Introduction

The fax market in South Africa was known as sliding a piece of paper in a fax machine and sending it off to another fax machine printing the fax on a piece of paper. A couple of years ago the fax industry was revolutionized by a product called fax to e-mail where-by a fax number (premium rated) is connected to an e-mail address. This allows the owner of this number to receive faxes directly into his/her e-mail inbox as an attachment.

The biggest problem with the fax to e-mail solution on a premium rated number is the cost to the sender of the fax to this fax to e-mail number. The additional cost was justified as fax to e-mail is a value added service.

After conducting a comprehensive need analysis of the fax market two points clearly needed to be addressed:

1. Sending a fax at a lower cost.
2. Providing a fax to e-mail service that is not as costly to the sender of the fax
3. Interconnecting current MFP devices to a T38 Fax solution to save on paper,toner and sla service charges from the supplier

With the above results identified Itec Converge compiled a suite of services for the fax market that will cater for every need with one thing in mind: "COST SAVINGS".

How are faxes currently sent?

• Via a fax machine or Multi Function Device connected to a landline/fixed line.
• Via software installed on a computer i.e. pc to fax via MFP Driver/Winfax/Right Fax/Castelle Fax etc...

How are faxes currently received?

• Via a fax machine or Multi Fubction device connected to a landline/fixed line.
• Via a fax to e-mail solution.
• Via a Fax server on site solution.

Details regarding the T38 Fax suite

• A T38 Fax number has an 087 prefix.
• An 087 number can be assigned to a fax machine or to an e-mail address (this could not be done in the past)
• Sending a fax from an 087 number costs less than any other fax solution on the market.
• Receiving a fax on an 087 fax to e-mail costs the sender less than any other fax to e-mail product in the market.
• Multi branch companies can now benefit from a 70% saving on faxes sent inter branch.
• The diversity of a Virtual fax number has no boundaries.

Current prices in the fax market that you may not know:

• Sending a fax to a traditional Telkom fax line: R0.65 per minute (excl. VAT).
• Sending a fax to a fax to e-mail number (0866/0865): R1.64 per minute (excl. VAT).

Prices on changing your fax machine to Fax over IP:

• Sending a fax to a traditional Telkom fax line: R0.50 per minute (excl. VAT).
• Sending a fax to a fax to e-mail number (0866/0865): R1.00 per minute (excl. VAT).
• Sending a fax from an 087 number to another fax machine registered on our network (087): R0.25 per minute (excl. VAT).
• Sending a fax from a Telkom fax to a fax to e-mail number (087) registered on our network: R0.80 per minute (excl. VAT).

Cost savings:

• Sending a fax to a traditional fax line: R0.15 per minute.
• Sending a fax to a fax to e-mail number (0866/0865): R0.64 per minute.
• Sending a fax to a fax number on the same network: R0.15 up to R1.34 per minute

Conclusion:

• Your fax costs contribute to your monthly Telkom expenditure.
• Often people do not take their monthly fax costs into account when looking at their monthly Telkom expenses.
• Switching to T38 Fax over IP will deliver a cost saving of up to 70%.

How do I switch my current fax to e-mail to a T38 Fax to e-mail?

• Just provide us with your e-mail address - we will do the rest.

What do I need to switch my fax machine to Fax over IP?

• An internet connection.
• A Virtual gateway.
• Contact us and we will guide you through the process.

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The Facts

• People are using two types of methods receiving their faxes:
• On a fax machine(registered on a Telkom number – 011/012 etc)
• On their fax to e-mail solution(registered on 0866/0865)
• What are people charged sending to your registered fax number:
• When on Telkom – the sender is charged a minimum of 65 cents ex vat per minute – (per minute billing)
• When on fax to e-mail (0866/0865) – the sender is charged R1.64ex vat per minute – (per minute billing)
• People are becoming aware of the cost of sending to a fax to e-mail (0866/0865)
• People are becoming more reluctant in sending faxes to 0866/0865 fax to e-mail numbers due to the cost of sending to these numbers.

Why the Virtual 087 incoming fax solution is superior to any other incoming fax solution.

Question	Telkom	0866/0865 (fax 2 mail)	Virtual (087)
Can I receive faxes on a fax machine?	yes	no	yes (using the fax scan device)
Can I receive faxes as an e-mail attachment	no	yes	yes (linking the number to your e-mail address
Can I receive faxes from mobile devices (i.e. cellular phones)	yes	no	yes
Can I receive international faxes	yes	no	yes
What is the cost of sending to this solution	65c - 89c per minute	R1.82 per minute	80c per minute
Billing intervals	per minute	per minute	per second
Does the solution store faxes for back up purposes	no	yes/no (depends on the provider)	yes
Can I log into a web interface to view my stored faxes	-	no	yes
Does this solution make me qualify for sending faxes at a much cheaper rate	no	no	yes
Can the solution give you cash back using the service	no	no	yes(depends on volume of faxes being received)