AT&T is eliminating analog phone lines in Wisconsin and other states where they offer traditional Telco. What can replace my fax machines?
AT&T is in the process of phasing out its traditional analog landline service (known as Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS, delivered over copper wires). This phase-out affects 20 of AT&T’s 21 traditional wireline states. The company has announced plans to retire the vast majority of its legacy copper network by the end of 2029, transitioning customers to alternatives like fiber, wireless-based voice services (e.g., AT&T Phone-Advanced), or VoIP.
A long-time FaxCore customer, based in Indiana, with offices in Wisconsin was informed that the phone lines they use for their fax machines were being shut down. Fortunately, they were already using a cloud-based fax service with FaxCore, making the transition from old Telco technology (POTS lines) to a fax service in the cloud easy.
With FaxCore’s multitenant architecture it was easy to add additional offices and port their expiring fax numbers to the FaxCore platform.
This transition, forced upon them by Telcos wishing to decommission expensive and mostly irrelevant phone service has significant benefits.
Key Benefits of Cloud-Based Fax Services Over Traditional Fax Machines
Cloud-based faxing (also known as online faxing or internet faxing) sends and receives faxes digitally over the internet, eliminating the need for physical hardware like fax machines, dedicated phone lines, paper, and toner. It’s fully compatible with traditional fax machines—recipients with old-school machines can still receive printed faxes seamlessly. Here are the main advantages:
- Cost Savings No upfront costs for purchasing or maintaining fax machines, no ongoing expenses for paper, ink/toner, dedicated phone lines, electricity, or repairs. Services typically use a subscription or pay-per-use model, often reducing overall fax-related costs by 50-70% compared to traditional setups.
- Convenience and Mobility Send and receive faxes from anywhere using any internet-connected device (computer, smartphone, tablet). Ideal for remote/hybrid work—no need to be in the office or wait by a machine. Supports mobile apps and integrations with email or cloud storage.
- Improved Efficiency and Productivity Faster transmission with no busy signals, paper jams, or manual feeding/scanning. Handle multiple faxes simultaneously, get instant delivery confirmations, and automate workflows. Digital sending eliminates printing physical documents first.
- Enhanced Security and Compliance Features advanced encryption, secure cloud storage, audit trails, and access controls (e.g., login requirements). Reduces risks like faxes left in trays for anyone to see or physical interception. Many services are compliant with regulations like HIPAA (healthcare), PCI-DSS (payments), and GDPR, making them safer for sensitive industries (legal, finance, medical).
- Better Storage and Organization Faxes arrive as digital files (e.g., PDFs) that can be easily searched, archived in the cloud, integrated with databases or tools like Google Drive/Dropbox, and backed up automatically. No bulky filing cabinets or lost paper documents.
- Scalability and Flexibility Easily add users, scale with fax volume, or integrate with existing software without buying more hardware. No downtime from machine failures.
- Environmental Benefits Paperless operation reduces waste from paper, ink, and energy consumption, supporting eco-friendly practices.
- Reliability No issues from power outages affecting machines, phone line disruptions, or mechanical failures. Cloud services often include redundancy for high uptime.
While traditional fax machines still work well for some (e.g., in areas with poor internet or strict no-internet policies), cloud-based services address most modern pain points, especially as analog phone lines are being phased out in many regions.
Key Differences: Basic eFaxing (e.g., eFax Plus/Pro) vs. Full-Featured Enterprise Fax Service (FaxCore)
Basic eFaxing services like eFax’s standard plans (Plus or Pro) are cloud-based online fax solutions designed primarily for individuals, small businesses, or light-to-moderate users. They focus on simple, convenient digital faxing without hardware.
In contrast, FaxCore is an enterprise-grade fax server solution targeted at larger organizations (including Fortune 500 companies). It supports high-volume, complex workflows and offers flexible deployment options (on-premise, hybrid, or fully cloud-based). Here’s a breakdown of the main features that separate them:
| Feature Category | Basic eFaxing (e.g., eFax Plus/Pro) | Full-Featured like FaxCore |
|---|---|---|
| Target Users & Scale | Individuals, small/medium businesses; limited pages (e.g., 170-275/month) and users (1-5) | Enterprises; unlimited users, high-volume pages, scalable for global operations |
| Deployment Options | Purely cloud-based (SaaS) | On-premise, hybrid (e.g., with etherFAX for cloud telephony), or fully cloud-based |
| Sending/Receiving Methods | Email-to-fax, web portal, mobile app, cloud integrations (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) | All basic methods + print-to-fax driver, MFP (multi-function printer) integration, email integration, Outlook/Office 365 direct faxing |
| Integrations | Basic cloud storage, some apps; higher tiers add API | Deep Microsoft ecosystem (Active Directory sync, Office 365, SharePoint, SQL Server), REST API (free), custom application fax-enabling |
| High-Volume & Automation | Limited broadcast, large file sharing (up to 3GB), scheduling | Advanced routing, archiving, workflow automation, document assembly from multiple sources, broadcast faxing, automated processing |
| Security & Compliance | Encryption (TLS/AES), HIPAA in higher/protect plans, basic audit trails | Advanced encryption at rest/in transit, SSO, HITRUST/PCI/HIPAA compliance standard, full audit trails, data control in on-premise/hybrid |
| Tracking & Management | Delivery confirmations, basic history/storage | Detailed monitoring (arrival confirmation, retries, billing tracking), web-based admin portal, fax replay/preview |
| Hardware/Telephony Support | No hardware needed; fully internet-based | Supports FoIP (Fax over IP), traditional lines, virtual appliances, integration with PBX systems (e.g., Cisco, Avaya, Mitel) |
| Customization & Control | Limited to plan tiers | High customization, partitioning services, fault-tolerant configurations |
| Additional Tools | Electronic signatures, mobile apps, international faxing | Cover page designer, server-side rendering, no native app requirements on server |
Basic eFaxing excels in ease-of-use and quick setup for everyday fax needs, making it ideal if you just want to replace a traditional fax machine digitally.
FaxCore provides enterprise-level depth for regulated industries (healthcare, finance, logistics) needing robust integration, compliance control, and high reliability—especially where data sovereignty or complex backend workflows are critical.
If your organization handles sensitive or high-volume faxes with existing systems like Microsoft Office 365 or MFPs, a full-featured solution like FaxCore offers significantly more power and flexibility. Many providers offer demos to test the feasibility of the FaxCore solution.
