7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Fax Machine | Drawbacks & Benefits of Fax Machine

 

Fax Machine: What is it?

A fax, sometimes referred to as a telefax, is a kind of communication device that allows written information to be sent between devices and reproduced on paper.

What is the use of Fax Machine?

It is very useful when there isn't an internet connection. There won't be any issues with information transmission as long as both locations have fax machines.

With the advent of email, phones, and other forms of communication, fax usage has significantly decreased. Actually, the only speedier way to send written documents before emails was by fax. Despite the impression of being an antiquated form of communication, fax technology is still in use by a large number of businesses. However, this does not imply that fax machines are perfect. Fax communication has some antiquated drawbacks that make it outdated.

I will discuss the 7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Fax Machine | Drawbacks & Benefits of Fax Machine in this essay. You will learn about the pros and cons of fax technology through this post.

Now let's get started,

 

Advantages of Fax Machine

1. Cost

Faxing is a cheap way to communicate. There are no real costs involved, other than the price of phone paper, ink, and energy. Furthermore, there are no yearly or monthly subscription fees included.


2. Speed

Faxing papers to the recipient can be done quickly and easily in a matter of seconds, unlike emailing them, which might take a long time if the file is enormous.Data from drawings, sketches, and diagrams may be included in the communications.


3. Reliability

Fax machines contain no programming mistakes and are fully free of malware. Thus, one may be certain that the documents will be delivered as long as both fax machines are turned on. 

 

The fax machine gives the sender a delivery receipt as soon as the document is delivered to the intended recipient.


4. Installation

Fax machine installation is quite easy and doesn't require any specialized knowledge. There aren't any convoluted cabling procedures or different hardware components required for the setup. 

 

All that was required to be connected to the phone line and wall socket were the fax machines. After that, it will be prepared for usage.


5. Security

Fax machines are far less likely to be hacked than computers or emails. As a result, neither the sender nor the recipient need to be concerned about security. 

 

This is the rationale behind the continued preference of many large institutions (i.e., government, law and healthcare) to deliver legal documents by fax.


6. User-Friendliness

Fax machines are very simple to use for document transmission and reception. Many who have worked in offices in the past are familiar with using them. 

 

Even if you are not one of them, training is still simple and requires minimal time. The document only needs to be inserted, the recipient's number entered, and the send button clicked.


7. Legality

With fax machines, one may send handwritten documents to the receiver and have exact copies sent to them. Consequently, these kinds of documents are acceptable for use in court and other legal proceedings. 

 

 

 

Disadvantages of Fax Machine

1. Malfunctions

Like other electronic equipment, fax machines eventually break down. It requires both devices to be in working order for a fax to be sent and received. Document transmission is impossible if one of the machines breaks down; either one must be fixed or replaced.


2. Maintenance

Fax machines need paper, ink, toner, and other supplies to function. These devices may potentially run out of power without you knowing. Thus, before using up all of the ink, paper, and toner, users should always make sure that these supplies are available.

 

3. Landline Connection

To operate a fax machine, you must have a landline phone number. They send all of their fax documents using landline phones. There will be issues using the fax machine if the phone system is down.


4. Multitasking

Multitasking is not supported by fax machines. which implies that they are unable to send and receive faxes concurrently. 

 

Additionally, they lack the capacity to transmit numerous faxes at once. For instance, each recipient must be added individually if a fax document wants to be delivered to twenty. 

 

5. Quality

The quality of fax transmission is far lower than that of a standard printer. When transmitted, the quality of the signal is not always the same when it is received. It's possible that the original's details have been lost or the quality is subpar.


6. Portability

The portability of fax machines is lacking. Their size and the need for a landline connection are the primary causes of this. There is no way to check a fax document right away unless you are close to a fax machine. 

 

If the fax machine needs to be relocated, this could be even more problematic. It is required that a new landline socket be installed here.


7. Eco-Friendliness

Fax machines, as we all know, need paper in order to print documents. It is necessary to print each document on a separate page of paper. 

 

Because many trees are cut down to generate paper, using machines that rely on paper basically indicates that they are less environmentally beneficial.