Empower yourself with the language of insiders. We decipher the arcane terms, epigrammatic abbreviations, and weird words used in the industry.

Activity Report

A record of all faxes sent and received.

Auto Paper Cutter

Only available in thermal fax machines, this feature cuts incoming faxes to the same size as the original.

Auto Redial

Tells a fax machine to dial a number repeatedly when a busy signal is received. This feature eliminates the need to manually redial a busy fax machine to make sure the transmission goes through.

Autodial

Lets you program frequently called numbers into memory so you can dial them at the touch of one or two buttons.

Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)

A tray that feeds pages of an outgoing document through a fax machine. Without an ADF, you have to manually feed each page into the fax machine.

Batch Processing

Lets you program a fax machine to send multiple faxes to a single number or to multiple numbers. The faxes are placed in a queue – a batch – and processed automatically in turn.

Bits Per Second (BPS)

The speed at which a fax machine transmits information. Fax machines today can transmit up to 33,600 bps, although 9,600 bps and 14,400 bps remain in common use.

Broadcasting

Lets you send one fax to many numbers at once.

Confidential Faxing

Allows incoming faxes to be stored in memory until an access code is entered. This feature requires that both the sending and receiving machines be made by the same manufacturer.

Delayed Transmission

Stores outgoing faxes in memory and transmits them at a specified time – such as at night, when phone rates are lower. Delayed transmission can be used to send multiple faxes to a single number or multiple faxes to multiple numbers.

Dual Access

Lets a fax machine print incoming faxes from memory while transmitting another fax, or scan a fax into memory while receiving a fax.

Error Correction Mode (ECM)

A transmission standard that lets fax machines correct communication errors caused by poor-quality phone lines.

Fax/Telephone Switch

Allows a fax machine to double as a telephone.

Group Dialing

Similar to broadcasting, where the recipients' numbers are preprogrammed into the sender's fax machine.

Group 3

The international standard that enables fax machines to communicate with each other. Virtually all fax machines sold in the past 15 years are Group 3 compatible.

Group 4

An international standard for fax machines that operate over digital (such as ISDN) phone lines. Group 4 fax machines can transfer a page in as little as two seconds, but you can't use them over ordinary phone lines. Group 4 machines are most often used to send faxes between two offices that are already connected by digital lines.

Inkjet Printing

Technology available on mid-range fax machines.

Laser Printing

Technology available on high-end fax machines. Laser fax machines typically start at just under $1,000.

Modified Huffman (MH)

A basic compression protocol found in virtually all fax machines.

Modified Modified Read (MMR)

A superior data compression protocol, besting other protocols such as Modified Read (MR) and Modified Huffman (MH) for most transmissions. MMR significantly reduces sending times over other protocols.

Modified Read (MR)

An advanced compression protocol for fax machines that allows the machines to send documents faster than Modified Huffman (MH).

One-Touch Dialing

Allows preprogramming of numbers, so a fax machine can dial them quickly using only a single assigned number.

Out-Of-Paper Reception

Holds incoming faxes in memory if the fax machine runs out of paper, toner, or ink. Once the problem is fixed, the machine prints the stored faxes.

PC-Based Faxing

The ability to fax to a computer.

Polling

Designed to prevent congestion, polling is when a fax machine calls another fax machine and requests a fax at a designated time. Polling requires that all the fax machines involved be made by the same manufacturer.

Proprietary Handshaking

Connection protocols used when transmitting between two fax machines made by the same manufacturer. These specialized "handshake" procedures require less time to establish a connection between two machines.

Quick Scan

A way to quickly scan a fax into memory before you send it so you don't have to wait by the machine until transmission is finished to retrieve the pages.

Relay Broadcasting

Lets one fax machine call another fax machine, ask for a fax, and then broadcast it to multiple locations. This feature can reduce phone charges, particularly if the fax originates from an overseas location: You can broadcast the fax to many locations with just one international call.

Resolution

A feature that lets you adjust the quality of the scanning of the document. Plain text needs standard resolution, while graphics may require fine or superfine resolution. Higher resolution documents take longer to send and produce finer prints.

Scanning

Some fax machines double as a scanner.

Speed Dialing

Similar to one-touch dialing, where numbers can be programmed into "speed dial" to allow quick dialing with a couple of key strokes.

V.17, V.34

New sending standards that enable faxes to be sent quickly. V.17 compatible fax machines send faxes to other V.17 machines at 14,400 bits per second (bps), while the newer V.34 standards send faxes at 33,600 bps to other such enabled machines. Both V.17 and V.34 machines can also "step down" in speed to work with slower fax machines.