Help!

[Kris]

I am looking for a product that will allow me to send faxes via multiple phone lines from Canada to Hong Kong without incurring any long distance charges.

Please let me know if you have know of products that will allow me to do this. I am very new to VOIP and not really sure how it works, so any and all information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Kris

[mike]

Kris this can definitely be done using VoIP for much cheaper.

You would basically need FXS lines at each location, the number of lines dependent on your number of FAX lines.

I would suggest getting an Audiocodes FXS gateway, or a Grandstream FXS gateway at each location.

Audiocodes: Audiocodes Gateway

Grandstream: Grandstream Gateway

[Kris]

Hi Mike:

Thank you for your reply. What is the difference FXS lines and a regular phone line?

Please let me know.

Thank you,

Kris

[mike]

FXO (Foreign Exchange Office)

When a customer receives phone service from a central office other than the one that would normally serve them, the line between the customer and the "Foreign" office is called a "Foreign Exchange" line.

FXO (Foreign eXchange Office) is the office end of the line, and FXS (Foreign eXchange Station) is the station end.

FXO and FXS are also used to refer to the type of interface on phone equipment.

* An FXS interface provides power (battery) and generates ring signals.
* An FXO interface receives power (battery) and receives ring signals.


If you want to connect an ordinary telephone to a computer, you need a card in the computer with an FXS interface.

If you want to connect a line to your computer so that it can make and answer calls on your analog PSTN telephone line, you need to add an FXO interface to your computer.

That description is courtesy of www.voip-info.org


Here is another description which may help clear things up.

FXO:

In telecommunications, a Foreign Exchange Office, or FXO, is a telephone signaling interface that receives POTS, or "plain old telephone service". It generates the on-hook and off-hook indicators used to signal a loop closure at the FXS's end of the circuit. Analog telephone handsets, fax machines and (analogue) modems are FXO devices, though the term is rarely used except in connection with Foreign exchange service (FX).

FXO interfaces are also available for computers and networking equipment, to allow these to interact directly with POTS systems. These are commonly found in devices acting as gateways between Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems and the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

In a nutshell:
An FXO is any device that, from the point of view of a telephone exchange, seems to be a regular telephone. As such, it should be able to accept ringing signals, go on-hook and off-hook, and send and receive voice signals. As with other lines, it may be loop start or ground start.

FXS:

In telephony, a Foreign Exchange Station, or FXS, is a telephone interface which provides battery power, sends dialtone, and generates ringing voltage. A standard telephone plugs into such an interface to receive telephone service. Strictly speaking, a telephone exchange is an example of an FXS, as is the telephone plug on the wall, though the term is rarely applied except in connection with foreign exchange service.

In a nutshell:
An FXS is any device that, from the point of view of a telephone, seems to be a telephone exchange. As such, it should be able to supply power to the connected telephone, provide ringing signals and dialtone, understand when phone goes on-hook or off-hook, and send and receive voice signals.