Every technology becomes obsolete at a certain point, and businesses are forced to adapt. The most recent change in technology is that analog POTS lines are going away starting in the fall of 2022. If you’re still relying on POTS lines to fax important documents, it’s time to start looking for another solution.
From multifunction printers to cloud fax capability, WiZIX Technology Group provides superior faxing solutions for small businesses in Northern California. Continue reading to learn what’s going on with POTS lines, and how your business can survive the transition.
Why Are POTS Lines Going Away in 2022?
In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an order that would grant relief from “outdated, burdensome” regulations in the phone industry involving copper and POTS (plain old telephone service) lines. However, that relief was not scheduled to begin until this year. As of August 2, 2022, phone carriers can begin retiring old, deteriorating copper and POTS lines.
How Does This Affect Faxing?
One of the POTS line replacement solutions phone carriers provide for small businesses is voice over the internet protocol (VoIP). While VoIP is an excellent solution for replacing traditional phone lines, unfortunately, it’s an unreliable fax solution.
Data is transferred across phone calls and fax transmissions in “packets,” and sometimes those transmissions get disrupted. On a VoIP phone call, packet loss may result in low-quality audibility rather than a dropped call.
During a fax transmission, however, packet loss will typically interrupt fax page printing and prevent faxes from being received altogether. Incomplete fax pages and dropped transmissions can lead to serious downtime. With POTS lines going away, small businesses need a reliable fax solution, and they need it now.
The Solution: Cloud Faxing
The most reliable solution for businesses that currently rely on POTS lines is cloud faxing. Also known as online faxing, cloud faxing is a way of sending and receiving faxes digitally instead of over analog POTS lines.
Cloud faxing lets you send a fax to an email, a network folder, or a multifunction printer. At WiZiX Technology Group, we offer eGoldFax™, which is a secure cloud fax service compatible with all multifunction printers.
Four Benefits of Cloud Faxing with eGoldFax™
1: Reliability
Unlike VoIP or other fax solutions, you’ll never miss an incoming transmission with cloud faxing. For instance, eGoldFax™ uses network redundancy as a backup in the event of unplanned network outages. This feature eliminates busy signals and ensures reliable faxing.
2: Affordability
With eGoldFax™, there are no upfront costs or long-term contracts. You also don’t need to invest in new hardware or maintain any fax lines. And, because sending a fax through eGoldFax™ is as easy as sending an email, little time will need to be spent training your employees to use it. All of these benefits mean lower costs for your small business.
3: Scalability
If you ever need to expand your business, move to a new location, or transition to a remote workforce, eGoldFax™ can easily adapt to your needs. This cloud faxing service supports unlimited users and devices, so you can easily scale your business without worrying about the need to invest in more hardware.
4: Security
Document security is crucial for small businesses today, but POTS line faxing and emails are both vulnerable to hackers. You can protect your documents with eGoldFax™, which employs end-to-end encryptions when sending and receiving faxes.
Cloud faxing with eGoldFax™ is especially beneficial for healthcare organizations and other businesses that must meet security compliance requirements. Microsoft® Azure®—the cloud platform that eGoldFax™ uses—is HIPAA compliant and provides over 90 other compliance certifications.
Secure Fax Solutions for Small Businesses in Northern California
Luckily, you don’t need to invest in a new fax machine to use eGoldFax™. However, outdated technology can jeopardize document security, so it may be time for an upgrade if your machine is more than a few years old.
If you are interested in cloud faxing with eGoldFax™, or simply need a new multifunction printer, WiZiX Technology Group can help. As a trusted local printer and copier dealer, we’re dedicated to providing small businesses in northern California with the top technology solutions, including cloud faxing. Call us at 866-207-9634 today to learn more about how our products and services can help you take your small business forward.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (12/9/2022). Image by Klaus Aires Alves from Pixabay