TPC Fax is a free service that lets you send text faxes by email. It doesn't have a huge
international coverage, but it works for most big cities.
To send a fax, you need to drop a mail to:
remote-printer.
recipient_name@
fax_number.iddd.tpc.int. For details about the syntax, go to
this pageAdrian Hristov, who sent me this tip, has an interesting idea: what if you forward all your mails from Gmail to a fax number using this service? You could also use a filter to forward only some of the mails.
Labels: Gmail
said on November 15, 2006 10:37 PM PDT:
great idea!
said on November 16, 2006 1:33 AM PDT:
the most stupid idea i have ever heard...
in Milan (Italy) we have a service provider called Fastweb who does the opposite, lets you receive faxes on a emailbox, this saves paper!!!!
:-)
said on November 16, 2006 5:45 AM PDT:
Takes genius to write a confusing message like this. What does "fax_number" above mean? Do you put country code? Do you put hyphens as is commonly done in the US for phone numbers? Where exactly do you put the underscore? As I said, a work of staggering genius.
You don't have to be genius to read the information from the webpage of the service, don't you think? I linked to all the relevant information.
And even if you think it's stupid to use this service to receive mail messages on your fax machine, you can use it as an excellent send-fax-by-mail service. Which has the rare quality of being free.
ionut
why gmail doesnt allow me to add this email address as contacT ?
remote-printer.recipient_name@fax_number.iddd.tpc.int
i thought i can add this address to g contacts and use it to send whenver i want
You have to replace recipient_name and fax_number with their real value first of all. So fax_number should be a number, for example.
Then you can add it as a contact in Gmail.
I love that first commment... 'the most stupid idea I have ever heard.' I personally think it is a great idea. Now you can recieve faxes through e-mail and send them through e-mail as well. There are some people who don't accept e-mails. Now all you need to do is fax them using this protocol! Great find! Thanks!!
said on November 16, 2006 9:08 AM PDT:
sending electronic messages saves just as much as Fastweb would....
said on November 20, 2006 7:26 AM PDT:
So stupid the first message "the most stupid idea I have ever heard" ! ! Better not talking. This service is great - if it really works... Know that many many "non stupid" companies use this process
Krish said on March 19, 2007 1:21 PM PDT:
Just what I was looking for.
My dad has a motel I'm doing a web site for. He doesn't have time to check the motel email every day. But these days you have to allow people to contact you via the Net.
So we'll just put the contact form on the web site, and the auto-email will be going to the fax.
The fax generates tones so he knows when a fax is coming in. He doesn't always hang out in front of the computer, but he can hear the fax ring.
This is a great service. Anyone who thinks this was stupid has no imagination of the needs or possibilities.
I think this is a fantastic idea. Just the other day I was trying to find out a way to send a fax from Australia to the USA using my PC (which uses broadband to connect to the internet).
The only disappointing feature of this service is that, although it covers some cities in Australia, it does not cover all the main capital cities (which are only 7), but I trust that the rest will eventually be added. This would allow Australians to send faxes within the country.
said on April 1, 2007 6:59 PM PDT:
GREAT IDEA! IF IT's FREE!
Karsten said on April 3, 2007 4:02 PM PDT:
I just had a look on the TCP.INT website. There is a description on how to fax images (TIFF/PS files) using Eudora Pro by mapping the correct MIME type.
http://www.tpc.int/clients/index.html#MacOS
Is there a way to do this in Gmail as well?
@karsten:
In Gmail, you can set up a filter that forwards only emails that meet some criteria.
To test that an email has .doc attachments, type in "Has the words":
has:attachments filename:doc
zielot said on February 12, 2008 8:43 AM PDT:
Seems like the service is no longer active or no longer the same ...
Mr. D said on February 28, 2008 9:07 PM PDT:
I think is a great idea but I can't try it. It needs for coverage (areacode 805).
BigBen said on May 1, 2008 5:37 PM PDT:
Worked Fine but very pointless so many free fax threw email services out there.
Caff said on July 20, 2008 8:37 AM PDT:
My boyfriend has no computer - but he DOES have a fax machine. I have no fax machine - but I DO have a computer. He lives over 30 miles away, so if I need to send him some information that is too long to text or to read over the phone for him to write down, instead of having to post it to him and him not get it for a day or two, I can use this service. Very handy indeed, I reckon!
Amy said on September 22, 2008 1:55 PM PDT:
I would like this services even google charge me 5 cents or 10 cents per mail. If Gmail can has a "Fax to" service, that will be wonderful.
Chappell said on October 9, 2008 2:48 AM PDT:
Ok, what do I do to receive faxes in my Gmail account, some one please email me the directions. Already know how to send faxes thru TCP.int, but I want to be able to get them in my gmail account, thanx much
i hope Gmail has this too! Gmail Labs go go go!
said on February 26, 2009 10:20 AM PDT:
Businesses without an email are prehistoric mastadons. And those businesses with a fax not covered by TPC have business issues already!
Robert said on April 11, 2009 8:08 AM PDT:
For now http://www.metrohispeed.com/ has the best deal: $12.95 / 1,000 faxes per month (2nd month free).
Saundra said on April 27, 2009 5:16 PM PDT:
Yesterday my Fax machine refused to work...is it because it uses older Analog technology and I now have digital telephone service from my cable company? Whatever...I tried to upload a .doc to MyFax and send it to a fax number [which my membership page says I CAN do] but after several tries, it just wouldn't work #*!! I pay $10 /mo for this MyFax acct. that emails faxes to me, but isn't reliable for sending.... Google has the programming talent necessary so, -- PLEASE COME UP WITH A WAY I CAN SEND A word document to a FAX machine !!!
Jay said on April 30, 2009 11:31 AM PDT:
i am very not tech savvy. someone walk me through this. I am trying to send a fax and this is what i put in the address bar. remote-[printer.recipient_barry@fax_1234567890.iddd.tpc.int.]
the gmail does not recognize this as a legitimate address. what am i doing wrong?
also why would i not do this if it works.
Jay, substitute EVERYTHING in color, as follows:
remote-printer.Barry@1234567890.iddd.tpc.int
You left off the 'remote-' and didn't remove the 'fax_'
Cheers.
said on July 4, 2009 6:58 AM PDT:
Can it fax pdf or MS Word document?
said on July 4, 2009 6:59 AM PDT:
Does it only work on Gmail? how about on other emails, such as hotmail, yahoo mail, etc. ??
said on July 4, 2009 7:00 AM PDT:
is this service from google or from other service providers?
