Fax Featured Article

Recent findings from Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) highlight that the use of fax is only continuing to increase, with the dramatic statistics of nearly 6.9 percent through 2017, as people are still wiping tears away due to the loss of power caused from Hurricane Sandy’s wrath. No industry is see the advantages associated with this technological solution more so than healthcare, specifically looking at FoIP or fax over IP offerings.

FoIP protocols like FaxTap for SIP, powered by Commetrex, targets the FoIP analysis and lawful intercept markets and enable network operators and equipment vendors to analyze FoIP calls and render the image with ease even if the call uses a high-speed V.34 fax modem.

In a statement, Marilyn Troup, Commetrex’s (News - Alert) marketing director, explained, “For years, fax-over-IP has been shuttered in the enterprise network where users have racked up major savings by avoiding the expense of fax boards and dedicated fax lines. But now, with SIP trunking becoming ubiquitous, enterprises are bypassing the gateway and sending faxes directly into carrier networks. This presents users, both subscriber and provider, with a whole new set of problems that can only be solved with the proper tools, not to mention requirements for lawful intercept. That’s where Commetrex’ new FaxTap for SIP enters the picture.”

Hospitals and doctors’ offices aren’t the only ones leveraging fax, but school districts are as well. In fact, recently Rhinebeck school board officials stated that they were secure in the fact that confidential student medical information being faxed to the high school nurse will remain protected.

At a Board of Education meeting earlier this month, when Assistant Superintendent Thomas Burnell relayed the fact that said fax machines are only available to administrative personnel. He added, “The attorney recommended that ... if it’s going to be faxed, which is not the preferred way but sometimes it’s the only way, that it has a cover sheet on it that is clearly marked ‘confidential, for nurses eyes only. The best thing to do is put it in the mail or hand deliver it but we’re under no obligation to set up a separate fax machine that goes in to the nurse’s office.”

While district officials estimate it would cost about $700 a year for a dedicated telephone line to be made accessible to nurses in the elementary school and middle/senior high school, that expense is a small price to pay for being able to receive secure documents in a shortened period of time.

When asked why in his opinion he believes that fax is continuously turned to rather than other communication channels in the corporate environment, Mike Coffee, CEO of Commetrex summed it by stating, “I'm afraid it's quite simple: fax is ubiquitous, making it perfect for mass written and graphical communications. Specifically, to use it all you need is the recipients fax number; you don't need to assume any infrastructure other than fax, and that's a safe bet.”