ongoing service that enables online faxing with no hassles. The
“system” or infrastructure is managed by the vendor so your company does not
have to worry about it.
FaxxBochs by Sangoma is one such plug and play system. Any infrastructure is
handled at Sangoma’s end. In other words, it’s not your company’s problem. This
makes faxing a no-brainer for companies using a VoIP solution for telephony.
They don’t have to use a VoIP add on; they just plug in their existing fax machines
and are set to use the FaxxBochs service.
Exchange Communications, which provides telephony infrastructure for film and
television sets, began to use FaxxBochs because it was so easy to use.
“
It’s more flexible and cost-effective to bring in fax over IP
services because it doesn’t require additional engineering —
or phone lines — to make it work because we already have
the network in place,
”
said technology manager
Blake Hannon.
In other words, as long as you have a fax machine and an Internet connection,
you can send and receive faxes with FaxxBochs.
“
Since we started with FaxxBochs, it has been a super-
reliable technology for us. We just have to prep the units for
shipping, plug them in behind the firewall, and they’re good
to go,
”
said Hannon.
Put simply, FaxxBochs is more than just the plugged-in unit. It is a complete
service with its own infrastructure. The good thing for your company is that you
never have to see it. Everything is handled by Sangoma.

2Element 2: Reliability
No matter what technology you use in your business, reliability is key. After all, if
a system or service doesn’t work consistently, there is no point in having it. In VoIP
telephony, many fax add-ons are not reliable because they are difficult to use and
fail just after a few pages sent.
Some standalone systems send and receive faxes online — like a true FoIP
solution — but they do not offer any failsafe for when faxes are interrupted mid-
transmission. They also require retraining, as employees must get used to a new
system with a different infrastructure.
The most reliable FoIP systems allow you to keep your existing infrastructure.
Letting employees continue to use their current fax machines reduces the
likelihood of user error and improves the chances that faxes will go through.
Reliable FoIP systems also need a backup plan in case the Internet connection is
interrupted. Online fax services are often deployed at industrial sites in remote
areas with spotty Internet connections. If there is no failsafe system in place, when
the Internet goes offline, not only are you unable to fax, you lose any messages
that were in transmission — both incoming and outgoing.
Cheap online fax systems do not provide any failsafe. If the
WiFi drops suddenly, the fax is lost and you have to start
over.
There are also reliability problems with some fax add-ons
for VoIP networks. Because the VoIP treats the fax line like
another voice line, companies run into quality problems
like jitter and latency. This can cause fax failure even when
the Internet is connected.
When you are selecting a FoIP service, be sure to ask what plans a
potential provider has in case the Internet goes down. No connection
is perfect, especially in hazardous or temporary locations where FoIP is often
deployed.
RELIABLE
Easy to Use
Faxes Never Lost

3
The FaxxBochs service guarantees delivery of faxes even
if the Internet goes down. FaxxBochs includes a store-
and-forward feature that queues faxes in the event of
Internet connectivity problems. When the connection is
restored, they are sent or received. Store-and-forward
means that even with intermittent Internet connectivity,
faxes will never be lost.
The queuing part of store-and-forward has the added
benefit of eliminating busy signals. Instead of trying
again later for outgoing faxes (or missing incoming messages altogether), faxes
are scanned and sent in order so that everything gets through.
The plug and play nature of FaxxBochs discussed above improves reliability as
well. When you plug in a FaxxBochs unit, you know that you can just start faxing.
No further installation or other troubleshooting will be required.
Whether you are sending or receiving faxes, messages can be held in the cloud
indefinitely until the Internet is restored. Delays may still happen, but faxes will
not be lost in the ether. Faxes always go through because of the reliability of the
FaxxBochs platform.
Element 3: No Lost Productivity
As mentioned above, some online fax solutions require you to change your
existing infrastructure to match the service you’re using. This may require
several changes in the workplace, from time-consuming retraining sessions
for employees to small inconveniences like waiting on new business cards
with updated fax numbers. All these issues — big and small — reduce your
organization’s productivity.
The technical challenges associated with fax add-ons for VoIP solutions also result
in lost productivity. If your IT department is on the phone with the VoIP provider
trying to figure out how to get the fax machine to work, your employees are
not sending or receiving faxes. This can result in longer wait times, disgruntled
workers and even lost business. In law offices for example, if you cannot fax a
contract to a client, you may lose that client.
STORE-AND-FORWARD
Keeps Faxes Safe in the Cloud

Using your own infrastructure is therefore more than a convenience. It can have
a serious impact on your bottom line. When you are searching for a FoIP
provider, ask how a potential solution will maintain (or even improve)
your organization’s productivity levels.
The best way to avoid lost productivity is to continue to use your existing fax
machines and to have ongoing support from your provider. In other words, the
best FoIP solution isn’t just a product or a machine, but a service that works with
your infrastructure. Purchasing fax units is only half of what you need if you want
to maintain worker productivity as you transition to FoIP.
The FaxxBochs service allows organizations to
continue using their existing fax machine
infrastructure. FaxxBochs units are attached to
fax machines, but that does not affect the way the
fax machines function for end users.
Technically, nothing changes for employees as
they send and receive faxes. Because they do not
perceive any changes, they do not lose their momentum during the transition.
In fact, they may not even know there is a transition going on. This maintains
productivity throughout the organization.
The units, however, are only part of the solution. The support offered by Sangoma
means organizations do not have to worry about any new fax procedures or
methods. All technical aspects handled at Sangoma’s end. The service, in addition
to improving the reliability of online faxing, keeps productivity high in the IT
department because they don’t have to worry about anything either.
FaxxBochs’ ease of deployment improves productivity in
the little things too. For example, maintaining your current
infrastructure means keeping your fax number. You don’t
need to update your business cards and your employees
do not need to spend time telling clients about their “new”
fax number. They still have the old one. You can even take
your current fax number to new locations, as FaxxBochs
customers in heavy industry or entertainment often do.
FAX WORKS THE SAME WAY
Plug and Play
Fax Machine
FaxxBochs
Appliance
NO NEW BUSINESS CARDS
Fax Numbers Stay the Same

4
Blake Hannon of Exchange Communications knows how easily FaxxBochs can be
deployed and how that impacts his company’s productivity.
“
It’s more flexible and cost-effective to bring in Fax-over-IP
services because it doesn’t require additional engineering
— or phone lines — to make it work because we already
have the network in place,” he said. “The best part is they’re
reusable so can be easily reconfigured and plugged into a
new network at a new location. … All the technician on the
ground has to do is plug them in on the fly.
”Just remember: easy deployment means better productivity for your employees.
Element 4: Ongoing Management
A fourth element organizations should look for in an online faxing solution is
ongoing management. Non-service FoIP may provide the infrastructure and
initial training. This is problematic for reasons explained above, but even if the
infrastructure and training are excellent, after they’re done you’re on your own.
You have to decide what to do with the data, archives and other features without
outside assistance. Making these decisions can be costly and time consuming.
You want ongoing management instead. True FoIP systems are services rather
than products. Their support features — from call centers to how-to guides —
should be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When you’re investing
in FoIP, you should invest in ongoing management, not just parts or
tools.
FoIP services are for faxing what VoIP is for telephones.
They include (or should include) support from experts
before, during and after transition so everything works
as smoothly as possible. The last problem you need
is to receive a bunch of tools and no guidance on how
to use them effectively. This is part of why companies
are choosing FoIP as opposed to fax add-ons for VoIP:
dedicated FoIP services offer expertise that VoIP
providers, on their own, do not have.
TRUE FOIP SYSTEM
A Service Rather Than a Product

When selecting a FoIP service, ask what management
features are offered. Just as importantly, ask how
user friendly these features are. Are faxes archived? Is
the archive searchable? Does the archive include just
incoming or outgoing messages or both?
For example, FaxxBochs offers users extra services like
archiving. Every fax that is ever sent or received by a
FaxxBochs user is securely saved in Sangoma’s data
centers. Users can search the archives at any time, an
especially handy feature in industries like law and
real estate — where the time a fax occurred can be so
important.
FaxxBocchs’ archives have an unprecedented level of user friendliness. Suppose
you are searching for an old fax, but you do not quite remember when it was sent.
This may require you to download every fax sent between certain dates until you
find the one you want. This is not the case with FaxxBochs. Icons for archived
faxes are readable, meaning you can look for the document you are looking for
without having to download every single PDF.
If users do not want to use the fax machine — or if a machine is unavailable —
they are able to upload documents as PDFs and send faxes from their online user
accounts. Various online fax services offer this feature, but FaxxBochs allows you
to do it from your current fax number, saving confusion when contacts need to
know to whom they should reply.
While the fax machines remain a preferred method of communication, the option
to use PDFs and essentially email messages over the fax line gives organizations
the communication flexibility they need.
Ongoing management with FaxxBochs is not limited to extra features either. The
FaxxBochs service gives users what they need both at installation and afterward.
It has live phone support as well as free help over Sangoma’s website and wiki.
The service can also be adapted to meet different organizations’ particular
circumstances.
SEARCHABLE ARCHIVES
Both Incoming and
Outgoing Messages

5
“
There are lots of nifty features that allow you to convert
files to PDF and for sending out by email,” noted Hannon.
“You can also view transmissions between sites and
download faxes in transit which helps us a lot when we need
to provide assistance.
”He added that the extra features can make a decentralized office work like a
single unit:
“
You can’t do that on other, more expensive PBX solutions.
We’re also able to deploy phones on myriad data
connections, from the production office or a construction
warehouse down the road, to the special effects or finance
and accounting teams. Because the PBX is hosted centrally,
they can intercom and transfer calls as if they were a single
office.
”
Element 5: Backed by an Established Company
Some online fax providers do not have any kind of a track record to prove their
service works. A few — generally the cheapest — are true fly-by-night operations.
When you are searching for a FoIP provider, you need to know the
credentials of the companies offering the service. Don’t take a gamble on
an untested service provider.
It’s not enough that a company has been in business for a long time (though that’s
important too). If you trust a company to transmit your data, you need to know
how that data is transmitted and how it is protected. This is especially important if
the service offers archiving or other features that require them to keep your data
after faxes are sent or received.
Ask a potential provider how long it’s been in business, but before you do that ask
where your data is stored. “In the cloud” is not an acceptable answer. You need to
know specifically where the silos are and what redundancies exist.

Sangoma is a tried-and-true service provider that your
organization can have confidence in. Founded in 1984, it
has more than 30 years of experience in communication
technology. (We were in business when faxing was still
new!) Sangoma is based in Canada and publicly traded on
the Toronto Stock Exchange, but it is a global company with
staff in the United States, Europe, South America and India.
Sangoma has offered enterprise VoIP services for some time, along with computer
telephony cards and session border controllers. In 2015, it acquired FaxxBochs,
which itself has been a player in FoIP technology since 2007.
But Sangoma and FaxxBochs’ experience is not limited to length of business.
FaxxBochs provides redundant failover data centers — one in Phoenix and one
in Duluth, Minn. — to ensure your data is safe in the event of a cyberattack or
other disaster. Because Sangoma has experience in all types of telephony, it
knows what works, what doesn’t, and how to provide clients with the best service
possible.
FaxxBochs developed the store-and-forward technology, for example, because
it knew the weak point of FoIP is Internet connectivity. Store-and-forward helps
ensure that even if the signal is spotty, faxes still get through. Evaluating and
updating technology to assure proper service is a key part of Sangoma’s business
practices.
Companies who work with FaxxBochs are also doing business with a company
that knows its market. Whether your business is boat construction or mining and
energy, FaxxBochs knows how your industry operates and how your organization
can benefit from FoIP technology. An online fax service is also ideal for
paperwork-heavy organizations like law offices and real estate agencies, as well
multi-site campuses like schools and universities. FaxxBochs can even leverage its
service and customize it to fit your company’s particular needs. All these features
come from a service with a proven track record and solid reputation in numerous
business sectors.
Hannon at Exchange Communications said it best:
“
In this industry, you have to keep pace with change. Tools
like FaxxBochs … make it easier.
”
REDUNDANCY
SECURITY

Conclusion
Traditional fax works for some businesses, but as telephony increasingly moves
to the cloud fax will have to as well. Companies have numerous options to choose
from when selecting an online fax provider, but only FoIP has the potential to be a
true service that your organization needs.
FoIP is more reliable and versatile than traditional fax, and easier to use than a fax
add-on to a VoIP service. At its best, FoIP is a service rather than a product.
It gives you the tools you need and the support to transition seamlessly — with no
retraining or other headaches for your employees.
No matter where your company is in its decision making process, the five
elements discussed in this white paper will help guide you to the right service
provider for you. As you continue to decide what fax solution fits your needs,
contact Sangoma today to learn more about how the FaxxBochs FoIP service can
help your organization.
Visit Our Website
www.sangoma.com
Call Us
+1 800 388 2475
Watch a Video About FaxxBochs
www.sangoma.com/products/fax-over-ip-service
Offices in Toronto, UK, US and India
Click for Contact Information

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