Analog vs. Digital Fax: Why You Should Upgrade to a Modern Fax Solution

Analog vs digital faxing is a hot-button topic in today’s modern work environment. With many businesses still using faxes every day to transmit documents securely, employers are wondering about the difference between analog and digital fax and which is better. This blog will help you understand analog faxes, what digital faxing is, the shift to modern faxing and its benefits for your business. We’ll also provide tips to help you transition your business from analog to digital faxing.

Understanding Analog Faxes

Where did fax machines come from, and how long have they been used? The first fax machine originated in 1843 with Alexander Bain’s 1843 “electric printing telegraph,” but Frederick Bakewell is credited with practical faxing in 1851. Transmitting images over telegraph lines emerged in the 1860s with Giovanni Caselli’s “pantelegraph”. 

Fax technology improved throughout the 20th century and quickly became a staple in business workflows. Faxing revolutionized document transmission and allowed businesses to rapidly exchange written information over telephone lines. When we talk about analog faxing, we are referring to a traditional physical fax machine.

How Analog Fax Transmission Works?

Analog faxing refers to the traditional faxing methods. When you send an analog fax, the fax machine converts images into signals that modulate audible tones. The fax machine transmits these tones to the recipient fax machine, which converts them back to the sent image. Here is the step-by-step of how fax machines work:

1. The sending fax machine scans the document, converting the image into light and dark areas.
2. The fax machine converts the light and dark areas into electrical signals that modulate audible tones.
3. The fax machine uses a telephone line to send the modulated tones.
4. The receiving fax machine receives the tones and demodulates them back into electrical signals.
5. The signals reconstruct the image onto a piece of paper.
6. The receiving machine prints out the copied document.

Why Is Analog Faxing Becoming Obsolete?

Although many businesses still use analog faxing, its adoption is becoming less relevant in modern business environments. Compared to digital faxing, analog faxing carries these significant disadvantages:

1. Maintaining physical fax machines is expensive. Analog faxing requires phone lines and supplies like paper, ink and toner, which can become costly over time.
2. Scaling to meet a growing business is limited. As your fax needs increase, adding more physical fax machines and phone lines may be difficult.
3. Security issues arise with analog faxes, which can be intentionally intercepted or accidentally picked up by an unauthorized recipient.
4. Low-quality document transmission can lead to issues with hard-to-read images. This is especially problematic if you’re sending detailed documents.

What is Digital Fax?

Digital faxing is a cloud-based, or online, method of sending and receiving faxes. The rise of the Internet began in the early 2000s, changing the landscape of faxing as conveniences like email, scanning and cloud-based document sharing emerged. Businesses were looking for more efficient ways to send and receive documents while maintaining the ease of use and security of faxing. 

Analog faxing wasn’t abandoned; it merely shifted towards a cloud-first, digital faxing solution. With digital faxing, you don’t need a dedicated phone line or a physical fax machine. You can send and receive documents over the internet using a mobile phone, tablet or computer.

How Digital Faxing Works?

Digital faxing uses the internet instead of traditional phone lines to transmit documents. You can use email, an app or a web browser with an internet-connected device to send documents to recipients. Here’s the process to send digital faxes:

• Sign up for an online fax provider. Some providers like eFax offer trial periods, so you can use the software before committing.
• Upload your document via email, a web portal or mobile app. 
• The online fax service converts the document into a fax signal and delivers it to the recipient’s fax number.
• The recipient either prints out the fax from their own physical fax machine or downloads it from their email.

Digital faxing is faster than traditional faxing because you don’t have to wait for a phone line to connect or for the fax to process. It’s more secure, as most digital fax solutions offer encryption and authorization, and digital faxing is more convenient because you can send faxes from your desk, on the go and anywhere in between. 

Different Ways To Send a Digital Fax

There are several different ways to send a digital fax. Here are the methods of digital fax and how they work:

Email-to-Fax

The email fax service attaches documents to an email and sends it to a fax email address, and then converts the email into a fax and transmits it. 

• Email-to-fax provides an integration with your existing email workflows.
• Email-to-fax is ideal for convenient, minimal-volume faxing. 
• Businesses that already use email heavily and occasionally need faxing will benefit from this solution. 

Web-Based Faxing

Web-based faxing works by providing users with a web portal where they can log in, upload documents and enter a recipient’s fax number. 

• Web-based faxing allows you to access a fax solution from any device that’s connected to the internet.
• Businesses that have a mobile workforce benefit from web-based faxing, especially when they have frequent faxing needs without space for dedicated hardware. 
• Choose web-based faxing if you need flexibility and accessibility with a moderate volume of faxing.

Fax-to-Email

Fax-to-email works like this: a digital fax service receives incoming faxes and then converts them to a PDF or other digital document format. Then, fax-to-email sends the converted document to the recipient’s email.

• Fax-to-email gives you the benefit of paperless faxing and managing documents easily.
• If you’re trying to reduce paper usage and need digital document archiving, consider fax-to-email. 

Virtual Fax Server

A virtual fax server is a type of software that you install on a server. It handles faxing over IP networks and integrates with existing systems.

• A virtual fax server acts as a centralized fax management system, ideal for businesses with high-volume faxing. Its integration with your existing systems makes it a stable and efficient choice.
• Virtual fax servers are good for large enterprise businesses with high fax volumes that need their fax system to integrate with CRM or ERP systems.

Fax Machines: Are They Analog or Digital?

Traditional fax machines relied on analog technology to convert images into electrical signals. These signals module audible tones and transmit them over phone lines. The receiving fax machine demodulates the signals and reconstructs the image into a printed document. 

Modern fax machines often use digital technology to convert documents into digital data, which the fax machine transmits over IP networks.

Analog vs Digital Fax: A Detailed Comparison

8 Key Benefits of Using Digital Fax for Businesses

Your business can benefit from using digital fax. Here are eight key benefits that you can count on:

1. Convenience: Digital faxing means you don’t have to be physically present at a fax machine to send and receive faxes. You can use your computer, smartphone or tablet to fax documents.
2. Cost Savings: Digital faxing saves money by eliminating the overhead costs of traditional faxing (such as paper, ink, toner and a separate phone line). 
3. Speed: Digital faxing is faster than analog faxing as it sends and receives faxes almost instantly over the internet. 
4. Accessibility: Since you can access your faxes from any device, this accessibility is critical for businesses that have multiple locations or remote employees.
5. Organization: Since digital faxes are stored in cloud storage or electronic folders, it’s easy to search and find the documents you’re looking for quickly.
6. Security: Enhanced security features like encryption and secure storage protect your sensitive information, which is particularly important for medical records or legal contracts.
7. Integration: You can integrate digital faxing with your existing business systems, like email, CRM and cloud storage.
8. Increased Document Reliability: Digital faxes are often higher resolution, offering more reliable and better quality faxes.

How to Transition from Analog to Digital Faxing? 

So you’ve compared analog vs digital faxing, and you’re ready to make the transition to digital faxing. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve the transition: 

1. Start by assessing your business’s current faxing needs and identify inefficiencies in analog systems. 
2. Decide if your business will use an in-house digital fax system or a cloud-based solution. Consider your business size, compliance needs (like HIPAA) and integration capabilities.
3. Train your staff on the new fax solution, either through demos or from a customer support representative.
4. Break your transition goals into small, achievable phases, starting with the most important. As you go, consider creating internal process documentation on how to archive files, file paperless documents and online faxing.
5. Migrate your fax numbers and contacts into the new system.
6. Launch the new technology, accounting for bumps in the road and ramp-up time. It’s okay if the process is not completely smooth. Document any findings internally. 
7. Create workflow automation in your fax software to automate daily tasks, and make sure your cloud storage integrates with your online fax solution.

Is eFax a Secure Way To Send Digital Faxes?

eFax is a leading digital faxing solution that replaces traditional fax machines with a secure and cost-effective alternative. When you sign up for an eFax subscription, you get:

• Digital faxing, which eliminates any need to use bulky or outdated fax machines. With eFax, you can easily send and receive faxes directly to your email, web browser or mobile app.
• Sensitive document security with eFax’s prioritized data security and encryption of data in transit and at rest. Your business can maintain compliance with industry regulations and standards.
• A cost-effective solution that eliminates operational costs associated with physical fax machines (such as paper, ink, toner and maintenance).
• Dedicated customer support available 24/7 to help you streamline your workflow and troubleshoot any issues.
• Automated workflows, so you can save time on everyday tasks and focus on the big picture work.
• Sign, send and receive faxes while mobile and on the go for unparalleled convenience.

FAQs Around Analog and Digital Fax

If you’re wondering things like, “Analog vs digital, which is better?” or “What is the difference between analog and digital fax?” then these FAQs can help.

Is digital faxing more secure than analog faxing?

Yes, in general, digital faxing is more secure than analog faxing. Digital fax offers encryption and audit trails, as well as reduced physical vulnerability. However, it’s important to note that digital faxing is vulnerable to online threats.

Are there any legal requirements for sending and receiving digital faxes?

Yes, digital faxes are subject to legal requirements depending on the type of information. For example, medical information is bound by HIPAA, and data of individuals in the EU are bound by GDPR regulations.

What are the real cost savings of switching from analog to digital faxing?

While total cost savings depend on your fax volume needs and current setup, switching from analog to digital faxing can result in significant cost savings. These savings come from eliminating phone lines, reducing paper and toner costs, lowering maintenance costs and increasing employee efficiency.

Do I need special software to use digital faxing?

Many digital fax services offer email or web browser-based faxing, so you wouldn’t need dedicated software. Other solutions provide a mobile app or desktop software.

Can I send a digital fax to an analog fax machine?

Yes, you can send a fax from a digital service to an analog fax machine. Digital fax solutions translate digital signals into analog signals that traditional fax machines can receive.