T.37 Fax Store and Forward

When configured on an on-ramp gateway, fax store and forward provides a way to transform standard fax messages into e-mail messages and TIFF attachments that travel to PCs on the network. When configured on an off-ramp gateway, e-mail with TIFF attachments transform into standard fax messages. These messages travel out of the packet network to standard Group 3 fax devices on the PSTN. When configured on both the on-ramp and off-ramp gateways of a network, fax store and forward allows temporary storage in the packet network for standard fax messages that cannot be delivered immediately.

Internet users are offered free store-and-forward faxes from various ISPs. Once subscribed, it is possible to send and receive fax messages using the service. If someone wants to send you a fax, they dial your assigned fax number from any standard fax machine. The store-and-forward on-ramp gateway at the service provider converts the fax back to its digital bit stream and then converts it into a graphics file (usually JPG). The completed graphics file is then e-mailed to you as an attachment.

• IVR application parameters and IVR security and accounting parameters Load the applications on the router and enable accounting and authorization for the application.

• Fax parameters Specify the cover sheet and header information for faxes that are generated in the packet network.

• Message Transfer Agent (MTA) parameters Define delivery parameters for the e-mail messages that accompany fax TIFF images.

• Message disposition notification (MDN) parameters Specify the generation of messages to notify e-mail originators when their fax e-mail messages are delivered.

• Delivery status notification (DSN) parameters Instruct the SMTP server to send messages to e-mail originators to inform them of the status of their e-mail messages.

• Gateway security and accounting parameters Define authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) for faxes that enter or exit the packet network.