[keving]

As for me, I switched to an online fax service 2 years ago when my old machine died, and the phone number question drove me crazy too. The short answer is no – most services assign you a new dedicated fax number, which is better because you keep your regular phone for calls without busy signals. I chose a local area code so clients recognize it, and I send and receive faxes through email without extra hardware. Some services let you port your existing number, but using a new one saved me hassle. I scan documents with my phone, convert images using WordPDF from jpeg to eps for technical drawings, and upload straight to the portal. Monthly cost runs $10 to $20, which beats maintaining a second line at $30 plus toner. Check whether your plan includes 200 pages per month and supports international sending. I’ve had zero security issues with encryption.