The fax machine actually predates the telephone. Alexander Bain invented the fax machine in 1843, three decades before the telephone was patented. Bain’s fax machine used telegraph wires to transmit messages.
“The first users of facsimile were newspapers to transmit and receive photos from around the world,” according to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. “The next users of facsimile were the weather services around the world.”
Although it was predicted that email and other Internet communications would stall the usage of fax machines, faxing is alive and well.
“This is especially the case in Japan,” reports Telecom Corner, “where (fax) is used to transmit the complex Japanese Kanji character set. Some estimates indicate that 90 percent of Japan’s overseas telecommunications consist of fax transmissions.”
At least 80 percent of U.S. citizens know what a fax machine is, and more than 60 percent have used one, according to the Telecom Corner.
Fax machines originally used rolls of paper to print received faxes. The first plain-paper fax machine was introduced in 1987.
Today, organizations have the option of using a fax server (we prefer RightFax) or a fax service (we prefer EasyLink). Through our network and Internet-based faxing solutions, fax has become digitally integrated into many organizations’ daily operations. And an organization need not be a Fortune 500 company in order to reap the benefits of computer-based faxing. If fax is the primary, or one of the primary forms of communication used to transmit the information that drives your business, no matter the volume, then the security, efficiency, and manageability of our fax solutions will help you sleep better at night.
In summary:
- Fax is old
- Fax is new
- Fax is just right for you
Like what you’ve heard? Visit http://faxsolutionsblog.opentext.com/ to read more fax stories, watch a video or two, and get connected with OpenText fax solutions.
