March 9th, 2006

Filed under:
Technology
9 Comments »

I Got a Slick Fax Number from eFax

I’ve been meaning to upgrade (downgrade? sideways-grade?) to a virtual fax number for a while. Our shared office fax is on its last legs. I’ve signed up for a trial with eFax, which charges CAN $18/month to send and receive faxes.

When I signed up, I received the following number: (see below). Because the number looks so generic, I was confused. If lots of locals have this number, how would eFax know which faxes are mine? A pretty basic question, I know, but I couldn’t figure it out.

So, I called eFax and spoke to a nice, very patient Indian fellow. After talking around the problem for a bit, we confirmed that I just got lucky and received this generic-looking number. Apparently it’s unique to me. What are the odds?

UPDATE: Ah, slick fax number be damned. In retrospect, $18/month is a lot to spend for a service I barely use. Plus, John speaks so highly (see below) of myfax, I’m switching to its US $10/month plan. Plus, I get a toll-free number. Not so slick, but who cares: 1-866-808-8330.

Comments: 9 Responses so far

Chris
March 9th, 2006
3:04 pm

Faxing is such an obsolete technology. Why does anybody use this anymore?

[Reply]

Aaron
March 9th, 2006
3:46 pm

Less than 1 in 1000 (depending on how you define “generic-looking number”).

Some types of numbers that may look generic:
whole thousands (ie 9000),
series (ie 1234),
repeating (ie 4444),
etc…

[Reply]

Chris
March 9th, 2006
4:53 pm

More than 1 in 1000. There are 10 whole thousands in the 10000 4-digit number space, so there’s your 1 in 1000 right there. Add to that repeats,runs, etc, and your odss improve.

[Reply]

Andrea
March 9th, 2006
6:00 pm

Define “generic” and I’ll tell you your odds.

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Kate
March 10th, 2006
1:23 am

I was very surprised, on moving to Canada from Europe, to discover the fax still alive and kicking as a widespread form of communication here. So awkward, fiddly and inelegant.

[Reply]

John Nader
March 10th, 2006
8:59 am

I trust MyFax as far as eFaxing services are concerned. I tested many services and MyFax is the one I like and trust the most. It is definitely the best quality product with the best service care. Check their website - http://www.myfax.com - a winner for sure!

MyFax is also very reasonably priced and they have a lucrative affiliate program.

John

[Reply]

Travis Smith
March 10th, 2006
4:57 pm

I use eFax and have to say — it’s great. Time from fax send to arriving in my email box is sometimes seconds, rarely delayed. And it’s never been down and it’s never had hangups. Our number is 1/1000th less generic than yours was: 604 357-5001

Too late to get that number back, Darren?

[Reply]

Hillary Sampson
June 15th, 2006
9:07 am

MyFax may look good on the surface, but they are operated by a company called Protus, who is a known junk faxer. See their disturbing profile on junkfax.org. Do not support this ilicit company!

[Reply]

Anne
July 23rd, 2008
7:52 pm

Try Simplifyfax. Sign up for a plan, you get a free fax number, plus lets you send and receive a fax. Amazing service!

[Reply]

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