Fax over IP - FoIP

Fax over IP can be done in many ways, either realtime or store-and-forward

Realtime

• Transmission of a fax audio stream over a VoIP protocol, like SIP, IAX, H.323. This requires an uncompressed 64 kbit codec to have any chance of working, resulting in the need of around 80 kbit bandwidth. For a number of reasons it may or may not work even then.
• Fax over IP with a special protocol designed for this application. The key standardised protocol for this is T.38.

Store and forward

• A FAX, from a FAX machine, is decoded and stored by a FoIP gateway. It is then sent, using SMTP or a similar transport, to another FoIP gateway where it may be sent out to a destination FAX machine. The key standardised protocol for this is T.37.

FoIP Resources

All about FoIP As IP networks and VoIP adoption expands, and traditional Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) phone services change, organizations with paper-intensive communication processes increasingly look to Fax over IP (FoIP) as part of their solution. AllAboutFoIP.com is a bold initiative which provides VoIP providers, integration specialists and their clients with the most instrumental offerings of FoIP components and solutions, including Audio Codes, Alcatel, Avaya, Biscom, Cisco, Commetrex, Dialogic (Brooktrout), EtherFax, Faxback, Faxcore, GFi, Open Text (RightFax), SagemCom (XmediusFax), ShoreTel, and TargetFax.

FoIP Software

T.38 with Fax Voip T38 Fax and Voice

FaxVoip Software develops solutions for the transmission of a fax via the Internet Telephony (FOIP). The main emphasis has been placed on the transfer T.38 fax using SIP and H.323.
Fax Voip application operates with T.38 faxes via standart COM port interface.
What is Fax Voip? From the perspective of your fax or voice application, it is a Voice Fax Modem. Fax Voip installs Virtual COM Ports and virtual “FaxVoip Modems 14400 bps Voice-Fax” onto your system. You can setup your Fax & Voice program to operate with Fax Voip COM ports or virtual modems. From the perspective of your VOIP internet network, it’s a SIP/H.323 client with T.38 and G.711 Fax support. With Fax Voip you can send and receive T.38 and audio (color and black-and-white) faxes and voice messages without any hardware, using your favourite Fax & Voice program. Fax Voip is the ideal solution for the implementation of Fax and Voice Mailbox into SIP or H.323 network. You can use Fax Voip with your VOIP-based PBX or with your SIP/H.323 Provider. Fax Voip can also support from 1 to 100 virtual modems simultaneously.
Multiple SIP Registrations and Call Routing functions make your system the most flexible as well as allowing you to work with different SIP and H.323 providers simultaneously.
Fax Voip supports Caller ID and Dial a Phone Number Extension features.
It is also possible to send T.38 (and audio) faxes via Fax Voip Virtual Printer and receive faxes directly in TIFF or PDF files without using fax software, and without limiting the number of incoming fax sessions. You can manage faxes with Fax Voip Console.
Fax Voip is a fully-functional system for sending faxes via e-mail (Mail to Fax) and for receiving faxes to e-mail (Fax to Mail).
Incoming Routing Methods (Route through e-mail, Store in a folder, Print) allow you to route incoming faxes to recipients on the network.
Fax on Demand function allows callers to retrieve information via fax on the same call (from a fax machine).
Fax Voip T38 Fax & Voice has been successfully tested with Venta Fax & Voice (include color faxes), Microsoft Fax, BVRP Classic Phone Tools 9, FaxTalk Messenger Pro, WinFax Pro and many other well-known programs.
Please, visit the Fax Voip home page at http://www.t38faxvoip.com
The last version 5.6.1 can be downloaded using the following link: http://www.t38faxvoip.com/downloads/t38fv5_6_1.zip

Start here

• Steve Underwood Faxing over IP networks Article - excellent explanation of issues related to realtime FoIP
• All about FoIP Unified Communication Migration Strategies

Service Providers

• Live-Tech ZippyFax Solution Provider | FoIP & VoIP Sales - Service - Support | Worldwide Support | Get Faxes Emailed To Your Domain | TalkSwitch PBX Sales & Support
• One Touch Global Technologies Industry Experts. More than 19 years of experience. Fax Server, Fax Service, Fax Broadcast, Host Fax, Email 2 Fax, FoIP Implementation and more
• FaxLogic Hosted Virtual Fax Solutions Offering a wide range of branded and white-label fax solutions: virtual fax (fax-to-email, email-to-fax, web-fax, fax store/archive), analog fax line replacement, SIP trunking for fax servers, and hosted fax servers for single-user, group, and enterprise environments. Experts in fax technology and services since 1993.

See also

• Fax Voip Software: T.38 and Fax over G.711 Solutions
• Asterisk fax and Asterisk T.38
• ICTFAX , an open source Fax over IP software solution developed by ICT Innovations
• T.37: The ITU protocol for store-and-forward FAX over IP
• T.38: The ITU protocol for realtime FAX over IP
• International engineering consortium online tutorial
• Business.com: Fax over IP directory
• VOIP FAX Hardware