Much like telephone numbers, fax numbers are connected to specific machines, servers, or online software ensuring your faxes get to the person they’re intended to reach. But do they also look like phone numbers? Is there the same number of digits? How many digits there actually are in fax numbers? It typically depends on the destination of the fax and its origin, among other things. Keep reading to learn more about the mechanics of it.
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How many digits are there in a fax number?
Fax numbers are almost identical to phone numbers. For this reason, you’ll need an area code if you are sending the fax outside of your local area.
Depending on the way the machine or the phone system is set up, you may need to use the number ‘1’ before the area code. After the area code, there are 7 more digits: one group of three and one group of four. This is the same for the United States and Canada.
As for sending within other countries, they have telephone numbers of varying lengths. The number of digits in those countries’ fax numbers will be different based on the country as well.
For example, phone and fax numbers from the United Kingdom will have 5 to 8 digits when dialing locally, or 9 to 10 digits when calling a location outside of the current area code. In Australia, a local fax number would have 8 digits, while a non-local one would be preceded by a ‘0’ and then a one-digit area code.
The number of digits in a fax number varies, depending on the origin and destination of the fax. That is why you absolutely need to make sure you look into the format of the fax number before you send it.
What about faxing internationally?
If you are faxing from one country to another, more digits are needed to successfully send your fax. That’s because international calls require additional digits in order to pass through the international switchboard.
These digits are called exit codes and they vary depending on the country a person is faxing to or from. Sending an online fax from Australia to the US or Canada would require the fax number to be preceded by the exit code ‘0011’ and then ‘1.’ After those numbers, it should be followed by the ten-digit fax number.
On the other hand, calling that same number from the China, India, the UK, France, or Germany would require two less digits, as the exit code for these countries is only ‘00.’
Standard fax format
Although fax numbers will vary by country, there is a guaranteed standard format that these numbers follow. For any international transactions, an exit code is needed, which would add 2 to 4 digits at the beginning of the number.
Next is typically the number ‘1’ if the call is not local. If the call is indeed not local, an area code will follow the ‘1.’ If a fax is being sent locally, an area code is typically not needed. After that will be the fax number itself. As mentioned previously, the number of digits will vary, but the format used is pretty standard throughout.
Wrapping up how many digits are in a fax number
Faxing is a quick, and reliable way to send documents. It’s important to know how a fax number works though, so that you can successfully use the technology. Follow the guidelines above to ensure you’re sending a fax to the right number, whether you’re sending locally, out of area but within your country, or internationally.
