Telstra fax tester alternative: Faxbeep

Introduction

Testing fax machines and services is a helpful practice to ensure reliable fax communications. Over the years, Australian telecommunications provider Telstra has offered various fax testing services, which have been valuable for many businesses and individuals. However, these services have undergone changes and faced occasional disruptions. In this article, we introduce Faxbeep as a complementary alternative to Telstra's offerings, providing an additional option for fax testing.

Overview of Telstra's fax testing services

Telstra's Fax OnLine Diagnostic Service (FOLDS) has been a popular solution for fax machine testing in Australia. Initially, the service was accessible through the 1300 368 999 and 03 9640 0999 numbers. To use the service, users would send a sufficiently complex fax page that takes over 70 seconds to transmit. In return, they would receive a diagnostic report fax, providing useful information about their fax machine's performance.

More recently, the service was rebranded as TestFax Professional and made available through the 1300 368 909 number. While the core functionality remained the same, the rebranding signaled Telstra's ongoing commitment to providing fax testing solutions.

Telstra's fax testing service has been a valuable tool, offering a convenient way to assess fax machine health and troubleshoot issues. However, the service has experienced some downtime and accessibility challenges, leaving some users seeking alternatives.

Introducing Faxbeep

Faxbeep is a free, globally accessible fax testing service that can be used alongside Telstra's offerings. With Faxbeep, users can send test faxes to dedicated numbers in the US, UK, and Australia:

The service is available 24/7 and does not require any registration or setup.

One of Faxbeep's key features is its ability to display the received test fax online, allowing users to visually verify the transmission quality. This feature is particularly useful for identifying issues like skewed or missing lines, which may not be apparent from a diagnostic report alone. It's important to note that faxes sent to Faxbeep become publicly visible for review on its home page for thirty days.

While Faxbeep offers a different set of features compared to Telstra's service, it can be used in conjunction with Telstra's offerings to provide a more comprehensive fax testing solution. By using both services, users can gain a better understanding of their fax machine's performance and identify potential issues more effectively.

How to effectively use Telstra and Faxbeep for fax testing

To get the most out of Telstra and Faxbeep's fax testing services, consider the following workflow:

1. Prepare a suitable test document: Choose a document that is sufficiently complex to take over 70 seconds to transmit. This could be a multi-page document with a mix of text and graphics.

2. Send the test fax to Telstra's TestFax Professional service at 1300 368 909. Wait for the diagnostic report fax to be returned.

3. Send the same test fax to one of Faxbeep's numbers. Wait for the fax to appear on the Faxbeep homepage.

4. Analyze the diagnostic report from Telstra, paying attention to key metrics like transmission speed, signal-to-noise ratio, and error rates.

5. Review the received fax on Faxbeep's website, checking for any visual anomalies or quality issues. Compare the findings with the Telstra diagnostic report.

6. If issues are identified, troubleshoot the fax machine or service based on the findings. This may involve adjusting settings, updating firmware, or contacting the service provider for assistance.

7. Repeat the testing process as needed to verify that the issues have been resolved and to monitor ongoing performance.

Real-world fax testing scenarios

Fax testing is useful in various situations:

1. Setting up a new fax machine or service: Before putting a new fax solution into production, it's useful to verify that it's functioning correctly. Sending test faxes to Telstra and Faxbeep can help identify any configuration issues or compatibility problems.

2. Troubleshooting fax quality issues or failures: When faxes are not being transmitted or received correctly, Telstra and Faxbeep's services can help pinpoint the source of the problem. By analyzing the diagnostic report and comparing it with the received fax, users can determine whether the issue lies with their fax machine, the telephone line, or the receiving fax system.

3. Benchmarking and optimizing fax systems: Regular fax testing can help organizations ensure that their fax infrastructure is performing optimally. By establishing a baseline of performance metrics and tracking them over time, users can identify potential issues before they cause significant disruptions.

In each of these scenarios, leveraging both Telstra and Faxbeep's services can provide a more comprehensive assessment of the fax system's health and performance.

Conclusion

Fax communication remains a useful, if somewhat aging, tool for many businesses, and reliable fax testing tools are essential for maintaining the integrity of these systems. While Telstra's fax testing services have been a mainstay in Australia, Faxbeep offers a valuable complement, providing a free, globally accessible platform with unique features like online fax viewing.

By using Telstra and Faxbeep in tandem, organizations can gain a more holistic view of their fax machine's performance, identify and resolve issues more effectively, and ultimately ensure a more robust and reliable fax communication ecosystem.