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Can Fax-to-E-mail Get Better Than This?StanaPhone offers a sweet fax-to-e-mail deal. By DAVID SIMS StanaPhone Communications, LLC is already a Voice over Internet Protocol service provider, and today they're announcing a new free fax to e-mail service called StanaFax. Frankly this reporter wonders if there's a better deal out there in this market. StanaFax doesn't require any software download, score one point right there. The user can access faxes anywhere that the user can access e-mail, and the faxes are received in digital format, simplifying the filing and storage process of the digitally faxed information. Unlike other popular fax over e-mail services such as eFax, MyFax, StanaFax can send your voice-mail as a voice file attachment directly to the e-mail address on your account. It can also automatically distinguish between a voice call and a fax transmission and directs it to a voice-mail or fax server. And with a download of free StanaPhone software, StanaFax becomes a fully functional IP phone. This reporter doesn't know all the details of other VoIP service providers like Vonage, AT&T Call Vantage, Packet8, Skype, DialPad, or Free World Dialup, but StanaPhone offers its users no commitment, no monthly fee, pay as you go plan, a free US phone number, free calls from StanaPhone to StanaPhone, free incoming calls, free voice-mail via e-mail, free incoming fax via e-mail, free conference bridge and call forwarding. That's a pretty good deal. Plus StanaPhone service can be used with regular phones if combined with a telephone adaptor, as it operates on dialup internet connection and can be also used on Wi-Fi enabled Pocket PCs powered by Microsoft Windows CE operating system. LivePhone tested the new Stanaphone and reported "great results" on a 646 area code, which is Manhattan: "Sound quality is outstanding and testing has been a breeze… From any phone our web visitors can call us at 646.225.5225 and it immediately rings on the computer. Rates in the US are 2 cents a minute in most places, and international rates are also 2 cents to most countries. The service is free, and Stanaphone to Stanaphone calls are also free. You only need the minute rate if you want to use VOIP to land line service. Calls to toll free numbers are also free." Honestly, this reporter isn't a comparative shopping expert when it comes to these product deals, but is there a better one out there? ----- David Sims is contributing editor for TMCnet. For more articles by David Sims, please visit: http://www.tmcnet.com/tmcnet/columnists/columnist.aspx?id=100005&nm=David%20Sims |