Fax-over-IP technology is seeing strong adoption by enterprises for its lower communication costs, increased security, streamlined operations, and a host of other benefits.

 

But the technology, better known as FoIP, isn't free of challenges, namely the interoperability problems between networking systems and devices.

 

FaxBack – which has made a name for itself in the burgeoning fax-VoIP space, with customers that include Western Union (News - Alert), Intel, Microsoft and AT&T – hopes to change that.

 

The Portland, Oregon-based company unveiled its VoIP Fax ATA, based on HTTPS, and announced the device’s beta program for carriers at ITEXPO West, in Los Angeles.

 

“The issues associated with connecting fax machines via SIP T.38-based ATAs still pose a serious challenge for carriers seeking to migrate their Internet connected customers to VoIP,” said Mike Oliszewski, co-founder and CTO for FaxBack (News - Alert).

 

“Our new HTTPS-based fax solution addresses this challenge, and we invite service providers and enterprises of all sizes to contact us to learn more about our new HTTPS Fax ATA program.”

 

The new FaxBack machine reliably connects fax machines, Microsoft fax clients, and premise-based fax servers like FaxBack's NET (News - Alert) SatisFAXtion, the company stated.

 

 In addition to being “far more reliable than traditional fax machines,” as well as supporting previously unsupported features like fax archiving and e-mail notifications, FaxBack's new HTTPS-based fax ATA is more secure, and equipped with easy firewall/NAT traversal capabilities. 

"SIP T.38 over the Internet is not secure, it uses a lot of bandwidth, and latency can cause packet loss, which makes faxes fail," Oliszewski told TMC (News - Alert). "We put all the timinig-critical aspects of a fax into this ATA, which increases reliability. We push the data stream over the Internet using a more friendly protocol. And the ATA has enough memory to handle up to 30 seconds of buffer."

 

FaxBack's HTTPS-based approach reliably connects fax machines over IP networks, including wireless networks or satellite connections, in a manner that equals direct PSTN connections.

 

The beta program officially begins on Monday, September 15. Interested parties are encouraged to visit booth #435 at the ITEXPO (News - Alert) West.