General Questions
General
I have an office fax machine. Why do I need InterFAX?
InterFAX routes faxes directly into your e-mail inbox and is therefore much more flexible than a fax machine. No more standing by the fax machine in anticipation of an incoming fax. Faxes arriving in your absence don’t get lost in piles of paper. Faxes arriving for your eyes only aren’t read by anyone else. Additionally, with InterFAX, incoming faxes may be filed or forwarded with great ease. They can also be deleted with no wasted paper.
We have a fax server at our company. Why do we need InterFAX?
A fax server does not necessarily solve the challenge of incoming faxes. If you do not have an ‘inbound routing’ feature, faxes are delivered to a human operator who needs to manually forward them to their intended recipients. This adds a significant delay until a fax reaches you, and might even cause an intolerable delay if the operator is unavailable. With InterFAX every fax is directly routed to your desktop, with no delay.
I have a fax modem installed in my computer. Why do I need InterFAX?
With InterFAX you don’t need to purchase and maintain an additional phone line or to keep your computer running 24 hours a day.
About fax reception
How do I view received faxes?
With a standard TIFF image viewer, which comes standard with Windows or may be downloaded for other operating systems.
Is there a limit to the number of faxes I may receive each month?
No, you may receive any number of faxes per month.
Can my InterFAX number receive several faxes at once?
Yes, InterFAX runs on many phone lines, so your fax number is almost never busy.
About fax transmission
How do I know that a fax has gone through?
You receive a confirmation e-mail or view your outgoing fax queue through the InterFAX web screens.
Does InterFAX perform retries before deciding that a fax has “failed”?
Yes, InterFAX performs between three to five tries.
Can I use InterFAX with my Gmail/Yahoo/other webmail account?
Yes, you can use any type of email client, including web-based email services.
What type of attachments does InterFAX support?
InterFAX supports most industry-standard office packages.
About Administration
Can I manage several users under one account?
Yes, you can manage an unlimited number of users under one account.
What kind of reports are available?
InterFAX can send you automatic reports in a variety of formats at pre-determined intervals to control every aspect of service use by your users.
About Billing
How do I add money to my account?
You may top up your virtual prepaid card by logging in and selecting ‘Purchase’ from the top menu.
Am I charged for unsuccessful faxes?
No, faxes are charged only for successfully completed pages.
How am I charged for “long” faxes?
Faxes longer than sixty seconds are billed per minute in six-second increments according to the per-page rate.
Billing Questions
How do I pay for fax reception?
Billing for fax reception is composed of two parts:
- 1. A one-time setup fee, and
- 2. a monthly subscription fee. The setup fee is charged when you initially order your account or when you add users to your account. Subscription fees are charged monthly, where the first month is charged only for the remainder of the month. For example, if you sign up on the 20th of the month, your first charge will be for setup and for the remaining 10 or 11 days. After that, all subscription charges will be performed in advance at the beginning of the month.
If your usage exceeds the included number of pages for your inbound service, the additional pages will be charged in arrears along with the subscription charge performed at the beginning of the month.
How do I pay for fax transmission?
Billing for fax transmission is composed of three parts:
- 1. A one-time setup fee;
- 2. a monthly subscription fee; and
- 3. per-page usage fees.
While the setup fee and the monthly subscription are free of charge, the per-page usage fees are charged on a prepaid basis. When purchasing a virtual ‘prepaid card’, the higher the purchased amount, the greater the bonus credit added to your card. As you send faxes, the balance on your card becomes depleted. Once your card is fully depleted you will need to purchase an additional card before you can send further faxes.
When will I be billed?
Upon initial registration, you will be billed immediately on the day of your registration. For subscription fees, you will be charged in advance at the beginning of each month. For prepaid cards, you will be charged immediately upon purchase of the card.
Whom do I contact for billing-related questions?
Contact us through our contact form for any billing-related questions.
Do I have to commit to a certain period for my InterFAX subscription?
No. You may stop your subscription at any time by sending us an e-mail with your username and password.
When sending faxes, why am I being charged a full price when I should be receiving a discount?
The discount occurs when you purchase a prepaid package for a reduced price. For example, when you purchase a $125 prepaid package for $100, the discount you have received is 20%. Thereafter, each outbound page you pay for is displayed at the full price. But remember that you are paying this full price with discounted credits.
What happens when my prepaid card runs out?
When your prepaid card reaches 80% usage, and subsequently 95% usage, a notification is sent to the account email address (As defined in: Login -> Preferences -> Account Settings -> Contact Email). When you receive the notification, you can log into your InterFAX account and purchase an additional prepaid card (Login -> Purchase -> Prepaid Cards -> Select Prepaid Card -> “Add to Cart” -> Continue to checkout).
Can I automate the re-purchase of a prepaid card?
Yes. You can set InterFAX to automatically re-purchase a prepaid card once it reaches 95% usage. Log in to your account, then select Purchase -> Repeat Orders -> Click ‘here’. This will enable you to select which size prepaid card will be automatically re-purchased. Select the size and click ‘Add Repeat Order’. That’s it!
As long as your credit card details remain valid, prepaid cards of the selected size will be re-purchased just before an earlier one runs out. A notification of the re-purchase will be sent to your account email.
How do I update the credit card details I have on record with InterFAX?
Log into your account and click Account Management -> Update CC and proceed naturally from there.
How do I discontinue my service?
Simply contact us and specify which service(s) you wish to discontinue – fax reception (fax-to-mail) and/or fax transmission (email-to-fax).
How do I pay for PCI fax service?
For Inbound PCI fax service pricing, see our Prices page. InterFAX Outbound PCI is a premium service featuring the market’s only PCI DSS compliant Internet faxing service. For pricing information regarding this unique offering, please contact us.
Sending Faxes
How do I send a fax from my email program?
Simply create a new email message from your favorite email environment. This can be an application such as Outlook, Eudora, etc., or a web-based mail service, such as Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail.
Enter the recipient fax number in standard international notation (“plus” sign, country code, area code, fax number) into the “To” line, and append the domain fax.tc (“fax dot telecom”), like this +448701234567@fax.tc.
How do I know that my fax has arrived?
There are two ways to verify the status of your fax. One way is to log in the registered users screen on our website and view your fax queue. This screen will tell you whether the fax has been processed by the InterFAX system, if it is currently being sent, and if it has gone through successfully or failed for some reason.
The other option is to check your email for an automatic notification. You can set your preferences to receive a confirmation upon failure/success/always/never.
There is also an advanced option for account administrators to receive an email with hourly/daily/weekly/or monthly summary of ALL faxes sent by ALL users. This report gives you excellent control over your company’s faxing activity. You can receive this report in various formats (ASCII/CSV/HTML) for easy import into any analysis package.
How can I send a cover page/How do I send both the body of the mail and attachments?
By adding /b to the end of the subject line of your outgoing mail, both the body of your email and the attachments will be sent by fax. By default, only the attachments are sent, if attachments are included in your email. (Normally, only the body is sent if there are no attachments). You may then use the body of the mail as a cover page to your faxes.
Can I defer sending of a fax?
Yes. Simply add /d and the date and time to the end of the subject line, like this: /d 2002-11-23 12:34 where the date is in yyyy-mm-dd format. Or you may add /d and the time only, in which case the current date will be assumed, like this: /d 20:34. This feature is very useful for sending out fax broadcasts at off-peak hours, when receiving fax machines are more likely to be available.
Receiving Faxes
Is there a limit on the number of faxes I may receive?
No. You can receive as many faxes as you like. Note that your monthly subscription includes a certain number of pages you can receive at no extra cost. If you go beyond this number, a small charge applies per page.
Where do you offer incoming InterFAX numbers?
We currently have local incoming numbers in a range of countries which can be found on the Prices page. However, sending faxes through InterFAX can be done from any place in the world.
Can I use my phone line’s “Follow Me” feature to receive faxes in my InterFAX box?
Yes. InterFAXruns on regular phone lines. You can set the “follow me” feature offered by your phone company to have all of your incoming faxes forwarded to your InterFAX number.
How do I change the e-mail address to which my faxes are forwarded?
Simply log in to your account. You can change all of your account settings there, including the forwarding mail address and your CSID identifier.
Can I have faxes forwarded to more than one e-mail address?
Yes. When you sign up for service, you enter an initial address. After registration you can log into your account and add as many additional addresses as you wish.
Can I keep my existing fax number?
The InterFAX service includes a distinct fax number which becomes your number to use as long as you are subscribed to the service. Unfortunately, we cannot offer the service on your existing numbers.
We have Microsoft Exchange installed at the office. Can we still use InterFAX?
Yes. No matter how you receive e-mails, whether through Exchange, Eudora, Hotmail, etc. – you can receive faxes.
How long does it to have the service up and running?
The InterFAX service is activated instantly once you complete the online registration process.
How long does it take for the fax to arrive in my e-mail?
Once your fax has been received it takes only a few seconds before we send it out to you. Normally it takes no more than a minute or two for your fax to arrive in your e-mail. However, occasionally congestion on the internet may cause your fax to take a little longer to arrive.
I have a large quantity of incoming faxes. Can InterFAX receive several faxes at once?
Yes, InterFAX can receive a large number of faxes at a time. Under normal conditions your senders will never receive a busy signal.
Account Management
Can I manage more than one user under my account?
Yes, one account can hold an unlimited number of users, each with their own preferences (i.e., transmission settings, reception settings, time zone, etc.). Every user has his own username and password. A user designated as the ‘primary user’ for the account can edit general account settings, add users and purchase pre-paid cards under the account.
Does InterFAX give me any useful reports to manage my users’ activity?
Yes, you can receive a detailed usage report by email. This report will be generated automatically every hour/day/week/month (you decide) and can arrive in one of several formats – ASCII/CSV/XML/HTML. The report will show you precisely who has been using what when, so you can control your costs.
Free Trial FAQs
About Trials and Evaluation Accounts
How do I register for a free trial?
Anyone can register for a free Evaluation Account and trial of the InterFAX service, which can be signed up for via the link here.. An Evaluation Account allows anyone with a valid email address to send and receive faxes free of charge and with no obligation.*
Please note, customers are not required to enter payment card details to create an Evaluation Account, if you are prompted to enter payment information in order to begin your trial or during the trial itself, please Contact Us.
How do I send faxes?
Customers have a range of options for submitting data into our systems, in order to be sent by fax. For more information please click on the titles below;
The InterFAX Secure Site – A web portal which allows Customers access to all off the InterFAX services, as well as Account, User and Services management.
Email to Fax – With a range of options for submitting documents straight from your Email account into our systems, ready to be sent by fax.
API – Powerful integrations power InterFAX’s business, we have everything Developers need to implement faxing solutions that meet the needs of even the most demanding business applications.
Which file formats will InterFAX accept?
Our systems accept virtually all common document file types, from Microsoft Office to PDF’s, as well as HTML and more.
A full list of supported file types can be found here.
How do I know if my faxes are being delivered?
You can see the status of any submitted fax by logging in and navigating to your ‘Sent Items’, this screen will tell you the status of any fax submitted. The status will be updated as the submission makes it’s attempts to send.
Furthermore, with the option to receive confirmation upon success, failure or both, customers can be alerted by email as soon as the fax completes.
Can I send faxes from any computer or only the one I sign up on?
You can send faxes from anywhere you can access a web browser and/or your email account. There aren’t any downloads or installations required to use InterFAX so you are not limited to just one computer, however with a range of security options, Account Managers are able to set access based on the requirements of their businesses.
What happens after the trial? or How do I convert to a full / paying account?
At any point during the trial, customers can upgrade to a full account by purchasing credit. To do so, please log in to your Account and navigate to the ‘Purchase’ tab.
You will keep the same inbound fax number (if applicable) and any faxing history acquired during the trial period.
About Internet Faxing
Is InterFAX as fast as a fax machine?
Yes. In fact, InterFAX is often quicker than physical fax machines because you don’t need to wait for scanning, and you can send as multiple faxes simultaneously and all with a wealth of predefined or one-off settings.
Is there a limit to the number of faxes that can be sent at once?
Our servers are load tested and equipped to deal with the most demanding of tasks, with support for up to 20,000 recipients in a single submission, InterFAX regularly processes large volumes of faxes in a timely and practical manner. For a full list of System Limitations, please see the information here.
Do I need a phone line to use InterFAX?
No, you do not need a phone line to send a fax using InterFAX, all you need is an internet connection and an email address.
What happens if the telephone lines go down?
Our data centers are split between multiple locations, so in the event of anything unforeseen, there should be no interruption to our service.
Account Management
Help! I have forgotten my password.
Don’t worry! Simply navigate to the log in page of the InterFAX Secure Site and follow the instructions under ‘Forgot your password?’.
How do I change my account details?
Log in to your InterFAX account and navigate to ‘Preferences / Account Settings’. Customers can change their email address, contact details and security settings in this section.
Is there a limit to the number of users I can add to my account?
No, you can have as many users as you like under any individual InterFAX account and each User can have individual settings, permissions and sharing options.
To manage the Users under an Account please log in to your InterFAX account and navigate to the ‘Account’ tab, then to the ‘Users’ sub-tab.
Pricing and Billing
How much does it cost to send a fax?
Outbound faxing works on a prepaid ‘pay-as-you-go’ structure, with no expiration or monthly fees. Faxing credit is purchased up front, and faxes sent out deduct from the pre-paid amount until fully depleted, at which point further credit can be purchased, or auto-purchase set to avoid any interruptions in service.
Discounted rates can be achieved by purchasing higher value credit packages; the larger the package, the greater the savings.
More details can be found on our pricing page.
How much does it cost to receive faxes?
Inbound faxing has a monthly cost, associated with “renting” the inbound phone line and number, to which senders would send faxes. The rate depends on the location of the fax number required in your territory. More details can be found on our pricing page.
What happens when I run low on Pre-Paid credit?
Once you have used 80% of your credit we will email to let you know. We’ll email you again at 95% and once more when your credit has depleted. Customers also have the option to set an auto purchase which will purchase a new Pre-Paid Package once a customer’s credit runs low.
Once a customer’s credit is fully depleted then any further faxes sent will be placed into a ‘Pending’ status for 24 hours, after which time if no funds have been added to the Account faxes will automatically fail.
Why has my credit card been declined?
Your credit may have been rejected for one of the following reasons;
- Your credit card was issued in a country that differs to your country of residence.
- Your computer’s geographic IP address does not match your selected country of residence.
- Your credit card was issued in a country that differs from your geographic IP location.
- Your credit card issuer has blocked the transaction.
If your card has been rejected for any of these reasons, please Contact Us.
Can you invoice me monthly? I don’t have a credit card?
We prefer that customers use the pay-as-you-go service to avoid any disruptions in service in the event of any late payments. If you have any special requirements then please Contact Us.
*Terms apply. Please see the terms of service – here.
Developer API FAQ
Q1. Is developer faxing really free?
Yes, as long as you are using InterFAX as part of an effort to build or debug an application, you can use the service for free to send faxes to your designated fax number. Once your application goes live, you need to start faxing through a live, paid account (but you can keep using your developer account for any debugging or future enhancements). The rule is simple: if you’re testing, your welcome to use a free developer account.
Q2. Why is there a prepaid card in my account when I never bought one? Am I being charged?
No, you are not being charged. When you register for a developer account, your account behaves exactly the same as a regular user account would, with two exceptions: a.) your faxes are free, and b.) you can only fax to one designated fax number. This was designed so that you can experience the InterFAX service exactly as your client will, especially at crucial points such as when a prepaid package is about to expire. Towards this goal, we feed a $10 prepaid package into your account when you register, so that you can view the depletion of your outstanding credit as you send faxes.
Q3. What do I do when my prepaid card runs out?
If your prepaid card runs out and you start receiving ‘Out of quota (205000)’ error messages – simply contact us and we will insert another prepaid card into your account.
Q4. I’ve sent an email-to-fax but I don’t see the fax in my outbound queue. What’s happening?
The solution to this comes in three steps:
- 1. Make sure that your “From:” address is the one you registered with.
- 2. Make sure that the “From:” address in your email is in your list of “Allowed Senders” (Login -> Preferences -> Outgoing -> Sending Permissions).
- 3. Verify your “From:” address (for example, by sending yourself an email from the same workstation from which you’re trying to fax).
Verify that you have appended @fax.tc to the properly formatted fax number in the email’s “To:” field.
Q5. Why can’t I send an email to fax from PHP, when I succeeded faxing from my regular email client?
When sending an email to fax from PHP it is not enough to set the “From:” address in the mail()
command. You must also set the sendmail_from
address in the [mail function
] section of PHP.INI to be the same as an allowed sender in your InterFAX account. (For a full tutorial on emailing from PHP see https://www.tutorialspoint.com/php/php_sending_emails.htm).
If your server is in a hosted environment and you have no access to PHP.INI, try using ini_set()
to change the sendmail_from
value.
If all else fails, contact us and we will try to determine what the sendmail_from
value of your server is, then enable faxing from that address.
Q6. Why is my email getting rejected/ why is the Web Service giving me error code -111?
Because you are attempting to fax to a number that is not the designated fax number in your developer account.
Q7. Will my clients only be able to fax to one number?!
No, regular (paid) accounts don’t have this limitation.
Q8. How do I fax to any number from my developer account?
By turning it into a regular (paid) account. Simply login to your account and select Purchase -> Prepaid Cards and select the size prepaid package you wish to buy. Note: once you place a purchase from within your developer account, free faxing to the designated fax number is no longer available, but you can always open an additional developer account for this.
Q9. How do I change my designated fax number?
To avoid abuse of the free developer account, this number cannot be changed by the account holder. Please contact developer support with the number you wish to change to.
Q10.I’m a student. May I use the free developer program as part of a project (even though I don’t realistically intend to buy from you)?
Yes, feel free to use the service as part of your project. Remember to give us credit, if you get the opportunity.
Q11.I have an application that will send a very large number of faxes. I would like to test InterFAX under load. Can you give me sufficient credits to stress-test it?
No, InterFAX already functions under load, sending tens of millions of faxes per year. The system is planned and scaled to serve our clients’ needs. If you wish to run stress tests, you’re welcome to buy faxing credits to do so.