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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.