How Do I Send a Fax on a Cell Phone?

Sending a fax on a cell phone requires access to the Internet through the phone itself. Many businesspeople, such as real estate professionals, find themselves out in the field when they need to send an urgent fax. Internet fax services provide the ability to turn a photo or email into document that can be faxed.

The cell phone must be able to access the Internet, either through a cellular service or through a computer network. Some older cell phones can physically connect to a computer through specific communication wiring, allowing the phone to access the computer's Internet connection. In contrast, newer cell phones simply use the cellular service or a wifi network to access the Internet.

One common scenario in which someone would want to send a fax on a cell phone is when receiving a document attached to an email. This document can be faxed to one or more recipients using a subscription to an Internet faxing service. The faxing service provides a dedicated email address specifically for documents. Attached documents are simply emailed from the phone to the fax service. In turn, the service converts the email into a fax copy for distribution to the specified fax number noted in the email.

Many mobile phones have cameras integrated into the front panel, allowing users to snap pictures anywhere they travel. Sending a fax is even easier with the camera application. The user simply takes a photo of the necessary fax and emails it to the Internet faxing service. Similar to the attached document fax procedure, the photo is converted to a fax document, and prints out on the fax machine at the number specified in the email.

Some mobile providers are making sending a fax on a cell phone much more streamlined. Smartphone fax applications can be downloaded to the phone for instant faxing ability. A text or picture can be faxed within the application. As a result, the user specifies the text or picture and sends it directly to the fax recipient.

These applications that allow users to fax on a cell phone still use an Internet faxing service; the service process is hidden within the application. Users should note that an account with an Internet faxing service is still required for the application to work correctly. Once the account is set up initially, the user can send a fax on a cell phone at any time, provided the subscription to the service is still active.