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  1. #1
    I.M. Sumbode'
    Guest
    Is there a way to connect a regular fax machine to a cell phone? I have seen
    some adapters for other countries but so far nothing available in USA.

    G.





    See More: Fax machine meets cell phone




  2. #2
    e.b.
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    http://www.cellantenna.com/BaseStati...se_station.htm


    "I.M. Sumbode'" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Is there a way to connect a regular fax machine to a cell phone? I have

    seen
    > some adapters for other countries but so far nothing available in USA.
    >
    > G.
    >
    >






  3. #3
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    e.b. wrote:

    > http://www.cellantenna.com/BaseStati...se_station.htm



    Short answer: You're better off finding a kinko's or some other corner
    copy store to do your faxing, especially if this is something you only
    need to do once, or maybe just a few times.

    Long answer:

    If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off.
    CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data.

    You can, however, hook your computer to most Sprint phones and use it as
    a fax. In this case, using the phone as a fax modem will send the pure
    data over the network while bypassing the codec, and the data will then
    be sent over SPrint's Wireless Web modem infrastructure (NOT the Vision
    network). However, that will require the appropriate USB (or serial
    cable for older phones), the appropriate phone drivers (if using USB),
    and FAC software. You'll also a need a scanner if you plan on sending a
    paper document.

    If you really want to go this route, you would install the drivers,
    point your fax software to use the cell phone as the modem, and dial the
    number you want to fax to (you do NOT use #777). Be aware that because
    this will be on the old Wireless Web network, you will get charged on a
    per minute basis for the call if you have a Vision phone (I believe it's
    $.39/min).

    Again, if this is not something you you plan on doing often, then you're
    better off paying to send a fax at a copy store. And if you DO plan on
    doing this often, it might be cheaper just to get a real landline.



    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.




  4. #4
    Chris Taylor Jr
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    or just dial #777 and use http://www.tpc.int/

    does not work TO everywhere but it works an awful lot of places.

    Chris Taylor
    http://www.nerys.com/

    > If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    > ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off.
    > CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    > will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    > other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data.
    >
    > You can, however, hook your computer to most Sprint phones and use it as
    > a fax. In this case, using the phone as a fax modem will send the pure
    > data over the network while bypassing the codec, and the data will then
    > be sent over SPrint's Wireless Web modem infrastructure (NOT the Vision
    > network). However, that will require the appropriate USB (or serial
    > cable for older phones), the appropriate phone drivers (if using USB),
    > and FAC software. You'll also a need a scanner if you plan on sending a
    > paper document.
    >
    > If you really want to go this route, you would install the drivers,
    > point your fax software to use the cell phone as the modem, and dial the
    > number you want to fax to (you do NOT use #777). Be aware that because
    > this will be on the old Wireless Web network, you will get charged on a
    > per minute basis for the call if you have a Vision phone (I believe it's
    > $.39/min).
    >
    > Again, if this is not something you you plan on doing often, then you're
    > better off paying to send a fax at a copy store. And if you DO plan on
    > doing this often, it might be cheaper just to get a real landline.






  5. #5
    Steven J Sobol
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    Isaiah Beard <[email protected]> wrote:

    > If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    > ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off.
    > CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    > will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    > other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data.



    > You can, however, hook your computer to most Sprint phones and use it as
    > a fax.


    Specifically, you can use it as a faxmodem. With newer versions of Windows,
    faxing software is built-in. With earlier versions and possibly MacOS (and
    Linux and some other non-Windows OS'es) you'd need third-party software.




    --
    JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services
    22674 Motnocab Road * Apple Valley, CA 92307-1950
    Steve Sobol, Proprietor
    888.480.4NET (4638) * 248.724.4NET * [email protected]



  6. #6
    e.b.
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    "If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off."

    The unit has a built in cell phone which requires a separate plan. One
    cannot use it with one's existing cell phone.

    "CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data"

    Who said the device sends faxes using voice codecs? Doesn't the TIA/EIA-95B
    standard for CDMA offer 64 kbps packet-switched data, in addition to voice?
    It handles computer fax and Group 3 fax quite well, actually. (I don't work
    for the company or have any financial interest).



    "Isaiah Beard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > e.b. wrote:
    >
    > > http://www.cellantenna.com/BaseStati...se_station.htm

    >
    >
    > Short answer: You're better off finding a kinko's or some other corner
    > copy store to do your faxing, especially if this is something you only
    > need to do once, or maybe just a few times.
    >
    > Long answer:
    >
    > If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    > ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off.
    > CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    > will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    > other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data.
    >
    > You can, however, hook your computer to most Sprint phones and use it as
    > a fax. In this case, using the phone as a fax modem will send the pure
    > data over the network while bypassing the codec, and the data will then
    > be sent over SPrint's Wireless Web modem infrastructure (NOT the Vision
    > network). However, that will require the appropriate USB (or serial
    > cable for older phones), the appropriate phone drivers (if using USB),
    > and FAC software. You'll also a need a scanner if you plan on sending a
    > paper document.
    >
    > If you really want to go this route, you would install the drivers,
    > point your fax software to use the cell phone as the modem, and dial the
    > number you want to fax to (you do NOT use #777). Be aware that because
    > this will be on the old Wireless Web network, you will get charged on a
    > per minute basis for the call if you have a Vision phone (I believe it's
    > $.39/min).
    >
    > Again, if this is not something you you plan on doing often, then you're
    > better off paying to send a fax at a copy store. And if you DO plan on
    > doing this often, it might be cheaper just to get a real landline.
    >
    >
    >
    > --
    > E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    > Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
    >






  7. #7

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 19:51:05 -0600, Steven J Sobol
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Isaiah Beard <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >> If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    >> ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off.
    >> CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    >> will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    >> other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data.

    >
    >
    >> You can, however, hook your computer to most Sprint phones and use it as
    >> a fax.

    >
    >Specifically, you can use it as a faxmodem. With newer versions of Windows,
    >faxing software is built-in. With earlier versions and possibly MacOS (and
    >Linux and some other non-Windows OS'es) you'd need third-party software.


    I can use my Sanyo 6200 as a fax modem via the serial port on my
    laptop, just fine (39 cents/minute via the "old" wireless web) but not
    with either my Sanyo 5150 or my Sanyo 6400. The 6200 responds
    correctly to the "AT" modem commands for fax transmission. The other
    two do not, nor has anyone indicated other phones, at my previous
    request, which can natively "fax out".





  8. #8

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    On Mon, 8 Dec 2003 00:27:43 -0500, "e.b." <[email protected]> wrote:

    >"If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    >ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off."
    >
    >The unit has a built in cell phone which requires a separate plan. One
    >cannot use it with one's existing cell phone.
    >
    >"CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    >will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    >other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data"
    >
    >Who said the device sends faxes using voice codecs? Doesn't the TIA/EIA-95B
    >standard for CDMA offer 64 kbps packet-switched data, in addition to voice?
    >It handles computer fax and Group 3 fax quite well, actually. (I don't work
    >for the company or have any financial interest).


    Please tell me exactly how you are doing this with a Vision capable
    phone.

    Thank you!





  9. #9
    Isaiah Beard
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    e.b. wrote:

    > "If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    > ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off."
    >
    > The unit has a built in cell phone which requires a separate plan. One
    > cannot use it with one's existing cell phone.


    Then you're certainly not going to be able to connect this to Sprint.
    Unless they've managed to either A. hijack the ESN of a phone in
    Sprint's inventory or b. managed to hack into the inventory database and
    register these units as valid.


    > "CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice codecs)
    > will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    > other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data"
    >
    > Who said the device sends faxes using voice codecs?


    Look at the specs. You've connecting your fax machine, modems and
    phones to this device via RJ-11 analog jacks, and it's providing dial
    tone to these units. You honestly expect the connection to be
    end-to-end digital?

    Further, look at the brochure (in PDF format on the website). They
    purport to have a single band 1900Mhz unit that does "Analog Fax." How
    exactly do they expect to make an analog connection over 1900Mhz when
    there isn't a single carrier doing analog in that band? The only way
    they even stand a chance of making that happen is to try to stuff the
    fax signal into the voice codec. And current voice codecs ARE NOT fax
    capable.

    Either it's bunk, or they've done a lousy job of describing their product.

    > Doesn't the TIA/EIA-95B
    > standard for CDMA offer 64 kbps packet-switched data, in addition to voice?


    Yes. But do any of the US CDMA carriers support it? No, they don't,
    and evidently neither does this unit. Your only other packet data
    choice is 1xRTT. And I'd love to have these people explain how an
    "Analog Fax" connection will go over 1xRTT.



    --
    E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.




  10. #10
    e.b.
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone

    Well, I guess I'm not technical enough...here it is from the horse's mouth:

    "

    You can indeed send faxes with an ordinary fax machine over the Sprint
    network using Telular's CDMA products. Let me try to explain how this works.

    Analog fax and analog data modem operation are allowed over the CDMA network
    by the IS 707 standard for circuit switched data. The network includes an
    Interworking Function (IWF) typically provided by Commworks
    (http://www.utstar.com/assets/pdf/intnetwfunc_8_01.pdf). The network will
    allow end to end real time connection of modems and fax machines. The IWF
    is literally a bank of modems that converts the analog signals to digital
    and back again. The network needs to know in advance that a fax is being
    transmitted to route the call through the IWF. More on this later.

    However you can't connect a fax machine or data modem directly to a cell
    phone. You can only connect a PC to the butt plug of the cell phone and
    send data and faxes from a PC via the serial port. This is where Telular
    products come in. Telular's patented RJ-11 connection to cellular emulates
    the phone company, so we can connect directly to faxes and data modems
    through the RJ-11 connection. But since the "connection" to the cellular
    network is digital, we need to convert the analog signals to digital and
    emulate a fax machine in our FWT. We do this by embedding a fax/data modem
    in our product.

    So when an analog fax machine is connected to a Telular FWT, we provide dial
    tone and all signaling so the fax machine thinks it is communicating with a
    distant fax machine. Meanwhile we tell the network that a fax is coming so
    the network sets up the path through the IWF to the far end fax machine. We
    take the fax machine's analog signals, convert them to digital and feed them
    to the network. The IWF in the network converts the digital signals back to
    analog to talk to the fax machine at the far end. IS707 assures that the
    timing expected by the fax machines at both ends is maintained. This method
    works even when fax machines are connected to Telular FWT's at both ends.
    The same system is used to connect the analog modem in a PC or laptop to the
    Internet.

    I mentioned earlier that the network needs to know that a fax is being sent,
    unlike the regular telephone connection. To send a fax we can do this 3
    ways: 1) select the fax mode on Telular's FWT; 2) connect the fax machine to
    a specific fax port on the FWT; or 3) append a prefix on the phone number
    that we strip off. To receive a fax, the FWT needs to be set in the fax mode
    in advance of receiving the call. This is not an issue if it is a dedicated
    fax "line." This works much smoother on GSM networks. In GSM fax has a
    separate fax number, so the network and the FWT always know when a fax is
    being received.

    Although we can physically send and receive faxes on the Sprint network, at
    this time we do not have any CDMA products that are approve for use by
    Sprint, except for some specific programs that we are working with Sprint
    on. This is because the FCC E-911 mandate requires Sprint to have E-911
    position location technology in all their devices. Telular's currently
    available products have been designed for a world market and do not have
    this costly feature. However, our new SX5 CDMA2000(R) 1X product line will
    have this feature. We will be submitting these products for Sprint approval
    in early 2004.

    Telular's TDMA products are approved for use on AT&T Wireless and Cingular
    networks. Our GSM products are approved by AT&T Wireless and are in the
    approval process at Cingular and T-Mobile. The analog fax (and analog data
    modem) function works well on these products although the availability of
    fax and circuit switched data on these networks is not consistent.

    I hope this lengthy response helped clarify the issue.

    Thank you for contacting Telular.

    Dan Wonak
    Senior Vice President
    Marketing and Business Development
    Telular Corporation



    "Isaiah Beard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > e.b. wrote:
    >
    > > "If above link suggests they can somehow permit you to hook up an
    > > ordinary fax machine to a CDMA phone, then they're ripping you off."
    > >
    > > The unit has a built in cell phone which requires a separate plan. One
    > > cannot use it with one's existing cell phone.

    >
    > Then you're certainly not going to be able to connect this to Sprint.
    > Unless they've managed to either A. hijack the ESN of a phone in
    > Sprint's inventory or b. managed to hack into the inventory database and
    > register these units as valid.
    >
    >
    > > "CDMA voice codecs (and in fact nearly ALL digital wireless voice

    codecs)
    > > will butcher a fax or modem transmission into a garbled mess at the
    > > other end. They're designed to encode voices, not data"
    > >
    > > Who said the device sends faxes using voice codecs?

    >
    > Look at the specs. You've connecting your fax machine, modems and
    > phones to this device via RJ-11 analog jacks, and it's providing dial
    > tone to these units. You honestly expect the connection to be
    > end-to-end digital?
    >
    > Further, look at the brochure (in PDF format on the website). They
    > purport to have a single band 1900Mhz unit that does "Analog Fax." How
    > exactly do they expect to make an analog connection over 1900Mhz when
    > there isn't a single carrier doing analog in that band? The only way
    > they even stand a chance of making that happen is to try to stuff the
    > fax signal into the voice codec. And current voice codecs ARE NOT fax
    > capable.
    >
    > Either it's bunk, or they've done a lousy job of describing their product.
    >
    > > Doesn't the TIA/EIA-95B
    > > standard for CDMA offer 64 kbps packet-switched data, in addition to

    voice?
    >
    > Yes. But do any of the US CDMA carriers support it? No, they don't,
    > and evidently neither does this unit. Your only other packet data
    > choice is 1xRTT. And I'd love to have these people explain how an
    > "Analog Fax" connection will go over 1xRTT.
    >
    >
    >
    > --
    > E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
    > Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
    >






  11. #11
    mcdgi
    Guest

    Re: Fax machine meets cell phone


    "I.M. Sumbode'" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Is there a way to connect a regular fax machine to a cell phone? I have

    seen
    > some adapters for other countries but so far nothing available in USA.
    >


    Here are three approaches:

    1) About 6 years ago I had a analog motorola bag cell phone, which had an
    adaptor bought from GTE now known as Verizon in our area, into which you
    could plug in any fax machine. To make this work while traveling, it was
    awkward, you had the bagphone, the adaptor, the fax machine, and a power
    inverter for the fax machine to make 110V AC out of 12V DC. You could still
    do this I suppose. This whole setup was about $500 less than inverter and
    fax machine.

    2) More recently I used a nokia ATT phone which with the proper software and
    tethered to a computer could be toggled into analog mode and I could send a
    fax from say a file like a WORD DOC file with a print to fax command and
    dial up a fax number. I don't have ATT anymore, plus, send errors were
    common, data thruput speed is slow. The phone was a Nokia 6100 series, the
    tether was with a special cable and PCMCIA (sp?) card, cost about $300. If
    interested I will go find it and give the model numbers, it was hard to
    find.

    3) The solution I am signing up for now is an email to fax and ( fax to
    email) service. I currently have a Sprint data card to plug into my laptop
    to get on the internet, but I formerly tethered my vision phone and
    accomplished the same thing. (Except Sprint was spooky about whether you
    could do this or not, so I signed up for an unlimited data plan with a
    card. The Sprint data card connection to the internet has been pretty
    reliable, much more so then tether to a phone) You need to be able to web
    browse and send/recieve email for this to work.

    For inbound faxes, the solution is cheap and easy, you can sign up for
    free service at callwave.com, and get inbound faxes turned into a TIF format
    which is then emailed to you. When I leave to go somewhere, I have my
    inbound land line faxes call forwarded to callwave. To get the faxes,
    Simply go on line and get your email. Trouble is you can't send faxes.

    However, I have found something that meets the need. I would suggest
    signing up for a more comprehensive solution offered by data on call,

    https://secureservices.dataoncall.co...infaxsetup.jsp

    $10 a month and you can send or recieve up to 100 minutes of faxes. This
    service allows faxing of file attachments like Word or PDF files. You send
    an email to a special address they provide and they in turn fax it anywhere
    in the US.

    To fax actual paper (instead of PDF or WORD files on your portable laptop or
    whatever you are using), I have a portable Canon 80 printer scanner.
    Procedure is to scan the document, print the scan to PDF with a pdf printer
    driver, then email it to dataoncall, and then they fax it on.





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