What is a Fax Number & How Does It Look Like?

Wondering what a Fax number is? We got you!

In the present era of rapidly growing technology and lighting fast communication channels, fax machines may seem outdated, and many young people have never even heard about it, nor they are aware of how this technology works. 

Faxing requires a fax number, but only a few people know what exactly is the fax number and how is it different from a phone number?

Today, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about fax numbers and why you need them. Let’s get started!

---

Key Takeaways

• A fax number is the same as a telephone number but is used to connect with a fax machine, fax server, etc.
• Fax numbers can have a different length depending on the location or country.
• You can use a fax number with Fax Machine, Online Faxing Services, or Email Faxing.

---

Fax Number 

A fax number is the same as a telephone number, but it is used for the transmission of scanned printed material, both images, and text, via phone line.

A Fax number is used to connect with a fax machine, fax server, or an online fax provider to send and receive documents. 

Fax numbers are typically defined based on their format and the number of digits. A fax number is provided either by phone companies or an online fax service provider. ¹

Read: What Is Encryption In Fax?

Read: How To Receive A Fax Without A Fax Machine?

---

How Long is the Fax Number? 

Fax numbers could have different lengths and formats depending on: 

• The location of the fax receiver
• The country you are faxing to 

If you are faxing inside your country, the fax number code usually has three digits, but if you are faxing to another country, the fax number will be longer with additional digits known as “exit codes.” The exit codes are based on the receiver’s and sender’s country. ²

---

What is the main difference between a phone number and a Fax number? 

A phone number and a fax number have many similarities, but they are also quite different from each other.

It uses a phone number to communicate with others by voice, while a fax number is used to send or receive documents over the telephone. 

Another prominent difference between these two is the fax tone. When you dial the phone number, you hear a regular ringtone, while when you dial a fax number, you will hear a fax tone. ³

Read: How Does A Fax Work?

---

How to Use Fax Numbers to Send Faxes?

Fax numbers are necessary to send a fax through machines, emails, or online faxing apps. Here is how you can use fax numbers in different faxing methods as per your convenience:

Fax Machine 

1. Turn on the fax machine and place the document face up in the feeder.
2. Dial the fax number just like you dial a phone number with the required codes. 
3. Click Send.

Online Faxing Services

1. Go to the online app or service and upload the document you want to fax.
2. Type in your message in the subject field, and enter the fax number in the “To” field without any dashes, signs, pulses, or parentheses. 
3. Don’t forget to type 011 if you are sending the document internationally. 
4. Click send 

Email Faxing

1. Register yourself on the online faxing service.
2. Create an email account and attach the documents you want to fax. 
3. Type the fax number in the “To” field, followed by the online service provider extension.
4. Click send

---

How Many Digits Does A Fax Number Consists?

The total number of digits in a fax number differs based on the origin and destination of the fax. For example, Fax numbers & phone numbers in the U.K. have 5-8 digits. In Australia, the local fax number has eight digits, and so on.

However, if you want to send a fax in U.S. or Canada, then you will need to use “1” before the area code followed by seven digits.

---

What is The International Fax Format?

International fax requires additional codes to pass through; these are called exit codes which vary from person to person and country to country.

For example: if you wish to send a fax from Australia to Canada or U.S., then you will need to put the exit code “0011” followed by “1,” and after this, you need to put the fax number itself.

On the contrary, sending a fax to the same number from different countries, such as China, France, India, etc., would require you to put 2 digits less and only “00” because this is the exit code for these countries. ⁴

---

How Can I Get A Free Fax Number?

Faxing is not limited to just physical fax machines now. Many online web services and apps allow you to send faxes right from your phone. There are many online fax services, such as eFax, MyFax, Hellofax, etc. Some online fax services offer fax numbers for free, while others offer a fax number after you sign up for their service, with many additional features. You can check them out to get a free fax number.

---

Conclusion

We have now reached the end of this article, and here we discussed various things related to a fax numbers; we hope you found this useful.

---

FAQ’s

What is a Standard fax number format?

If you are not familiar with your user settings, then you can simply use this international access notation: +(country code)(area code)(fax number)

Is Fax Number & Phone Number the Same Thing?

No, fax numbers & phone numbers are not the same things. A phone number is used to communicate with a person by voice. In contrast, a fax number is used to transmit documents from one place to another.

Is it possible to call a fax number?

Technically, it is possible to call a fax number. When you call a fax number, you will hear a beeping sound at the receiving end of the fax machine, which shows a handshake between signals. If your fax machine beeps back, then a connection will be established, and you will be able to start faxing. ⁵