Fax Machine Terms

As Old As The Phone

The following terms should be kept in mind when comparing fax machines:

Activity Report

A list of all activity on a fax, (usually the last 50 jobs).

Answering Machine  Hook-Up 

This allows a phone to do both voice and fax duties. With this feature you can do with one line what would formerly have taken two.

Anti-Junk

This allows you to block spam faxes. Now all those faxes for cheap Vegas junkets and discounts on cologne can go to the people who really need them.

Auto Redial

Redials that busy number so you don’t have to.

Automatic Cover Sheet

Makes sure that a cover sheet accompanies each fax.  It generates the cover sheet for each recipient so you don’t have to.

BPS (Bits Per Second)

Lets you know how fast the machine sends and receives info.

Broadcast

Sends the same fax to several different numbers

Compatibility

Does your fax speak to all the other faxes? Most faxes do, but if the one you want doesn’t, you should know, right?

Confidential Transmission

A code is used on both sending and receiving machines to ensure secrecy. Not just for aspiring CIA agents anymore, this device can protect you from intercepting identity thieves.

Dual Access

Allows a fax to send and receive at the same time. When performing a high volume of faxes going both up and downstream, this function can save both time and money

Fax / Phone Changeover

The machine’s ability to decipher between a fax or voice call and ring accordingly.

Multi-tasking

This can keep a line from forming at the fax machine. While the transmission might take a few minutes the loading of the job doesn’t have to.

Programmable Transaction Report

Usually one of these four can be selected:

1. After a confidential reception, broadcasting, time operation or error.
2. After every transmission.
3. After every transmission or reception.
4. No transactions reports.

Relay Broadcasting

Allows your machine to be prompted by another so that the broadcasting of faxes can leverage all of the machines in a given network.

Transmit Terminal Identification

Information related to a sending unit that is imprinted on the top line of a received document. Information usually includes: date, company name, time, and the sending unit’s fax number.

Turnaround Polling

Allows the unit to send and receive documents on one phone call with the same remote unit. The remote unit must have the document in its feeder tray or in memory.