The fax machine is going the way of the camcorder and video player. Following Ofcom’s consultation last year, Ofcom is confirming changes to its rules, meaning telecom providers in the UK will no longer be required to provide fax services to their customers. fax machine uk

The communications device – formally known as a facsimile machine – was once a regular feature in offices and, to a lesser extent, homes.

Under the universal service obligation (USO), phone services must be made available to people across the UK at an affordable price – until now, that has included fax services. There are two designated telecom providers responsible for universal service in the UK – BT and KCOM (in the Hull area only).

Ofcom is amending its rules to remove the requirement for BT and KCOM to provide fax services under the USO.

The current USO was set out in 2003 when fax machines were more prevalent and email and instant messaging were less ubiquitous. So, at that time, it was important that the USO require BT and KCOM to provide fax services.

Almost two decades later, the telecoms landscape has shifted. Not only are alternatives to faxing machines now more widely available, migration of telephone networks to internet protocol (IP) technology means fax services can no longer be guaranteed to work in the same way.

This change doesn’t mean fax services will stop working immediately, but current fax users should look for alternatives (such as email). fax machine uk

There are other ways to send a fax without having to use your equipment. Check it out!

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