[Asterisk-Users] FAX, IAX and *....Maybe I'm dreaming...:-)

[asterisk at bsius.com]

From: asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-admin at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of ProvoCityPower
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 12:51 PM
To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] FAX, IAX and *....Maybe I'm dreaming...:-)

> The question asked here, "why on earth you want to push fax data
> over a VoIP link at all. Fax compression isn't very efficient." may
> speak volumes about the future role of VOIP. My plans are to role
> out a VOIP connection to thousands of Customers. Many have legacy
> fax equipment. Am I to assume that they will toss out their fax
> equipment and join the PC based faxing crowd? I don't think I can
> control this. If I am going to offer an aternative to the legacy
> wire providers then I have to offer a comparable service. One that
> for example allows a customer to use a legacy fax machine in the
> same way.
>
> If this thought sidetracks the intent of this thread, you have my
> apologies, but I do think that legacy fax functionality is
> essential.
>
> Jeff

I think what you're talking about here is an absolute necessity if VOIP is
ever to compete for traditional analog service. A lot of users will not want
to change their ways. As stupid as I think FAXing and FAX machines are there
are still millions of people who prefer to send and recive a skewed low
resolution fax on thermal paper than the transmit and receive them over a
computer. Even though, I think FAXing is as ancient as sending a letter
through the mail it needs to be supported however the end user wishes to use
it.

With that being said, I think it simply comes down to the codecs being used.
I seem to recall that alaw and ulaw were acceptable codecs, though I know
nothing about this first hand. The other option is some sort of FAX proxy,
though that seems a little too complicated if you ask me.

-Bill