Conference 7.286::digital

At BXB1 and BXB2, the FAX machines are accessible 24 hours a day PROVIDING
you know which offices the machines are currently hidden in ...

    A MessageRouter<->FAX gateway exists.
    
    At least we sell a product called MRFAX,

    The fax machine in CX01 is in the mail room.  The security guards will
    open the mail room to let you use it.

    re: .3 Sorry, didn't mean to preannounce the product, heard about it at
    least 2-3 years ago, so assumed it was out by now...

    A fax machine has been deemed too expensive in our office.
    We just overnight mail everything at $xx.nn/day. That budget
    looks good though.
    
    
    rr
    

Any cost center can buy a FAX machine, if they are justified.  We receive
over 10 FAXes per day (sometimes more) from various sources, and the
Mailroom in the Mill was just too slow in getting them to us.  
(if they called and you weren't here, they put them in interoffice mail!)


However, (this is a waste watch category!) you must buy one of the 
corporate approved FAX machines, which average around $1200 each (there
are two or three) instead of going to Lechemere and picking up a $500.00
machine.


Oh well...


-bill

What costs are incurred by owning a FAX machine?  How much more is it than a 
phone call to the FAX site?  Is there a base rate to be paid each month?  Until
I get the answers to these questions it seems very short-sided to pay about $10
for express mail when you could fax the same document in seconds.

-ken

::    What costs are incurred by owning a FAX machine?  
    
    		= Capital outlay for machine
    		= Maintenance costs
    		= Supplies  (paper, toner)
    		= Depreciation of capital asset
    		= Telephone charges

RE: .9

The major cost after buying the machine is supplies.  The paper is still
the heat-sensitive stuff that used to be used in copiers until they
invented plain-paper copiers.  They haven't yet done that with FAX machines.


The telephone line is a simple telephone, which costs no more than 
any other phone in your department.  These things behave like modems
and answer/dial the phone when you're using them.


Someone told me once that the cost to send something that was 3 pages
was about $5.00 or so.  Remember though, you're really only paying
for the INCOMING FAX, because the cost of supplies is the overwhelming
majority of the cost.  When you send someone something, they pay for
the printing.


-bill

    re .11
    Rank Xerox among others sell fax machines that use plain paper.
    
    j.e.   
    

    RE: .14 The costs associated with using any resource have a direct
    relationship with how access to that resource is controlled. Cost
    questions seem quite to the the point of this topic.

    		Alfred

    Help me out someone... Did locking up the FAX machines start because of
    some really abusive incident, or is this based on the speculation that
    there might be some abuse if the machine were left unlocked?
    
    In our New York office, we don't lock up pencils, toner, copiers, fax
    machines, phones, etc., I guess we're too busy.

        re .-1
        

>I would hope that some similar product will someday be introduced that can
>interface with DDIF; then you could have your FAX routed right to your own
>system by a FAX receptionist.  Paperless FAX reception.
        
        This, combined with proper X.400/X.500 implementation across the
        corporation would be a god-send. The Message Router to Telex
        Gateway already exists, and I am sure that someone has done some
        work already with Fax interfacing. I know that in Australia, I was
        able to send x.400 mail to an address incantation, and it would
        turn my ascii text into a fax and deliver it...
        
        q
        

From All-In-1

To:
First Last@1=US@2=MCI@*EMS\FAX@*MBX1\PHONE:nnn-nnn-nnnn@MRX_MCI@OGO

From VaxMail

MTS$::"OGO::MRX_MCI::1=US::2=MCI::*EMS\FAX::*MBX\PHONE:nnn-nnn-nnnn"

My reference is the MTS/X.400 Electronic Mail Addressing Guide.  Contact
Frank Kaminsky @OGO for more information.

Larry

MTS$::"OGO::MRX_MCI::1=US::2=MCI::*EMS\FAX::*MBX\PHONE:nnn-nnn-nnnn::First Last"

Ugly aren't they, sorry about the long lines

Larry

    Since topic 983 has been write locked, I am beginning a new topic.
    
    Re: Note 983.19 and 983.20 by TELGAR::WAKEMANLA
    
>         Mail to FAX is doable
    
    For what it is worth, I tried sending a test message to a FAX, using
    the syntax that was shown in your notes. I got an rejection notice from
    MTS that I was not authorized to use the gateway. I have sent mail to
    Frank Kaminsky, whom you mentioned in your note, to see what it takes
    to get authorized to use the gateway. 
    
    Rich

Until recently, Spit Brook didn't even HAVE a FAX machine!  Instead one had
to use the one at NUO, about 10 minutes away!

				Steve

I have (once again) reopened this topic.  It is the opinion of the moderators
that there exists no valid reason for closing it.

				Steve

    References in this topic prior to this reply are likely to be off
    by 1 do to some housekeeping. Sorry for any problems this may cause.

    		Alfred

    With regard to sending from Mail to FAX, I received a very rapid
    response from Frank Kaminsky @OGO. He sent me forms that need to be
    completed by the subscriber and approved by the cost center manager, in
    order to become authorized for access to the X.400 gateway, which
    provides electronic mail access to the following external
    communications capabilities: FAX, Electronic Mail, Telex, and Hardcopy
    via Postal System. 

    According to his message, the current costs for this service are as
    follows: 
                   
    Fixed Costs
    -----------
    $26.00 per month for running and maintaining the X.400 gateway
	     
    $10.00 annually for MCI registration 
    
    Variable Costs
    --------------
    Electronic Mail - $0.45 plus $0.05/1000 characters

    FAX - Domestic $0.80/page, International by destination country,
    Not charged for cover page, distribution list or retries
    
    Telex - Standard telex rate by destination
    
    Hardcopy via Postal System - Domestic $2.00 up to 3 pages $1.00 each
    additional page, International $5.50 up to 3 pages $1.00 each
    additional page 

I'm sure the FAX is locked up because the mailroom is locked up, and the FAX
is located there.

Now you'd think it could be left on unattended for receiving documents
overnight, but that's not necessarily so, for reasons beyond DEC's control:

	1. Paper jams may cause a mess, but more importantly:

	2. There are bozos out there sending junk FAXes that waste lots
	   and lots of supplies.  When unattended, there is no way to
	   control this.

Now, if you look in the latest DAK catalog, you'll see a device that hooks
up to an IBM PC that receives FAXes, displays them on the screen, and allows
you to print only the ones you want.

I would hope that some similar product will someday be introduced that can
interface with DDIF; then you could have your FAX routed right to your own
system by a FAX receptionist.  Paperless FAX reception.

/john

    Anyone interested in more information on a future Digital product which
    does "paperless fax reception" (and transmission), DDIF, X.400, and all
    the other good stuff mentioned in .18 and .19 should check out the
    LEROUF::MR-FAX conference.
    
    Tom

    For what it's worth, after being registered for access to the gateway,
    I have been able to successfully send from Email to FAX addresses.
    Frank Kaminsky @OGO was most helpful in sending me the stuff to get
    registered. 

        A few of the replies in this topic refer to an unannounced
        product called MR-FAX.  The replies had been hidden.  However,
        the product management has chosen to announce a conference on
        MR-FAX (see .29) and so the notes have been unhidden.
        
        Remember, though, that the product IS unannounced, and
        shouldn't be discussed with non-Digital employees.
        
        Jim Stratton, co-moderator, DIGITAL