Desktop Fax Glossary
Premiere Global makes fax-related technology terms easy-to-understand.
If you have any questions about specific internet
fax-related expressions, please refer to our handy glossary with definitions of
the most commonly used terms.
Internet Faxing
The technology describing the method of sending and receiving facsimile
messages over an internet connection.
Internet Fax Service
Instead of a fax machine, you can send and receive faxes using your
computer. To send a fax, our service converts your email attachments into fax
documents and delivers them to the recipient’s fax machine. To receive a fax,
the individual sends the document to your personal fax number where it is
converted into an email attachment and delivered to your email inbox. If you
can use email, you can use PGi Fax2Mail!
Automatic Document Feeder
A device that feeds documents into a facsimile machine without operator
assistance.
BPS
Bits per second. Used to designate the speed at which data flows over
transmission lines. For example, 9,600 bps would indicate that 9,600 bits of
information are being transmitted per second.
Encryption
The translation of data into a secret code. Encryption is the most
effective way to achieve data security.
Facsimile (FAX)
A form of telegraphy for the transmission of images, with or without
half-tones, with a view to their reproduction in a permanent form.
Fax Forwarding
A user can program a fax machine to automatically transmit received
documents to a specified destination.
Fax Machine
This is generally a single purpose device that can send and receive
facsimiles. The machine is normally able to scan in a document and transmit it
over a phone line to another fax machine. Internet faxing is an affordable
alternative to purchasing and maintaining a fax machine.
(FOIP) Fax Over Internet Protocol
The term used for the technology that transports facsimiles over the
Internet.
Fax Servers
An alternative to providing individual fax machines throughout a company
location. For instance, many companies purchase a fax machine for each
department in the company. For larger companies, this policy can result in
dozens if not hundreds of machines. Fax servers centralize the fax function but
require equipment purchase and maintenance.
Internet Faxing
Requires using a service provider and/or suitable equipment to translate
the electronic document to and from a fax. Internet fax service is accessible
wherever the internet is available. It is an alternative to fax machines and
fax servers. Faxes are typically sent as e-mail attachments in a TIFF or PDF
computer file. Online faxing is paperless and does not require the use of an
extra telephone line. Online faxing also does not require any computer hardware
or software. Plus, with online faxing, you’ll always be able to track your
faxes and confirm they were received.
IP - Short for Internet Protocol
IP by itself is something like the postal system. It allows you to address
a package and drop it in the system, but there's no direct link between you and
the recipient.
PDF - Portable Document Format
An electronic document that must be read with the Adobe Acrobat computer
program.
PDA
A handheld device that combines computing, telephone/fax, internet and
networking features. A typical PDA can function as a cellular phone, fax
sender, web browser and personal organizer.
TIFF - Tagged Image File Format
A graphic file format for PC and Macintosh (.tif) that is compatible with
most image-editing software.
