Fax & Scan - Fax won't go through, keeps saying line is busy

This is the first time I've tried to use this - I didn't even know it existed until I found something about it on a search earlier today.

The fax I am trying to send is one page, a bit of text with an inserted JPG file (a screenshot of a bank statement), and the number is a toll-free one (1-800-etc.). My laptop has a USB broadband modem that I connect to the internet manually (it makes no sound but looks to be following the same procedure as the old land line modems did - dial, answer, authenticate, connect). When I first set up the fax I was online, then it occurred to me that I needed to disconnect for the line to be available (duh) and as soon as I did that Fax & Scan attempted to send the fax. But after several tries, 10 minutes apart, it gave up, with a "line busy" message for each attempt. I tried again several hours later, with the same result.

At first I wasn't sure *which* line it was saying was busy - mine or the recipient's. First I tried calling the modem line from my cell phone; it rang and then went to the standard message from Cricket to try again later (this modem can send & receive text messages but not regular phone calls). Then I tried calling the 800 number; it answered with the standard fax noises, at which point I hung up. So it doesn't seem like that line was busy either.

I wasn't sure this was going to work anyway just because I don't have an actual fax modem, but when I saw the Windows utility I thought I'd try it. Now I'm not sure if that's the problem or if it's something else. I wanted to try just removing the "1" from the number but I can't find a way to edit the fax or even send it to a different number. When I first tried to send the fax I was asked for a location area code; the first one I put in was the area where I am now (PA) but for the second try I went to Control Panels -> Phone & Modem and changed it to the area code in the modem's phone number (CO), but the result was the same - "line busy." There was also something about a "carrier code," but I don't even know what that is so I left it blank. I think I also saw something about "dialing conventions" but I can't find that now.

Does anyone have any ideas about what's going on here? Am I just trying to attempt something that's not possible with this particular modem? The recipient will not accept this document any other way (not even snail mail) and without access to a fax machine my only other choice is an online service, most of which seem to have monthly fees - which seem a bit much for just one fax (this is the first one I've had to send since I had a land line and an actual fax modem - which was a lot of years ago).

Thank you for your help.

fireberd said:

The broadband modem is not for faxing. You need a "dial-up" modem, that is connected to your voice telephone line for faxing. I don't know of any recent model PC's with a dialup data/fax modem installed. Thus you would need an external connected modem to fax.

Okay... That's what I was afraid of. By "voice telephone line" I assume you mean a land line? I don't have one, only a cell phone. I don't think this laptop has a modem at all but even if it did, if it needed to connect to a land line - that wouldn't help. I briefly thought about getting a different printer, one that was also a fax, but I think that would have the same problem. I'll just have to explore other options - if there are any.

Thank you for your answer.

The bottom line is that to send a fax directly you need a fax modem connected to a land telephone line. There is no way around that. But there are a number of services you can use to send faxes over the Internet, even free for limited use.
See this:
How to Send and Receive Faxes Online Without a Fax Machine or Phone Line