Internet Fax Glossary of Terms

Internet fax: Sending fax documents over the Internet. Also known as email fax, electronic fax, virtual fax and online fax, includes email-to-fax and fax-to-email services.

Fax gateway: The path where faxes are converted from digital files to printable documents out of a fax machine, and vice versa.

Overage: Fax pages beyond the number of pages included in a specific pricing plan.

PDF: Portable Document Format, a file format to which faxes are converted when they are transmitted from a fax machine to a computer. Most Internet service providers use this format, so faxes arrive in your email inbox as PDF files.

TIFF: Tagged Image File Format, another common file format used in Internet fax. This file type is easy to handle because documents can be attached as a single TIFF file rather than as a series of separate files.

Fax software: A program that is installed in a computer to enable fax functions such as cover page design, direct faxing from Microsoft applications and a unique dashboard dedicated to faxing. Most fax software are free and downloadable right from the service provider's website.

Junk faxes: Similar to email, junk faxes, are unwanted or unsolicited faxes. Some service providers automatically reject junk faxes based on characteristics common in spam faxes. Some service providers, on the other hand, provide users with the freedom to set how faxes are classified as junk or not. You may also specify fax numbers that you want to block.

Fax pages: You are charged for faxes based on fax pages, which are actually the number of minutes required for a fax to be transmitted. Roughly, one fax page takes a minute to transmit.

Local number: The virtual fax number assigned to you may be a local number specifically assigned to an area, or a state. When you use local numbers, long distance charges will apply. whenever you transmit them.

Toll free number: The virtual fax number assigned to you may be a local number specifically assigned to an area, or a state. When you use local numbers, long distance charges will apply. whenever you transmit them.

Cover page: The first page of a fax. When you send a fax through email, the body of the email that you compose usually becomes the cover page. Some service providers have software that lets you design cover pages and even attach electronic signatures to the faxes you send. The cover page can include your company logo and some information such as your address, website and telephone numbers.