Introduction to Fax & Data Services

The primary benefit of circuit switched data on the Vodafone GSM network is the ability to send and receive information in real time, keeping individuals and systems up to date. Allowing professionals to remain in touch with customers and colleagues on the move offers serious competitive advantages, including dial-up access to:

• E-mails
• The World Wide Web
• Your company's Intranet
• Financial information
• Bulletin boards

Cost of Service

It is possible to make data calls on all existing Vodafone price plans, without any extra subscription costs. Data calls are charged at the same rate as voice calls and are subtracted from the bundled minutes in exactly the same way.

Fax & Data Support

For any questions about data services or general network enquiries, please call 196 (free) from a Vodafone (07836 196 196 from a fixed-line).

Data Communication

For companies that have employees working off-site and away from a central office, mobile data applications can be deployed to:

• Save time
• Save money
• Increase efficiency
  

Below are just a few examples of what mobile data can do in today's business environment.

Field Service

If your company runs a field service or engineering operation, data services can give employees the freedom to base their operations from home. This amounts to major savings and improvements in efficiency and customer service.

A centralised computer can create and update work plans so engineers get to the right job at the right time without wasting time going to and from a central depot. Parts can be ordered on the spot and work schedules and reports can be managed by a database, providing reliable and simple management of the flow of information.

Office Maintenance

If you are a plumber or an electrician, data services can be used for meter reading and maintenance. Unmanned measuring equipment can be used in remote locations without fixed lines to send daily readings to central computing systems.

Transport

Mobile data communications is a perfect solution for logistics or courier companies.

Collection and delivery details can be sent in advance or changed en route. Central systems use mobile data to track the progress of goods to be delivered, providing a resource to manage large quantities of constantly changing information.

Emergency Services

Emergency services are now turning towards mobile data over GSM for command and control applications.

Firefighters can be kept up to date with developments while on their way to a fire. Police can file accident and crime reports at the scene, cutting down on administration time. Ambulance teams can forward vital patient information to hospitals, saving time and saving lives.

Financial Advisors

Putting representatives in the field can be the best way to work with customers and win business. But there is a limit to the amount of information they can take with them.

Financial advisers find mobile data services particularly helpful. Prospective clients need personalised advice and quotations, but it takes time to feed their data into a central database. With a mobile data application, advisers can send information directly to central systems which can generate and send a quote almost immediately.

Fax Messaging

Your word is as good as your bond, but there are always going to be times when people need something in writing.If you are in the office you might send a fax, but what if you are out and about, or can't get to a fax machine? With Vodafone's fax messaging service you can send text messages from your phone to any UK fax number by prefixing the number with 9741.

To you, it is just like sending a text message. To the receiver it is just like any other fax - it even has your number and the time of transmission on the top.

Callers can send a maximum of 160 characters, but a number of shortcodes can be used. These save space and are translated into phrases by the fax machine.

There is an auto-redial facility, in case the fax doesn't get through at first attempt. You will receive a confirmation text message when your fax has been sent.

And the service won't cost you a penny more in subscription charges. You simply pay 36p (including VAT) for each fax you send.

For more information and a list of the shortcodes available dial our fax information line on 07000 296000 using the poll retrieve function on a fax machine, or call 196 from your Vodafone.

TravelFax

It's like having a fax machine in your pocket. If you are out on business or aren't around to get a confidential fax, TravelFax is there. It saves faxes sent to your individual number - and it can store up to 10 separate faxes totalling approximately 50 A4 pages.

Every time you receive a new fax message you receive a text message alert on your Vodafone mobile.

You print the messages whenever and wherever you want - at any fax machine in the world, in fact. You can also download pages onto your PC.

And, for a limited time, subscription to the TravelFax service is free. Just pay when you use it - at the BT national rate to send and retrieve faxes on a fixed-line fax machine, and at your standard mobile rate to retrieve faxes via a mobile connected to a laptop.

To make TravelFax work for you, call your Service Provider for your personal TravelFax number.

For more information on the TravelFax service please call our fax information line on 08700 724727 using the poll retrieve function on your fax machine.