Time to say goodbye to the fax machine
The fax machine is about to be pushed closer to the dustbin of history. The device - formally known as a facsimile machine - was once a regular feature of British offices. But now the UK's communications regulator Ofcom is consulting on changes to telecoms rules that could formalise its obsolescence. It would mean telecoms providers would no longer be required to provide fax services under the universal service obligation (USO)... More here.
For the majority the fax machine is without doubt a relic of the past and most of us could not imagine using one again. I do, however, have very fond memories of the technology because when I worked in a bank head office 31 years ago I used to send faxes to the silliest of locations. They were supposed to be used for log distance communications, but I ended up sending them to banks in the UK just so I could talk to the girl who dealt with all of the incoming and outgoing faxes (no email back then!)
I kept sending the faxes to nearby locations rather than making phone calls, which must have looked strange at the time, but I eventually plucked up the courage to ask her out for a drink, and 31 years later we are still happily married. This is why I fondly remember the humble fax.