Yes, we will assign you a direct fax number with an area code of your choice. Currently, we offer California (CA),
Florida (FL), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), Texas (TX),
Illinois (IL), Georgia(GA), Connecticut (CT), and other area codes. When you
sign up with us, you can choose and pick from one of these area codes. We will then give you a choice of three (3) numbers from
this area code, and you can pick the one that you prefer. For a complete list of current area codes that we offer, please visit our
Sign Up page.
Which area codes do you offer? What if I want to get an area code that you don't offer?
At this moment, we offer California (CA), District of Columbia (DC), Florida (FL),
New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), Pennsylvania (PA), Texas (TX),
Illinois (IL), Georgia (GA), Connecticut (CT), any many other area codes. We
will continue to expand our service area to many other areas in the next 6 to 12 months. For a complete list of current area codes
that we offer, please visit our Sign Up page.
Please keep in mind that using an area code that is out of your area will not incur extra cost for you since our fax service is for
receiving incoming faxes only (your fax senders are responsible for any possible long-distance charges).
You can also ask your local phone company to forward your existing local or 800 fax number to the fax number that we assign to you.
How many email addresses can I forward my faxes to?
We allow you to specify up to two (2) email addresses where you can forward your faxes to. If both of them are specified, all faxes will be forwarded to both emails simultaneously.
After you sign up with us, you can log in to your user account to specify your fax-forwarding emails. For more details on how to do this, please refer to our
Fax Service User Guide.
When we forward your faxes to you in email, they will be stored as email attachments using the PDF or TIF/TIFF graphic formats (with a file extension of .pdf or .tif),
depending on which fax format you have chosen to receive your faxes in. In order to view these PDF or TIF/TIFF fax files, you must use an appropriate fax viewer. Please refer to our Fax Service User Guide for more details.
Can I keep my current fax number, or forward my faxes sent to my fax machine to my Packetel account?
Yes, you can keep your current fax number or forward faxes sent to your fax machine by asking your local phone company to 'forward all calls' from your current fax number to your new Packetel number.
Due to customer privacy and security concerns, as well as the nature of our fax service (we provide instant fax-to-email forwarding service, and we simply redirect our customers' faxes to their emails), we do not store any faxes for our customers.
Your faxes will be forwarded to the email addresses that you specified. They will be stored as email attachments using the PDF or TIF/TIFF graphic format
(with a file extension of .pdf or .tif), depending on which fax format you have chosen to receive your faxes in. In order to view these PDF or TIF/TIFF fax
files, you must use an appropriate fax viewer. Please refer to our
Fax Service User Guide
for more details.
You do not need any special programs to view your faxes on Windows XP, 2000, or Me.
If you have chosen to receive your faxes in PDF format, you can view them using the Adobe Reader. If you have chosen to receive your faxes in TIF/TIFF format, please refer to one of the following scenarios:
For Windows 98, as long as you have installed the 'Imaging for Windows' program from your Windows 98 CD, you will be able to see your faxes using this program. To install the version of 'Imaging for Windows' included with Windows 98, follow these instructions:
1. Click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs
2. Select the 'Windows Setup' tab
3. Select 'Accessories', then 'Details' - if 'Imaging for Windows' is not set up, then select 'Imaging', and click OK, and click OK again. This should install the imaging software that comes with Windows 98
4. Reboot if requested
If you are using Windows NT/95/3.1 or the Macintosh operating system, you may need to install a fax-viewing utility. You can download these utilities from the external web site at http://phoenix.gov/tiffview.html.
For all other operating systems, please download and install any fax-viewing utilities that can read faxes stored in the fax TIF/TIFF graphic format.
How can I configure my system to use the appropriate fax viewer to view my faxes?
This topic is discussed in detail in our Fax Service User Guide. Please refer to the instructions specific for your environment on how to properly configure your system.
You can modify your password and other user profile information by logging in to your user account and go under the Profile tab. After you have made your changes, please make sure you click the Save button at the bottom of the page to save your changes. Please refer to our Fax Service User Guide for more details.
I forgot my password. How do I find out what it is?
You can simply use the 'Forgot Your Password?' link on the User Login page to retrieve your password. We will ask you for your login (your 10-digit fax number), and we will send your password to your Account Email (the email address that you used when you signed up with us). To ensure that you receive your 'Forgot Your Password?' email, please make sure you keep your Account Email up-to-date. For more information on how to do this, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
Why do I receive junk faxes in my fax account and how do I filter them out?
We understand your concern. First of all, Packetel does not sell fax number lists to third parties. However, third parties are able to independently compile lists of valid fax numbers by probing phone numbers nationwide and determine whether they answer with a fax tone.
However, we do provide a means to help our customers to filter junk faxes so they can screen them and save paper.
Most junk faxes do not have Caller ID display. When a fax has no caller ID, we will send the fax email to you with the following subject:
Subject: pFax from NoCallerID to <Your pFax Number>
Since most junk faxes will have this subject format, you can add a filter in your email application to filter out (or move) all faxes with the above subject format (by looking for the 'NoCallerID' keyword) to a specific folder for review.
How do I save a copy of my previous paper faxes or documents to my computer or email account?
You can simply fax your previous paper faxes or any documents to your Packetel fax number. They will be forwarded to your email account(s) in fax file format. You can then choose to save them in your email account(s) or download them to your computer for storage.
Why is my fax number not working? I'm not receiving any faxes.
Your faxes are normally forwarded to your email account(s) instantly. If you are experiencing long delays, please consider taking one or more of the following actions:
Login to Your User Account For the First Time - You must login to your user account for the first time after you have signed up with us in order to activate your account. You will not be receiving faxes until you have logged in to your account at least once. For more information on how to activate your fax service, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
Make Sure Your Email Addresses Are Up-To-Date - Since email is the main form of communication between you and Packetel, it is crucial that the email addresses we have on file is kept up-to-date. If the email addresses that you entered are incorrect or not up-to-date, it is most likely that you will not receive your faxes. Please login to your user account to check that your email addresses are correct. For more information on how to keep your emails up-to-date, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
Make Sure Your Email Account(s) Are Not Over-Quota - Faxes that are forwarded to your email account(s) will be rejected if your one of your fax-receiving email account(s) are over-quota. Please make sure that this is not the case, and ask your fax senders to resend the faxes to you.
Make Sure Your Fax Service is Active - If your subscription period is up and you did not renew your subscription, your account will be automatically deactivated. If your account becomes inactive, faxes will no longer be forwarded to your email address(es). To check your account status and make a new payment for your subscription, please login to your user account and click on the Payment tab. To learn more about how to renew your subscription and keep your account active, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
Adjust Your Junk/Spam Email Filter Settings - Spam/junk email filters set by you or your email service provider might inadvertently filter out emails sent to you by Packetel. To ensure that you will receive your incoming faxes, sign up confirmation email, 'Forgot Your Password?' reminders, and billing reminders, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide on how to configure your junk/spam email filters so that emails sent by Packetel will come through to your Inbox.
Try An Alternate Email Address - You can help narrow down the problem by specifying an alternate email address to receive your fax emails (such as Yahoo! Mail or Hotmail). Signing up with these email services is free, and if you can receive your fax emails from these email account(s) but not from your original email account(s), this means that your fax line is working fine, and you will need to contact your email service provider regarding this issue (see point below). If you decide to try an alternate email address, please make sure that their spam/junk email filters are allowing Packetel's emails to come through as well. For more information on how to specify an alternate email address to receive your faxes, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
Contact Your Internet Service Provider or Email Service Provider
- Apart from your own junk/spam email filters, your
Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Email Service Provider might
also have email filters on their side that could be filtering out
emails sent by Packetel. Please check with your ISP to make sure
emails from Packetel can get through successfully. In addition,
your email servers might be under heavy load due to a high amount
of internet traffic, which can also cause delays in receiving your
faxes. Please contact your service providers to check on the
status of your email service.
If you or your fax senders cannot connect successfully to your fax number, please first make sure that you or your fax senders are following the standard US dailing rules if they are dailing from outside of your local call area (by using the 1 + area code + 7-digit local number format). If they are calling internationally, or are dialing from a PBX system (such as from within an office or from a hotel), they must also follow the additional dialing rules that are required to dial out to another US number from such a system.
If your fax senders are experiencing this problem intermittently, it is possible that their local or long-distance phone companies are having problems connecting to your fax number. In this case, the issue mostly likely lies on the other end. In order to help you troubleshoot this issue, please gather the following information and contact us at support@packetel.com:
Your fax senders' originating fax number(s)
Your fax senders' local or long-distance phone company name(s)
Your fax senders' agreement and cooporation on working with us to troubleshoot this problem
Please keep in mind that since this problem involves your fax senders and their phone companies, we must get their approval and full cooporation in order to help troubleshoot this situation.
If you cannot view any of the faxes that you received due to one of the following reasons:
Your faxes open up blank
Your faxes look distored and/or are unreadable
You get an error message when you try to open up your faxes
Then it is most likely that you are not using an appropriate fax viewer to view your faxes. Please note that programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat Reader, or QuickTime are not appropriate fax viewers. To find out which are the fax viewers that you can use and how to configure them for your system, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
If you are having trouble viewing faxes sent by one or several specific fax senders, it is possible that the faxes were not sent successfully due to:
Fax handling errors such as paper misfeeds
Incomplete transmissions such as line interruptions or bad connections
The use of older fax machines
Please ask your fax senders to resend the faxes and see if the problem persists. If so, please try to send yourself a fax to see if you can view it properly. If so, the problem is most likely caused by your fax senders' fax machines or transmissions.
If you are using Microsoft Windows and an appropriate fax viewer to view your faxes, you can navigate between different pages of your faxes using one of the following methods:
For Windows Picture and Fax Viewer - Locate a pull-down menu near the bottom of the fax window that contains a number (such as '1'). This pull-down menu specifies the page number of the fax that you are currently viewing. You can either select another number or use the left and right arrows next to this pull-down menu to navigate to a different page.
For Imaging Preview or Imaging for Windows - Locate an input field near the top of the fax window that contains a number (such as '1'). This input field specifies the page number of the fax that you are currently viewing, and you can either change this number, or use the left and right arrows next to this input field to navigate to a different page. If you do not see this input field, you can use the 'Page' pull-down menu from the menu bar instead.
If you are not using Microsoft Windows, please refer to your specific fax view's instructions on how to view multi-page faxes.
If you are using Microsoft Windows but you cannot locate the page navigation options specified above, it is most likely that you are not using an appropriate fax viewer. To find out which are the fax viewers that you can use and how to configure them for your system, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
Are there any hidden fees apart from the flat monthly fee?
There are absolutely no hidden fees. We only charge you a flat monthly fee for receiving an unlimited number of incoming faxes per month. There are no per-page charges, no setup and installation charges, or any other hidden fees. For more details on our pricing, please refer to our Fax Service Pricing page.
Yes, we will send a monthly statement to your Account Email, which will detail your monthly subscription status. When your subscription is due for renewal (please refer to our Fax Service User Guide on when and how to renew your subscription), we will send you a renewal reminder one week and again one day prior to your account's expiration date.
Yes, we do offer an automatic recurring payment plan. If you choose to use our Automatic Payment option,
we will automatically renew your subscription by charging your credit card or PayPal account before your subscription period
is over. You can activate this option during the signup process, or you can log in to your user account and activate this option
under the Payment tab at any time. If you choose not to use our Automatic Payment option,
we will not renew your subscription by automatically charging your credit card or PayPal account when
your subscription period is over. However, we will send you a renewal reminder one week and again one day prior to your account's
expiration date, and you must then login to your user account to
renew your service with us. For more information on when and how to renew your subscription, please refer to our
Fax Service User Guide.
If you choose not to use the Automatic Payment option and do not renew your subscription by logging in to your user account and make a payment, we will assume that you do not want to continue your fax service, and our system will deactivate your account and stop the delivery of faxes to your email addresses.
If you choose to use our Automatic Payment option, we will automatically renew your subscription by charging your
credit card or PayPal account before your subscription period is over. You can activate this option during the signup process, or
you can log in to your user account and activate this option under the Payment tab at any time. If you choose not
to use our Automatic Payment option, you must login to your user
account to renew your service with us when your current subscription period is over. For example, if you signed up for three (3) months'
of service with us, you must renew your subscription after the three-month period is over. When your subscription is due for renewal
(please refer to our Fax Service User Guide
on when and how to renew your subscription), we will send you a renewal reminder one week and again one day prior to your account's expiration date.
If you choose not to use the Automatic Payment option and do not renew your subscription by logging in to your user account and make a payment,
we will assume that you do not want to continue your fax service, and our system will deactivate your account and stop the delivery of faxes to your email addresses.
I just signed up for 3 months of subscription and paid $11.85 for the service. Why is my credit balance only $7.90?
Our fax service uses a prepaid, subscription-based pricing model. Therefore, we deduct the monthly fee for each month at the beginning of your billing cycle. When you first signed up, we activated your service and immediately deducted the first month's fee from the total subscription amount that you paid ($11.85), resulting in a credit balance of $7.90.
For more details on our pricing model, please refer to our Fax Service Pricing page.
Can I extend my subscription by making multiple payments, or prepay in a larger amount?
Yes, you can renew or extend your subscription at any time by logging in to your user account to make one or more payments. Your subscription period will simply be extended by the total amount of that you paid. For example, if you login to your user accuont and subscribe to the three (3) month plan twice in a row, your total subscription period will simply be extended for six months.
Why does your monthly statement indicate that I have 'no credits' left when I still have one more month of service left on my subscription?
Our fax service uses a prepaid, subscription-based pricing model. Therefore, we deduct the monthly fee for each month at the beginning of your billing cycle. When we send you your last monthly statement at the beginning of your last billing cycle, we have just deducted your last month's credit from your credit balance, which leaves you with one more month of service before your subscription period is over.
For more details on our pricing model, please refer to our Fax Service Pricing page.
Why has my service been deactivated due to non-payment? Isn't your system supposed automatically debit from my credit card?
If you choose to use our Automatic Payment option, we will automatically renew your subscription by charging your credit card or PayPal account before your subscription period is over. You can activate this option
during the signup process, or you can log in to your user account and activate this option under the Payment tab at any time. If you choose not to use our Automatic Payment option, we will not renew your
subscription by automatically charging your credit card or PayPal account when your subscription period is over. However, we will send you a renewal reminder one week and again one day prior to your account's expiration
date, and you must then login to your user account to renew your service with us. For more information on when and how to renew your subscription, please refer to our
Fax Service User Guide.
If you choose not to use the Automatic Payment option and do not renew your subscription by logging in to your user account and make a payment, we will assume that you do not want to continue your fax service, and our system will
deactivate your account and stop the delivery of faxes to your email addresses.
Can I reactivate my service if I forgot to renew my subscription and my fax service has been deactivated?
Absolutely. Once your account is deactivated, it will stay inactive for the next 14 days. During which time you can still
login to your user account and reactivate your account by making a new payment. Please note that once an account is deactivated, faxes will no longer be
delivered to you until the account is reactivated.
If you do not renew your subscription by making a new payment within this 14-day grace period, your account will be permanmently deactivated and you will need to sign up for a new fax number with us, if you choose to.
For more information on when and how to renew your subscription, please refer to our Fax Service User Guide.
If you have activated the Automatic Payment option, please first deactivate this option by logging in to your user account and deactivate this option under the Payment tab.
You can then choose not to renew your subscription when your current subscription period is over. Your account will then be automatically deactivated.
If you do not have the Automatic Payment option activated, you can simply choose not to renew your subscription when your current subscription period is over. Your account
will then be automatically deactivated.
If you would like your service cancellation to take effect immediately, you may contact us at support@packetel.com.
