| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Do I need a land line and a fax machine? Thread poster: Rachel E
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Rachel E
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:23
Hi,
I've just finished my masters in translation and I'm now trying to get started as a freelancer. At the moment I don't actually have a phone line, I just have my mobile and then skype. Obviously having been a student I'm very strapped for cash so I just want to know if a land line is essential nowadays for a translator? And how about a fax machine? If it is I will have to get it but just wondering if anyone knows of any cheaper options.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
... See more Hi,
I've just finished my masters in translation and I'm now trying to get started as a freelancer. At the moment I don't actually have a phone line, I just have my mobile and then skype. Obviously having been a student I'm very strapped for cash so I just want to know if a land line is essential nowadays for a translator? And how about a fax machine? If it is I will have to get it but just wondering if anyone knows of any cheaper options.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Rachel ▲ Collapse
| | | | David Wright 
Austria
Local time: 17:23
German to English
+ ...
| I've been a translator for 30 years | Sep 2, 2012 |
and don't have a fax or a landline. If you find your clients want to use fax there are services that can receive faxes and send them on to you as emails - I have one and I get about one fax every six months.
Landline is totally unnecessary. As long as you're contactable, no one cares whether landline or mobile.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 17:23
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| fax2mail and skype2fax | Sep 2, 2012 |
Rachel E wrote:
At the moment I don't actually have a phone line, I just have my mobile and then skype.
I know of many freelance translators who don't even give out their phone numbers at all -- they do everything via e-mail. Obviously as a beginner you'd want to be as reachable as possible, so having a phone number in addition to e-mail is a good thing for you.
What would the added advantage of a landline be over a cellphone, do you think?
And how about a fax machine?
I have never had clients contact me via fax or send me documents via fax, even though I maintain a fax number and indicate it on all my invoices and letterheads.
I don't have a fax machine, though -- I use online fax2mail or mail2fax services. You can often get fax2mail services for free (the sender pays a little extra for the fax). The fax is converted to TIFF or PDF and is sent to you via e-mail as an attachment.
Mail2fax (or similar services) costs money, though. A good mail2fax service is actually skype2fax, and I can recommend PamFax. Remember, you don't have to send faxes from the same "number" as you receive it.
| | | | Rachel E
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:23
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you very much for your advice David. That's exactly the response I was hoping for so I'm very pleased!
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Rachel E
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:23
TOPIC STARTER
Oh and thank you Samuel too, I didn't see that post.
| | | | ATIL KAYHAN
Türkiye
Local time: 19:23
Member (2007)
Turkish to English
+ ...
| Landline & All-In-One | Sep 2, 2012 |
Dear Rachel,
I would say you would definitely need a landline in the long run. First of all, a landline is much more reliable than a mobile phone. A mobile phone (system) can break down for any reason (a hurricane, for example), and a landline would still run. A mobile phone is just for what it is, when you are mobile, period. Other than that, a landline is the surest way to go.
As for the fax machine, I would say get one of those machines called all-in-one. They b... See more Dear Rachel,
I would say you would definitely need a landline in the long run. First of all, a landline is much more reliable than a mobile phone. A mobile phone (system) can break down for any reason (a hurricane, for example), and a landline would still run. A mobile phone is just for what it is, when you are mobile, period. Other than that, a landline is the surest way to go.
As for the fax machine, I would say get one of those machines called all-in-one. They basicallly have four functions: printer, fax, photocopy and scanner. They can do all of these. That is why they are called all-in-one. They are not that expensive, either. Nowadays you can buy a decent all-in-one machine for about $100. or so. At least this is the price in the States or at Amazon.com. Take a look at Amazon for all-in-one machines. You can also buy a second hand but I would not recommend. Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 17:23
Italian to English
In memoriam | One advantage | Sep 2, 2012 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
What would the added advantage of a landline be over a cellphone, do you think?
Well, you don't have to recharge a landline every couple of days 
FWIW
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:23
Hebrew to English
| They can both wait | Sep 2, 2012 |
The only essential is a decent internet connection.
I thought fax machines were as obsolete as the VHS. Definitely not a priority. A landline is a nice thing to have, but if you have a mobile then there's no urgency.
Basically they can both wait till you're on your feet and your budget is less "studenty".
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Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 08:23
English to German
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In memoriam | It depends on where you live | Sep 2, 2012 |
If your area is prone to earthquakes or storms, I highly recommend a land line because they run on a separate grid. Technically you can hook up your laptop to your phone outlet and you can deliver your job, slowly but reliable.
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Giles Watson wrote:
Samuel Murray wrote:
What would the added advantage of a landline be over a cellphone, do you think?
Well, you don't have to recharge a landline every couple of days
FWIW
Giles, that applies only if you use a prepay card and not a subscription service. Over here (Romania), there are excellent mobile plans, with mobile internet and broadband internet, and I don't have to recharge every couple of days, but pay my invoice once a month.
Having a landline also depends on your lifestyle. If you have a fixed working schedule at an office (living room, bedroom, whatever) and you don't want to be bothered outside those hours, you can use a landline.
I have a landline, but I never used it for business and I'm doing fine without it.
If you like to move around and not be stuck to a desk, your cell phone will be just perfect.
| | | | Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 17:23
Italian to English
In memoriam | Recharging your batteries | Sep 2, 2012 |
Annamaria Amik wrote:
Giles, that applies only if you use a prepay card and not a subscription service.
Hi Annamaria,
Sorry if I wasn't clear but perhaps you're confusing "recharge" (the battery) with "top up".
Best,
G.
| | | | ATIL KAYHAN
Türkiye
Local time: 19:23
Member (2007)
Turkish to English
+ ...
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 17:23
French to English
Giles Watson wrote:
Samuel Murray wrote:
What would the added advantage of a landline be over a cellphone, do you think?
Well, you don't have to recharge a landline every couple of days
FWIW
I have my landline bundled in with the internet service and I can call for free anywhere in Europe, the US, Canada and some other places. It's useful to be able to call your client without having to worry about the cost, if a misunderstanding has cropped up or if you have thorny questions about your translation. Not to mention calling our many family members abroad! I always send clients a mail with my questions but I call if I don't get a swift or full response, then confirm whatever was decided in another mail afterwards.
(my mobile being a freebie that's also bundled in with internet, I only have an hour of free communication, so I only use it in emergencies)
[Edited at 2012-09-02 15:24 GMT]
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 11:23
German to English
| Fax probably not needed | Sep 2, 2012 |
In the US, calling numbers outside the country on a mobile phone can be expensive. My landline service provides unlimited domestic calling and inexpensive per-minute rates anywhere in the world, even to mobile phones (for example, last winter a 20 minute call to my daughter in Nairobi cost a little over a dollar). I use the landline for outgoing calls only; the answering machine only plays a message without accepting voice mail. My all-in-one printer offers faxing capability and I send a few non... See more In the US, calling numbers outside the country on a mobile phone can be expensive. My landline service provides unlimited domestic calling and inexpensive per-minute rates anywhere in the world, even to mobile phones (for example, last winter a 20 minute call to my daughter in Nairobi cost a little over a dollar). I use the landline for outgoing calls only; the answering machine only plays a message without accepting voice mail. My all-in-one printer offers faxing capability and I send a few non-business faxes per year, mainly on behalf of friends and family. I don't recall when I last received/sent a translation by fax. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jaroslaw Michalak
Poland
Local time: 17:23
Member (2004)
English to Polish
SITE LOCALIZER | Landline/mobile vs internet | Sep 2, 2012 |
I would say landline is not necessary at all... As for reliability: landline is as reliable as (cable) Internet - if you have one, you usually have the other one as well (often they are served on the same links). And of the two Internet provides, naturally, a much better means of communication. The situations where both the Internet and the mobile service are down and it is only the landline that can save the day are rather unlikely.
Besides, if you don't have Internet and mobile s... See more I would say landline is not necessary at all... As for reliability: landline is as reliable as (cable) Internet - if you have one, you usually have the other one as well (often they are served on the same links). And of the two Internet provides, naturally, a much better means of communication. The situations where both the Internet and the mobile service are down and it is only the landline that can save the day are rather unlikely.
Besides, if you don't have Internet and mobile service, there is little you can do businesswise... You will not dictate your translation over the phone, will you? I am perfectly aware that it is (still?) technically possible to send files over the phone line, but it has been a while since I've seen a working modem... Not to mention that the once perfectly common question like "ZModem or Xmodem"? would just draw blank stares nowadays.
If you really want to have an alternative phone number, try VoIP. The obvious disadvantage is that it works only when the Internet works, but then the cost is completely negligible.
And finally, you better not power a laptop from the phone grid... unless you have a taste in fried electronic parts.
[Edited at 2012-09-02 16:17 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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