JFAX Personal Telecom service
Subscribers to the JFAX Personal Telecom service receive a real telephone number in an international city of choice, which can receive voicemail and/or fax messages. The messages are received at this number by the JFAX switch and the message is converted into a MIME file which is immediately sent to the subscriber as an email attachment. The subscriber then receives voicemail, faxes and email messages whenever and wherever the subscriber next connects to the Internet. Voicemail is played through the computer speakers using the JFAX audio player and faxes are displayed using the JFAX Communicator. A JFAX number costs UKP 9.00 to set-up and UKP 8.20 per month to rent.
JFAX is compatible with all Internet services including AOL, CompuServe, Demon, Easynet and Pipex. The JFAX Communicator software is compatible with both Windows and Apple computers, and can be connected to leading mail applications including Eudora, Microsoft Mail, and Netscape Mail. JFAX currently operates the service in several countries and can provide real voicemail and/or fax numbers in London (0171), New York (212), Atlanta, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto. JFAX soon will provide numbers in Chicago, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, and Vancouver.
JFAX Audio (Windows)
The JFAX Audio program is used to play voicemail received via email and is used in conjunction with the JFAX Personal Telecom service. The JFAX Audio player is a fully functional program that plays GSM formated voicemail messages through the computer speakers. JFAX Audio has the following features; play, pause, rewind, fast forward and stop.
Benefits of using the JFAX Personal Telecom service
Mobile: Business people subscribe to JFAX so that they can have a real London number printed on their business cards. This means anyone NOT connected to the Internet can send faxes or leave voicemail messages at this number. The subscriber can then receive all their messages when they next connect to the Internet which could be at any time and from any country for the cost of a local call.
Virtual Office: A small company that exports to the United States can subscribe to JFAX to get a New York or an American 1-800 number for voice and fax messages. This number can be printed on brochures providing a virtual office in the United States, which will impress prospective clients at the fraction of the cost of setting up a real office in that country.
Small Office, Home Office: A consultant working from home would subscribe to JFAX so that the subscriber can have a real phone and fax number to give to clients. This means the consultant does not need a home computer switched on 24 hours a day to answer fax or voicemail calls, does not need to give a home telephone number to clients or install an expensive second telephone line.
Testing the JFAX service
JFAX has included some sample messages inside each application. Further example voice and fax messages can be downloaded from the JFAX web site.